As I complete my final ACCP Report President’s Column, I am struck by the pace of College-driven activity over the past year! Looking at the work from the ACCP Board of Regents (BOR), committees, and task forces, it is truly remarkable to see the work of colleagues committed to guiding the profession. ACCP members took on the challenges posed by virtual environments as the College’s programming, PRN sessions, and meeting opportunities pivoted over the year. They have shown strength and resilience in adapting to the ever-changing landscapes in their practices, educational paradigms, research endeavors, and personal challenges. ACCP staff have sustained organizational operations and worked tirelessly to keep the College moving forward on strategic initiatives. Their remarkable professionalism and perseverance have served as visible reminders of our shared commitment to ACCP’s values. As your president, I have genuinely been amazed by the staunch resolve and integrity of the individuals who comprise the “secret ingredient” and infrastructure behind this strong organization.
In 2021, College members started their collective journey to becoming inclusive leaders, embracing diversity and building health equity. Communications, committee activities, and BOR actions have been guided by the 2020 Strategic Plan and ACCP’s core values. Consistent with ACCP’s core value of “commitment to embrace diversity and inclusion,” the leadership team has participated in DEI professional development training guided by the College’s consultants, Ameli Global Partnerships (AGP; see https://ameliglobalpartnerships.com/). Through my communications, I have endeavored to share AGP’s insights and tools with ACCP members. It is very exciting to consider the impact of the upcoming keynote address, From Diversity to Inclusion: Creating an Inclusive Organization, together with the related sessions to be featured during the 2021 Virtual ACCP Member Meeting. I encourage each member to take full advantage of AGP’s expertise in facilitating the development of inclusive leadership skills.
ACCP committees have worked diligently to consider DEI in the execution of their charges. The Awards, Nominations, and Credentials: Fellowship committees have provided recommendations for how to sustain and integrate ACCP’s DEI values into future College initiatives. I am excited to recognize my distinguished colleagues receiving awards and FCCP recognition during the upcoming Virtual ACCP Member Meeting!
Papers and reports developed by this year’s committees and task forces address the impact of virtual delivery on educational models, member engagement, and health disparities. Measuring the quality of clinical pharmacy services and establishing appropriate metrics will inform strategies to help validate members’ contributions to team-based care and improved medication-related outcomes. Practice guidelines for therapeutic interchange have been updated to address current professional/interprofessional considerations. In addition, the Research Affairs Committee has proposed an updated essential research curriculum for Pharm.D. degree programs. These committee documents provide insight into relevant diversity and inclusion considerations and their potential impact on equity.
ACCP’s resident and student committees have been exceptionally invested in building novel communications and educational initiatives. Their work includes cases showing the impact of bias, discrimination, harassment, and intimidation within training environments. This work is crucial to building a future in which knowledge of and sensitivity to unprofessional behavior can empower trainees to report such behaviors and seek allies for support when doing so. The BOR has been encouraged by the committees’ sincerity of effort and impact of messaging on colleagues.
The power of individual member voices has resulted in the launch of two new ACCP PRNs – the Health Equity and Community-Based PRNs. These additions to the College’s programming, practice, and research collaborations will strengthen members’ understanding of factors affecting medication outcomes across the spectrum of clinical pharmacy and underserved populations. The work of these PRNs will also help accelerate transformative conversations that promote engagement with more clinical pharmacists. Partnerships among the PRNs will enhance opportunities for generating new educational models, research initiatives, and practice innovations. It will be exciting to see paradigms change through these expanded voices and efforts.
Actions by the BOR have reinforced for me ACCP’s commitment to value member voices and listen with respect. The ACCP Code of Conduct and code of conduct attestation statement were created to validate members’ shared expectations of professional and personal standards of conduct. The College is committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can belong. This requires a collective agreement that harassment, intimidation, discrimination, and abuse of power or position by any member of ACCP are unacceptable.
Finally, the BOR has responded to requests to enhance member representation and increase communication of board decisions. BOR liaisons will communicate more formally with PRN chairs both before and after each board meeting. These communications will include responses to any PRN-specific questions, suggestions, or requests for feedback. In addition, PRNs will continue to be invited to submit questions or potential items for board discussion at future board meetings. Accordingly, the BOR discussed feedback from six PRNs during its July meeting. During the upcoming October BOR meeting, board members will review and approve a summary of the July BOR meeting minutes, which they will then post to the Bylaws and Governance section on the ACCP website. These individual meeting summaries will continue to be posted quarterly, after BOR approval. Expansion of leadership development opportunities for ACCP members is also under way, as the College launches the new professional leadership APPEs for students and formalizes a new program to prepare participants for leadership responsibilities in ACCP, in particular, and clinical pharmacy, in general.
Overall, this has been one of the most rewarding opportunities of my career. Serving as your president, hearing from you, and learning from esteemed colleagues and leaders at other pharmacy organizations has enhanced my appreciation of ACCP’s impact on clinical pharmacy. It has been a genuine honor to participate in this year of challenging issues and observe the responsiveness of both the College’s members and its staff. In 1979, a vision was launched by the College’s founders to create a flagship organization that reflected the core values of clinical pharmacy education, practice, and research. In 2021, ACCP continues to be the leader in innovation and excellence in clinical pharmacy. Actions taken since the 2019 ACCP Annual Meeting in New York have positioned the College as an organization where inclusive leaders abound, diversity is embraced, and health equity is realized. Thank you for the privilege of serving you this past year.
In closing, I hope each of you will continue to demonstrate the courage of leadership, resolve of discipline, and commitment to making a difference throughout your career. You have been an inspiration and source of hope to colleagues, students, trainees, and patients. Together, we can create a future with opportunities for every individual to achieve health equity through inclusive leadership.