Course Overview:

Immunization rates remain suboptimal throughout the United States. Pharmacists can engage in many activities to promote immunizations, including providing education, facilitating immunization events, and administering immunizations. Pharmacists can also participate in immunization coalitions—organizations that combine resources and talents of groups and individuals to develop initiatives that increase immunization rates. In this session, we will explore opportunities and roles for pharmacists in these coalitions, along with strategies for working with coalitions to increase immunization rates.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this continuing education lesson, the pharmacist will be able to: Discuss the challenges communities face in their attempts to increase immunization rates. Describe the role of immunization coalitions in optimizing immunization collaboration, education, advocacy, delivery, and acceptance within targeted communities. Identify roles pharmacists can play within immunization coalitions to achieve the goal of becoming integral members of the immunization community and positively impact immunization rates. Describe best practices for pharmacist involvement in immunization coalitions.  Discuss steps to achieve their personal involvement in immunization coalitions.

Faculty:

Jeff A. Goad, PharmD, MPH, FCPhA, FCSHP Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy Titus Family Department of Pharmacy CTH, Certificate of Knowledge in Travel Health USC International Travel Clinics Director, Community Pharmacy Practice Residency Coordinator, Community Pharmacy Clerkship Program University of Southern California School of Pharmacy Los Angeles, California   Linda K. Ohri, PharmD, MPH Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice Creighton University School of Pharmacy Omaha, Nebraska

Disclosure:

Jeff A. Goad, PharmD and Linda Ohri, PharmD, MPH, declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests in any product or service mentioned in this program, including grants, employment, gifts, stock holdings, and honoraria.   APhA’s editorial staff declares no conflicts of interest or financial interests in any product or service mentioned in this program, including grants, employment, gifts, stock holdings, and honoraria.

Accreditation Information:

The American Pharmacists Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education (CPE). This activity, Increasing Pharmacist Involvement in Immunization Coalitions, ACPE #202-000-09-210-L04-P, is approved for 1.0 hour of continuing pharmacy education credit. There is no fee to participate in this activity. To obtain continuing education credit for this program, participants must pre-register online (limited to 500 seats), participate in the entire program, and complete the online program evaluation form by August 14, 2009. A Statement of Credit will be automatically generated upon achieving these requirements.

Commercial Support:

This webinar was developed by the American Pharmacists Association and is supported by a Cooperative Agreement provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) entitled “Pharmacists: Connecting, Communicating and Collaborating for Improved Community Health” (1U66 IP000114). The opinions expressed in this program do not represent the viewpoints of the CDC.