I recently received a videotape from ASHP entitled "Translating National Goals into Local Action". The videotape is narrated by Debra S. Devereaux, MBA, FASHP, President of ASHP. The 10 minute video describes ASHP's progress on the 6 planks of the Society's 2002-03 Leadership Agenda. Although ASHP's intent is to play the video during one of our meetings, I felt that this would be difficult due to the availability of equipment and time constraints. Therefore, I have summarized the main points below.

The 2002-2003 Leadership Agenda formally communicates ASHP's organizational priorities and serves as a framework for future activities. The six major planks of the Agenda are listed below with the progress to date indicated as indented bullet points.

Foster fail-safe medication use in health systems.

• Center for Patient Safety provides CE, comprehensive website, strategic alliances, and supports barcoding.
• Medication safety officer job description available on ASHP's website.
• Expand access to the patient-care services of health-system pharmacists.

Support Medicare and Medicaid provider status for pharmacists. 

• Public relations initiative with pharmacy directors to convey pharmacists' unique roles to the public (publicinfo@ashp.org).
• Collaborative Drug Therapy Management authority in 34 states

Help health-system pharmacists deal with the affordability and accessibility of pharmaceuticals.

• "Drug-cost technique" checklist being developed.

Foster an adequate supply of practitioners and practice leaders in health-system pharmacy.

• New section of Pharmacy Practice Managers
• Advocated federal support for pharmacy training and education
• Foster expansion of residency training
• New virtual mentoring program instituted

Close the gaps in health-system pharmacy emergency preparedness.

• Advocate that pharmacists be involved at all levels of emergency preparedness planning
• Close drug supply chain gaps
• Counterterrorism website and CE
• Assist Public Health Services
• Recruit pharmacist volunteers to participate in chemoprophylaxis and mass vaccination if needed

Accelerate efforts to help health-system pharmacists prepare for advances in science and technology.

• Section of Clinical Specialists and Researchers to provide input.
• Establish genetics resource center
• Provide CE in the areas of genome project, nanotechnology, genomics, and immunomodulation

For more information, please visit www.ashp.org