Iowa Pharmacy News
Healthcare-Associated Infection & Antibiotic Resistance (HAI & AR) Advisory Group Convenes
In January 1998, the Iowa Antibiotic Resistance Task Force was first convened by the Iowa Department of Public Health to address the development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics in Iowa. The purpose of this task force was threefold: to evaluate and monitor the prevalence of resistance in Iowa, to monitor the status of the problem, and to develop strategies to diminish the risk to the population of Iowa. The goals of the Iowa Antibiotic Resistance Task Force were to facilitate the appropriate use of antibiotics, discourage prescribing practices that promote the development of antibiotic resistance and decrease the spread of antibioticresistant organisms with appropriate prevention and control measures. This group met consistently for over a decade and authored a statewide report providing antibiotic resistance information and guidance. In September 2009, a Healthcare-Associated Infections advisory committee was formed to develop a statewide plan to perform surveillance on healthcareassociated infections and to determine best practices to reduce and prevent HAIs in Iowa. Then the Council of State Territorial Epidemiologist issued a policy statement recommending that all state health departments evaluate and incorporate stewardship activities into their Healthcare-Associated Infection programs. This led to the Iowa Department of Public Health’s decision to combine the Iowa Healthcare Associated Infection Advisory Group and the Iowa Antimicrobial Resistance Task Force. In late 2019, IPA was invited to participate in the newly formed Healthcare-Associated Infection & Antibiotic Resistance (HAI & AR) Advisory Group. Stakeholders throughout the healthcare, public health, and animal health fields were invited to participate in the HAI & AR Advisory Group. The goals of the HAI & AR Advisory Group are to: • Promote awareness of ongoing HAI & AR prevention and education efforts occurring throughout Iowa. • Identify additional HAI & AR gaps that public health and/or stakeholders can fill. • Serve as a forum of stakeholders that are doing work in the HAI & AR arena in Iowa that IDPH can share ideas with and consult as relevant issues arise. The HAI & AR Advisory group met on January 28, 2020, and will plan to meet at least one additional time per year via teleconference. The group discussed many topics, including: Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobactoraceae investigation procedures and cases, Candida auris reporting mandate and
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| The Journal of the Iowa Pharmacy Association
screening recommendations, Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) efforts in Iowa, and education for Iowa Infection Prevention Professionals in hospitals and long-term care facilities. IPA described mechanisms that pharmacists across the state identify accurate medication allergies to ensure appropriate antibiotic selection and treatment regimens.
CMS Feedback on Scope of Practice
In January, IPA submitted formal comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on its request for feedback on scope of practice. The request by CMS was in response to President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on Protecting and Improving Medicare for Our Nation’s Seniors, which required Medicare to examine regulatory barriers that are preventing healthcare practitioners from practicing at the top of their license. Many IPA members also submitted comments highlighting the important role that pharmacists play in patient care and outcomes when integrated into the health care team.
IPA Staff Changes
Welcome IPA’s new Director of Communications & Digital Engagement, Allison Hale! Allison is a recent graduate of the University of Northern Iowa with a B.A. in Interactive Digital Studies. She is passionate about print design, social media marketing, and web development and is extremely excited to join the IPA team. For the previous two years, she worked in the communications field in the non-profit sector. In her free time, she enjoys photography, hiking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. As Director of Communications & Digital Engagement, Allison will be responsible for implementing a new marketing automation software for IPA, continuously updating IPA’s social media channels, and creating print material for IPA’s annual events. She has many great ideas to improve upon IPA’s current communications strategy.
SCOTUS Set to Hear Arkansas PBM Case
In January, the US Supreme Court announced it will hear a case in the coming months that could have a major impact on determining whether states have the right to regulate pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The case, Rutledge v. PCMA, concerns a challenge to an Arkansas law seeking to bring stricter regulatory control over PBM practices. As of now, the Supreme Court is still scheduled to hear oral arguments on April 27th. However, all hearings scheduled for March have been postponed, which could affect the rest of the Court calendar.
