In what has been a turbulent year for community pharmacy, with price cuts, opioid epidemics and general anxiety over the future feasibility of the industry, I think at the end of the day we can all agree on what makes every pharmacist continue to press on: providing exceptional health care for patients in need.
While we may all hold this fact close to our hearts as we go about our daily work, it’s truly inspirational to come together to celebrate those among us who have excelled at driving the profession forward, taking industry-advancing risks and delivering life-changing pharmaceutical care.
This year’s BCPhA Pharmacy Excellence Awards winners represent our industry’s greatest potential – to find innovative paths to practice to the utmost of our abilities, all while positively impacting patients and our communities at large.
It’s fitting to honour our best and brightest at the same time we kick off the festivities for the BCPhA’s 50th anniversary. What began as a volunteer-based society in May 1968 to unite the province’s pharmacists today has become a vibrant professional association collaborating with its more than 3,200 pharmacist members to bring about expanded scope and effective change for the industry and all patients. Read more on pharmacy’s history in B.C. and snap a selfie to show your support in our Faces of Pharmacy campaign launching this spring.
With this issue of The Tablet, we are proud to debut a new look, with content further geared towards you, our reader. We tackle some of your toughest practice questions (‘Ask the Experts,’ pg. 25), offer constructive advice for optimal pharmacy operations (‘5 Tips for Community Pharmacy Managers,’ pg. 26), and provide insight to a growing new product opportunity
(‘Biosimilars,’ pg. 28).
Moving forward into the next 50 years, our mission at BCPhA remains steadfast: to support your role as pharmacist, advancing your professional opportunities, securing economic viability and, above all, enhancing patient care.
Alex Dar Santos is the President of the BC Pharmacy Association.