Jacob Schwarz, PharmD, MBA, BCIDP , BCCCP , BCPS, FAzPA
Jacob Schwarz graduated from the University of Arizona-College of Pharmacy in 2010 and then went on to complete a PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency in Lakeland, FL. Jake returned back to Phoenix and practiced at Phoenix Children’s Hospital prior to taking a clinical pharmacist position at Yuma Regional Medical Center, where he worked for over 9 years in various positions including serving as the PGY-1 Residency Program Director and Pharmacy Clinical Coordinator for over 7 at Yuma Regional Medical Center for over 7 years before recently accepting a position as an ICU Pharmacist at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, AZ. Along the way Jake has attained board certifications in Pharmacotherapy, Critical Care, and Infectious Diseases. Jake also graduated with a Master of Business Administration with healthcare administration focus from the University of Massachusetts in Spring of 2021. Along with constantly learning for himself, Jake has also been active in the education of healthcare professionals throughout his career. He has been an IPPE and APPE preceptor multiple Colleges of Pharmacy, including UofA, Midwestern, Purdue, and Drake University. Jake has also taught his pharmacy residents on clinical rotations, as well as provided didactic lectures to the medical and nursing staff at Yuma Regional to help improve patient care at the institution. In Spring 2022, the University of Arizona named Jake their Preceptor of the Year for his dedication to teaching and excellence. Jake has also been an active member of the Arizona Pharmacy Association having served on the AzPA Board of Directors since 2016 and is currently serving as the President-Elect Pro Tempore. Jake has also been active in AzPA in the education of pharmacy professionals by presenting at several different AzPA Conferences, and in 2021 was named a Fellow of the Arizona Pharmacy Association.
Dear Fellow AzPA Members,
So much has changed since I last wrote to you, and I am sure there are many more things to come between me writing this letter and you reading it. As we head into Spring, a season that typically brings hope and new beginnings, it can also bring a feeling of uncertainty with it. How will all these changes affect each of us personally and professionally? How we can best practice our profession, such that we provide the highest level of care for our patients and improve outcomes with all that is happening around us?
Regardless of which side of the political spectrum one sits, we must recognize how many of these changes in the last few months will impact the health of our communities. With the federal government continuing to attempt to cut “fraud/waste” we have seen the downstream effects not only on a national level, but also amongst our AzPA community. With each announcement to cut thousands of Federal healthcare worker jobs from the VA, IHS, and other departments, we see systems that were already struggling to provide access to healthcare due to limitations in their workforces now being limited even more. As part of the greater medical community, we are also fighting the increasing rhetoric of anti-vaxxers, including that from the current Secretary of Health and Human Services. Because of this misinformation, not only are we seeing the declining rates of vaccinations, but now also the increase in diseases we thought we all but eliminated, such as measles, to only find that it has recently again spread into communities and eventually claimed the lives of children.
Though I know the question that should be in everyone’s mind is, “I am only one person, what can I do? How can I make an impact?”, to which my answer is first you must be FEARLESS. It isn’t our job to be loved or adored, instead it is our job to care for and educate our patients about their healthcare choices above that which they read or see on social media. As pharmacy professionals, we are the most accessible healthcare professionals to the public. We have an obligation to care for our patients through educating them about the risks and benefits of not only the medications and treatments they are choosing to receive, but also those they are declining because they have been misinformed.
But how does one become FEARLESS? You arm yourself with the knowledge and a professional network to help support you in your professional activities, and the best place to do so will be at the AzPA Annual Convention “FEARLESS: Inspiring New Horizons in Pharmacy’s Next Era”. Here we as a community can come together to learn to improve our clinical and professional skills while having the ability to network and engage with each other to make our professional community stronger. I ask of you, if you have not registered already, to come and be a part of this amazing once-a-year opportunity this June at the Westin La Poloma in Tucson.
Until our paths cross again, I wish a healthy and bright new Spring to all of you as we continue to care for our patients and help AzPA and the profession continue to grow
Sincerely,
Jacob Schwarz, PharmD, MBA, BCIDP , BCCCP , BCPS, FAzPA
Pharmacist
Alex Jones
Charles McFarland
Emily Beckner
George Yeh
Jason Karnes
Jean Dal Ponte
Jennifer Baggs
Jeremy Stehle
Judy Dang
Kimberly Johnson
Lee Ann Ferguson
Maureen Reilly
Michelle Gokey
Sarah DiVello
Scott Gahre
Travis Skopczynski
Resident
Anthony Prencipe
Kristine Nguyen
Lauren Nakata
Stacey Abbott
WELCOME
NEW AZPA MEMBERS!
Student Pharmacist
Adrian Anaya
Alex Skomro
Alexys Mann
Alyssa Welborn
Andrea Esquivel
Andrew Bobbitt
Darrell Cooper
Eduardo Rios Carrera
Eric Schwartz
Esha Alshagra
Jared Schulte
Jocelyn Meteer
Jose Hernandez
Kareli Vazquez
Kevin Nguyen
Khushi Patel
Lydia Hawil
Marissa Birus
Micah Paredes
Michael Bostwick
Natalie Sarabia
Niabi Saganitso
Preeti Sharma
Samantha Fisher
Saniya Thomas
Technician
Emily Prosser
Gianna Petras
Jeremy Sasser
Jonina Rogers
Lynette Lugo
Monica Dominguez
Monika Sproule
Natashia Meyers
Sage Suffecool
Tiara Sullivan
Associate
Steven Kinderman
Mary Manning, PharmD, MBA, BCPS AzPABoardofDirectors-HealthSystem
AzPA HEALTH SYSTEM SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (AZ-ASHP)
It’s hard to believe that Spring 2025 is upon us. We had a successful Spring Clinical Conference in February and the AzPA Annual Convention is right around the corner! It will take place at the La Paloma resort in Tucson from June 12 to 15, 2025. This event offers a fantastic opportunity to earn continuing education credits, network with colleagues and reconnect with friends.
As I’m sure you are all aware, there’s a lot going on in Washington D.C. this spring. The American Society of Health System Pharmacy (ASHP) has outlined several important legislative priorities for the 119th Congressional session. These priorities are crucial for improving patient access to care and advancing the practice of pharmacy.
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Safeguarding Funding for Pharmacy Residency Programs ASHP urges the passage of legislation to require CMS to provide regulatory clarity on Medicare coverage for pharmacy residency programs, such as the Rebuild America’s Health Care Schools Act of 2024. Ensuring Patients’ Access to Pharmacy Services ASHP supports the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services (ECAPS) Act to allow Medicare payment for pharmacist-provided services like testing and vaccinations for respiratory conditions.
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▪ Ending the Opioid Use Crisis ASHP supports measures like exempting buprenorphine from suspicious order reporting, permitting pharmacists to initiate MOUD, and allowing methadone dispensing from pharmacies to expand access to opioid use disorder treatments.
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Supporting Physician-Pharmacist Care Teams ASHP recommends allowing physicians to bill for pharmacist services provided incident to a physician and making virtual supervision permanent to address workforce shortages and enhance patient care
Reducing Prescription Medication Prices ASHP backs legislation to ensure access to affordable biologics and drugs by eliminating redundant switching studies and prohibiting patent thickets.
Protecting the 340B Program ASHP advocates for legislation to prevent PBMs and insurers from discriminating against 340B program participants and to stop manufacturers from restricting the distribution of 340B discounted medications.
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▪ Ending PBM Abuses ASHP supports legislation to halt PBM practices like spread pricing and excessive fees while opposing site neutral payment proposals that undermine hospital care
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Preventing Drug Shortages ASHP urges Congress to pass legislation to enhance supply chain transparency, establish long-term contracts for generic sterile injectables, and create buffer supplies for critical medications.
In conclusion, the legislative priorities outlined by the ASHP for the 119th Congressional session are crucial for advancing the pharmacy profession and improving patient care. I am hopeful that we will see progress on these priorities and continue to make significant strides in our profession and in the care of our patients and communities.
Mary Manning, PharmD, MBA, BCPS AzPA Board of Directors-Health System
Teaching Advocacy on Rotation: Empowering Your Learners
AUTHORS/CONTRIBUTORS
Nicole Leiphon, PharmD candidate, Midwestern University College of PharmacyGlendale
Angel Sebastian, PharmD candidate, The University of Arizona, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy - Phoenix
Preceptors are critical in teaching clinical and patient care skills to the next generation of pharmacists. Additionally, preceptors are uniquely positioned to instill confidence and professional characteristics in their learners. One of these attributes is an understanding of advocacy and one’s duty to advocate. Advocacy put simply is “speaking up for something that you believe in”. 1 Pharmacists serve multiple roles not only in advocating for patients through safe healthcare policies, but for their own workplace conditions and ensuring they continue to be recognized as integral members of the healthcare team.
Why Advocacy Matters
Healthcare does not happen in a vacuum. This can be observed through the resurgence of preventable and previously eradicated diseases like Measles and the recent triangular battle between industry, compounding pharmacies, and the FDA.
Advocacy in pharmacy is important not only for professional advancement, but for the direct impact on patient care and public health outcomes. Pharmacists can help shape policies that improve medication access, optimize healthcare delivery, and expand the pharmacist’s role in providing care by engaging in advocacy. Preceptors are uniquely poised to exert a positive influence in the profession by teaching students about advocacy.
Not all pharmacists are engaged in traditional advocacy efforts and not all preceptors have an opportunity to foster advocacy with their rotation students. This article seeks to describe simple steps that every pharmacy preceptor can take to increase advocacy awareness in their learners.
Simple Precepting Strategies for Cultivating a Spirit of Advocacy
UnderstandingLocal,State,andFederalPerspectives
As pharmacists increase their presence in direct patient care, their influence in legislation must expand as well. Pharmacists previously had many accounts of successful advocacy projects through grassroot efforts whether that be via collaborative practice acceptance, technician immunization approvals, or legislation to improve drug shortages 2. This should continue as pharmacists notice necessary positive changes to be made in their divisions of practice
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First, identify which geographical issues affect your practice area (e.g. rural vs. urban; community vs. hospital). Simultaneously, notate the “top of the license” activities allowable in your state and discuss some examples with learners that would be different in other states.
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Identify key policy issues that affect your practice, license, and employees so that students understand the ways legislators, Boards of Pharmacy, and the public influence your professional life
PRECEPTOR CORNER
Model Advocacy in Practice
In an ever-changing world of healthcare, pharmacist roles will continue to evolve and expand. The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) states that pharmacists must advocate for “changes that improve patient care” as well as “justice in the distribution of health resources.” 7 This is to say that being an excellent clinician alone is insufficient.
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Encourage learners to advocate for patients by contacting their state representative or policymakers. Talking points to discuss may include Pharmacist training and expertise to provide clinical services, Payment for Pharmacist services such as medication therapy management, and Pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform.
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Encourage learners to advocate for patients by helping them navigate medication access issues.
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Encourage learners to participate in all aspects of workflow whether on IPPE or APPE rotations and build their professionalism skills by modeling proper introduction of yourself as the pharmacist and them as the student pharmacist.
Facilitate Hands-on Advocacy Activities
Track a pharmacy-related bill (Table 1) during the learner’s time with you and have ongoing discussion on its potential impact.
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Have learners present a policy topic as a rotation presentation to raise awareness among the pharmacy team. The presentation can include policy topics from a federal or state level. Federal policies may include Medicare reimbursement and PBM reform whereas state issues may include current topics affecting pharmacy practice
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Have learners create materials that describe the services provided at your site
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Encourage the learner to contact Congress using APhA’s pre-written, editable advocacy alert to ask their U.S Senators and Representative to cosponsor bills that affect the profession. 8
Suggest personalizing your letter by addressing how a potential bill will affect you or other patients. This action may make it stand out among the vast number of letters legislators receive every day.1
Conclusion
Preceptors can ensure that their learners are prepared to speak for their profession and advocate for the best interests of their patients by incorporating discussions about policy and current issues affecting pharmacy practice Teaching about advocacy during rotations is critical for the success of our state and national associations, as well as our roles and responsibilities on the healthcare team being represented. Teaching learners how to engage in advocacy empowers them to become influential voices in shaping healthcare policy and advancing the profession of pharmacy.
As a preceptor, you are already invested in the future of our profession, serving as both educators and role models. When you couple the influence of a preceptor with the impact of advocacy, you create a strong future for the profession and for patient care
Bill/Order
Topic
Senate Bill 1214 (SB1214)
Senate Bill 1235 (SB1235)
Independent Testing and Treatment by Pharmacists
Changes to state boards (including pharmacy)
This bill permits pharmacists to provide independent testing and treatment for conditions such as influenza, strep throat, and respiratory infections Click Here
Would revise law dictating membership of state board to change from six pharmacists and two members of the public to three pharmacists and five members of the public. Click Here
Senate Bill 1396 (SB 1396)
Executive Order 2024-03 (May 7, 2024)
Pharmacy Board; Duties and Regulations
Would revise law around Pharmacy State Board Click Here
Protecting Reproductive Freedom Through
Increased Access to Contraception
The Arizona State Board of Pharmacy is reviewing this executive order, and more information will be posted on their website Click Here
For the most current information and to track the progress of these bills, you can visit the Arizona State Legislature's official website: https://legiscan.com/AZ
1. Gohlke AL, Murphy KM, Cannell ME, Ray DB, Burnworth MJ. Igniting the fire within. Journal of Pharmacy Practice. 2013;26(3):165-170.doi:10.1177/0897190013482333
2. Little J, Ochten HV. 53- A Pharmacist’s Obligation: Advocating for Change. In: Public Health in Pharmacy Practice: A Casebook. 2nd ed. Milne Open Textbooks ; 2021. https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/publichealthforpharmacy/chapter/a-pharmacists-obligation-advocatingfor-change/
3. Pharmacy Day at the Capitol. Arizona Pharmacy Association. 2025. Accessed March 13, 2025. https://azpharmacy.org/events/pdac
4. NORD. Rare Diseases Database - NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). 2025. Accessed March 13, 2025 https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/
5. Honoring Coats’ Disease Warriors on Rare Disease Day! National Organization for Rare Disorders. Accessed March 13, 2025 https://rarediseases.org/events/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhMqBhCFARIsAGvo0KeV2zvwjO3d9ZLqjfwEZHNdJiVP4S4A2qjQGtWX5j8npRPHkTDn1AaAv_8EALw_wcB
6 Payne K, Unni EJ, Jolley B. Impact of Dispensing Services in an Independent Community Pharmacy. Pharmacy. 2019;7(2):44. doi:https://doi.org/10 3390/pharmacy7020044. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6631564/
7. Olatunbosun C, Wilby KJ. Advocacy as a professional responsibility. Canadian Pharmacists Journal / Revue Des Pharmaciens Du Canada. 2022;155(6):298- 301. doi:10 1177/17151635221125782. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9647394/
8 Provider status. Home. 2021. Accessed March 13, 2025 https://www.pharmacist.com/Advocacy/Issues/Patient-Services.
9 Advocacy and issues. ASHP . 2025. Accessed March 13, 2025 https://www.ashp.org/advocacy-and-issues
10 LegiScan | Arizona State Legislative Dashboard. LegiScan. Published 2024. https://legiscan.com/AZ
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): What You Need to Know
There are currently three FDA-approved Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccines available for individuals at risk of severe illness from a respiratory virus. Please review the chart for helpful billing tips and the additional information below as to which RSV vaccine is appropriate to give to an eligible individual
1. Abrysvo®
* 60 years of age and older
* Pregnant women at 32 to 36 weeks gestational age
* 18 – 59 years of age who are at an increased risk
2. Arexvy®
* 60 years of age and older
* 50 through 59 years of age who are at an increased risk
3. mResvia®
* 60 years of age and older
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV):
What You Need to Know
The CDC1 recommends a single dose of any FDA licensed RSV vaccine be given to all adults ages 75 and older and adults who are between the ages of 60 and 74 who have an increased risk of severe RSV. The conditions that increase the risk of severe RSV can be found on the CDC website 1 The CDC also recommends pregnant women receive a dose of the maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo®) during weeks 32 through 36 of their pregnancy sometime between September through January. To prevent severe RSV in infants, it is recommended that the mother receive the maternal RSV vaccination or the infant receive the vaccination with RSV monoclonal antibody.
PAAS Tips:
• Medicare covers RSV vaccine under Part D
Be cautious when billing mRESVIA® as each pre-filled syringe is billed as 0 5 mL versus the Abrysvo® and Arexvy® vials which are billed as 1 EACH
• Pharmacists play a key role in educating high-risk patients on RSV prevention
• Eligible patients can receive the RSV vaccine at any time, but the best time to vaccinate is late summer or early fall before RSV starts to spread
• Like all vaccines, pharmacies should maintain documentation in case of an audit:
• Authorization to administer, which may include a patient-specific prescription or a collaborative practice agreement (CPA)/protocol
◦ Signed prescription or placeholder prescription (when using a protocol or CPA)
◦ Vaccine Administration Record (VAR)
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◦ Screening checklist
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Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
By
Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National®, expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance
The success of the toxicology training program is evidenced by its graduates. Since its inception, over 150 have then gone on to make significant contributions to academia, industry, and government.
Many have become leaders in their fields, making vital discoveries about how environmental exposures impact human health. These scientists continue to influence the future of translational research, applying state-of-the-art methods to investigate the mechanisms behind disease development. Their achievements underscore the importance of this program in training the next generation of environmental health science researchers.
In addition to increasing the number of scientific researchers, the training grant has provided the foundation for several programs and centers that are still in operation today: the Center for Toxicology (1987); the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (SWEHSC, 1994); the Superfund Research Program (SRP , 1989); the Center for Indigenous Environmental Health Research (CIEHR, 2015); the Environmental Health Sciences-Transformative Research Undergraduate Experience (EHS-TRUE, 2015); the Environmental Health Sciences-Research for Indigenous Scholar Engagement (EHS-RISE, 2023); and the EPA Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (2023).
The program’s connection with numerous centers of excellence and interdisciplinary collaborations further enriches the learning experience. With faculty mentors drawn from nine departments and four colleges, students are exposed to an array of expertise. This interdisciplinary approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of the many factors that influence human health, from genetic predispositions to the complex environmental exposures encountered throughout life. By harnessing this wide-ranging expertise, trainees are uniquely positioned to address the full spectrum of challenges posed by environmental health.
The Coit College of Pharmacy contributes significantly to the success of the training program as its faculty retains 13 of the 29 primary appointments: Nathan Cherrington, PhD, associate dean for research and director of the Center for Toxicology; Georg Wondrak, PhD, director of graduate studies; Rick Schnellmann, PhD, dean and 1984 training grant graduate; Catherine Smith, PhD, director of the pharmacology and toxicology graduate program and director of the Arizona Biological and Biomedical Sciences (ABBS) program; and Xinxin Ding, PhD, department head of pharmacology and toxicology.
Arizona’s Training Program in Environmental Toxicology of Human Disease is setting the stage for the next round of breakthroughs in environmental health. By fostering a deep understanding of the interplay between genetics and the environment, Arizona is preparing scientists to confront the complexities of human diseases in innovative ways. As environmental factors become increasingly significant in determining health outcomes, the work of these future researchers will be crucial in alleviating the burden of complex diseases on society.
CONT
Creighton University College of Pharmacy
“These hands-on experiences help shape how I want to practice as a future pharmacist,” the Lake Orion, Michigan, native, adds. Micah Paredes, PharmD candidate’27, also volunteers at the free clinic. The second-year student from Buckeye, Arizona, loves patient interaction. “We are given ample time with each patient to thoroughly address patients’ health needs, which they may not have the opportunity elsewhere,” she says.
St. Vincent de Paul shifts also help students develop critical thinking, communication and problem-solving abilities, soft skills so important to pharmacy practice. Paredes says she has gained confidence in conducting clinical rounds, “managing complex patient cases where the answers aren’t always popping off the page,” and developing strong communication skills, which are essential given that “pharmacists are often on the front lines of patient care.”
For third-year pharmacy student Omar Villalpando, volunteering in the free clinic all three years has allowed him to collaborate with other health professions and cultivate communication skills, both interprofessional and patient-centered. Villalpando has also put his Spanish-speaking abilities into practice with vulnerable populations who often do not have insurance
The challenges of being uninsured are great, and often unfamiliar to students. But “Creighton is preparing us to be people who care for and respect the dignity of others,” the Phoenix native says. And “volunteering at the free clinic gives pharmacy students the opportunity to start living and embracing the oath of a pharmacist.”
“This program is a model of how pharmacists can leverage their expertise to make a real impact, whether in a free clinic, community pharmacy or hospital setting,” Toma says.
