APhA-ASP Region 8

Sunny Nagra, a student pharmacist at the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at the University of Pacific, recently developed a Smoking Cessation Application (http://www.kickspy.com/projects/snagra/quit-smoking-ios-app-and-research-project) that was featured on the Pharmacy Times! Here’s a direct excerpt from the developer himself:

“…I get exposed to a lot of patients at our free health fair outreach events and in the pharmacy. This allows me to witness the tolls that smoking can take on the body and on a patient's overall health. I started the Quit Smoking Project in order to explore new ways of using technology to help lead to positive patient outcomes. My long term goal is to take what I learn from making an iOS app for smoking cessation and apply that knowledge to other disease states in the future, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

What sets this application apart from every other application is that it was developed with the driving force of research in mind. The application is developed from the ground up to be used as a research tool. It is true that there are other smoking cessations apps on the iOS App Store, but they were not designed to help push forward the collective knowledge on health care. We live in a world surrounded by technology, such as smartphones, and many different research groups are focusing on why this may be having a negative effect on our health, but the end goal should be finding ways of making this technology have positive effects on our health. The goal of this project is not just providing smoking cessation for the patient, but it is also to create momentum that will drive scientists and health care providers to create even more innovative patient oriented applications that have a positive effect on the patient's well being. If I am able to show positive results with my research, then I can provide a model for future projects to push innovation even further with personalized technology driven health care.”

We are EXTREMELY proud of your accomplishment. Congratulations Sunny!

One of my favorite meetings has always been the Midyear Regional Meeting. This meeting marked the beginning of my love for APhA-ASP. I met so people that I am still friends with to this day! Most importantly, at the Exposition Booths is where I found what I wanted to pursue after I graduated from pharmacy school. There is so much to do at MRM, so don’t miss out. The last day to register online is October 31 at 11:59 PST!

More info and registration link found here: http://www.pharmacist.com/node/318381

Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/610016412447317/

We will see you there!

    Touro University of California hosted their first Legislative Banquet on May 1st, 2014 in collaboration with American Pharmacists Association (APhA), California Pharmacists Association (CPhA), California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP), and Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA). The banquet consisted of a dinner followed by a roundtable event designed to foster discussion about including pharmacist as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team

     Touro University Senior Provost and CEO, Shelley Berkley commenced and introduced the event followed by a keynote address by Assistant Dean of Administration, Dr. Keith Yoshizuka. Following the introduction, the program comprised of presentations from Norlyn Asprec, a representative from the office of Assemblymember Susan Bonilla and Evan Minton, representing Assemblymember Phil Ting’s office.

     Executive Officer of the California Board of Pharmacy Virginia Herold, CPhA CEO John Roth, CPhA Vice President of the Center of Advocacy Brian Warren, CPhA Policy & Advocacy Manager Megan Maddox, CSHP Outgoing President Steve Gray, CSHP Government Affairs Manager Jillian Hacker, CSHP CEO and Executive Vice President Dawn Benton, Touro University Faculty Drs. Wong, Chan, Shane and Palisoc, and Phi Lambda Sigma student member Dylan Mezzio served as roundtable speakers for the event.

     Discussion topics included: the implementation of SB 493, pharmacists’ provider status, AB 1535 allowing pharmacists to furnish naloxone, SB 1039 the efficient use of pharmacy personnel, AB 2418 eliminating the mail order requirement for refills to increase medication adherence, HR 4190 a proposed amendment to Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to recognize pharmacists as providers under Medicare Part B and in the Accountable Care Organizations (ACO), the process of bill implementation through the California Board of Pharmacy and California Medical Board, the importance of grassroots lobbying, and the impacts of SB 493 on Hospital and Managed Care Pharmacy.

     The Legislative Banquet concluded with a closing keynote from the chapter advisor of CPhA/APhA and SNPhA, Dr. Kajua Lor.  The legislative dinner served as a forum to unify different colleges of pharmacy from Touro University and the University of Pacific as well as exemplify inter-professionalism with students from Touro University students from the College of Osteopathic Medicine, Physician’s Assistant Program, and the Masters of Public Health Program. Touro University would like to acknowledge special thanks to all the Legislative Aides in attendance - Daniel Garcia, representing Congressman Mike Thompson’s office, Danny Bernardini, representing Senator Lois Wolk’s Office, and Ron Turner, representing Assemblymember Susan Bonilla’s office. In addition, we would like to thank our sponsor, the Diablo Society of Health System Pharmacists (DSHP).