A Minute With... Ha Phan, PharmD, CDCES, BCACP, clinical assistant professor, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, and ambulatory care pharmacist, Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic and Pediatric Weight Management, Jackson, MS
Member since 2013
"Membership in APhA since my P1 year of pharmacy school has led to opportunities in leadership, service, and mentorship. My most memorable experience as a student pharmacist would be when I was able to travel to Croatia through the IPSF exchange program and work in a community pharmacy in Zagreb for 2 weeks. As a pharmacist, the opportunity to be a student chapter advisor has excited me to collaborate with student pharmacists and continue to serve our Jackson, MS, community and our patients through APhA–ASP.”
How has APhA helped you establish meaningful connections?
Through working with student pharmacists and other pharmacists and my experiences with APhA, conferences are more exciting to attend. I’m able to catch up with new and old friends and meet new pharmacists who may have similar interests as I move through my career.
How does APhA help you thrive in your everyday practice?
Professional development activities throughout the year remind me of my “why” and refresh my drive for moving the profession forward.
What excites you about the profession of pharmacy?
The successes within other states and the experience that I gather while observing or learning from other pharmacists motivates me to cultivate similar experiences for both my students and the patients I serve.
Can you share a meaningful story about a time you interacted with a patient? Perhaps a time you felt like you really made a difference for them?
Our patients in Mississippi come from many different demographics; we have areas of the state that are truly pharmacy deserts, and some patients who may have a pharmacy nearby may not have transportation to access their medications. I saw a patient who was referred to me for diabetes management due to labile blood glucose. The local fire department down the road from his home provided emergency glucagon and, as the patient recalls, “sugar” because he was so out of it. He was on Novolin 70/30 due to cost. I was able to work with him to reduce midday and nighttime lows. I helped him with qualifying for patient assistance, and he was transitioned to a basal/bolus regimen with a GLP-1.
The more I talked to him, I started to realize that his meal choices were not always something that he could control, but were rather what he could get. Often, his lows were treated by the foods he had on hand and were not always what we would counsel patients to eat. We worked so hard together to get his A1C as close as we could to his appropriate goal of 7%; however, we continued to have variability based on the food he could access on a week-to-week basis.
There was a program that existed in Jackson for patients with food insecurities where I picked up food for an older patient. One day, this patient didn’t have room in her refrigerator for some of the food I was dropping off to her, and she told me to give it to someone in need. I drove out to my patient’s house and dropped off a 10-pound turkey. His day was made, and so was mine. I could see the comfort of knowing that he may not have to worry about food for a few days, and it also happened to be his birthday! Moments like these—when pharmacists are in the position to impact patients beyond medications, when we just take the time to get to know our patients and their barriers—reminds me of the value of our profession. ■
Get involved in APhA
Public Health SIG
The primary purpose of the APhA–APPM Public Health Special Interest Group (SIG) is to serve as the leading convening body across APhA and the profession to promote and advance the role of the pharmacist in public health. The group aims to accomplish these goals through its work: highlight the role of the pharmacist in public health; expand practice models that demonstrate the impact of the pharmacist in public health; strengthen workforce development opportunities for pharmacists interested in public health, including education and postgraduate training; and convene health care partners to advance the role of the pharmacist in population health.
Interested in getting involved in the Public Health SIG? Learn more at apha.us/PHSIG. ■
Advocacy
Created by E. Michael Murphy, PharmD, MBA, APhA advisor for state government affairs, this easy-to-reference map (apha.us/TestandTreatMap) breaks down current states’ authorization and payment for test, treat, and immunization services by pharmacists. Please use this valuable resource to advocate in meetings with your elected officials to support our federal legislation, the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services (ECAPS) Act. See apha.us/ECAPSinfo for more information. ■
Did you know?
Elevate your well-being this holiday season with the WBI for Pharmacy Personnel
With the end-of-year holidays coming up, take some time to discover a refreshed approach to self-care with the Well-Being Index (WBI) for Pharmacy Personnel.
This free and online self-assessment tool was invented by the Mayo Clinic and is proudly offered by APhA. It evaluates stress, fatigue, burnout, and anxiety while measuring nine dimensions of distress. By simply answering a few short questions, you can discover your well-being scores and gain access to valuable resources. This investment in yourself will not only positively impact your personal health, but also elevate the quality of care you provide to your patients.
Get started now at www.pharmacist.com/WBI. ■