ANTHC Pharmacy and pharmacists receive IHS accolades
June 6, 2018
ANTHC’s pharmacists continually go above and beyond to provide the best care to our people. The ANTHC Pharmacy Team and two ANTHC pharmacists were recently recognized for their outstanding efforts by the Indian Health Service (IHS).
The ANTHC Pharmacy Team won the national IHS Fostering Relationships Award for providing Nighthawk Inpatient Pharmacy Services in conjunction with Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC) and SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC). Through the partnership between NSHC and ANTHC pharmacies and SEARHC and ANTHC pharmacies, both rural facilities now have remote 24/7 pharmacy services provided by ANTHC. ANTHC provides pharmacy services such as verification and clarification of medication orders and technical and clinical assistance for medication related questions. The verified orders populate on the patient’s medication administration record which allows nursing to scan the medication, adding additional safety checks.
“The NSHC, ANMC, and SEARHC Pharmacy Department collaboration has improved the quality of care, as well as increased access to care for our people,” said Chief of Pharmacy Services, CDR Kara King, PharmD, MPH, NCPS.
CDR Anne Marie Bott received the Senior Pharmacist of the Year Award for delivering the highest quality pharmaceutical care. She accomplished this through her work as the Chair of the National Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Committee, her work as the Pharmacy Oncology Subject Matter Expert across the IHS, and the design of a model infusion pharmacy that supports the largest infusion center in the IHS.
LCDR Michelle Locke received the Jr. Pharmacist of the Year Award for working at the highest level of her license while providing quality care. Her accomplishments include serving as the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Alaska Chapter House of Delegates Representative, serving as a peer reviewer for the American Public Health Association’s Journal of the American Pharmacists Association and serving as the Alaska area representative to the IHS National Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and overseeing the Alaska Native Medical Center’s Transitions of Care Team.
“There are on average up to 50 nominations from across IHS for these awards,” said King. “To know that our pharmacists received the Senior and Junior Pharmacist of the Year Award stands as a testament to the quality work that our staff perform for our people.”
Please join us in congratulating the ANTHC Pharmacy for their dedication and hard work in serving our people throughout the Alaska Tribal Health System.