PQA Board member J.W. Hill, chief operating officer at the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs, addresses the organization’s ongoing work with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to support interoperability of patient data. He offers insights on some of the ONC’s top priorities and their relevance to retail pharmacies.

Studying Impact of Pharmacy Closures    
A new study from the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has found that pharmacy closures in communities around Colorado significantly impact patient access to anticonvulsant medications, typically used to treat epilepsy, neuropathic pain and psychiatric disorders. Missing doses of this class of medication can result in increased mortality, pain and emergency room visits.

Focusing on What Matters to Patients  
In new viewpoint, Johnson and Johnson's Brett Kay discussed developing measures related to non-clinical, patient-directed goals allows patients and providers to align their needs to help meet a common goal: improved health and well-being. Implementing measurement frameworks and accountability based on understanding what motivates patients, incorporating them into care plans and fostering a true sense of patient-provider collaboration will ultimately lead to better outcomes. 

The PQA Quality Shadowing Program  

To build a larger and more diverse quality workforce, the PQA Quality Shadowing Program provides individuals from diverse groups the opportunity to observe nomination-based panels to gain knowledge that can support selection for future panels

This opportunity is designed for early career professionals and individuals who are interested in quality but have not had opportunities to participate in formal PQA measure development and stewardship activities.

To be eligible for the PQA Quality Shadowing Program, individuals must:

• Be from racial, ethnic or other minority groups who are underrepresented in quality and health care leadership positions.
• Be employed by a PQA member organization.
• Complete the program’s online application process and be able to serve for the program’s duration, from January to December.
• Have not been previously selected to serve on a PQA nomination-based panel.
• Have received a letter of support from your PQA member organization’s Key (If you are uncertain who your organization’s key contact is, PQA staff can help identify that individual.)

Self-nominations for the 2025 program will be accepted through Monday, December 9, via a form on the PQA website. If you have questions, email us at [email protected].

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