Well don’t mind if I do 🙂

Advocacy for the pharmacy profession as a whole is like your favorite cheesecake recipe: there are many ingredients in differing amounts, but you can’t leave one out and expect it to taste right. Unfortunately It often feels like we’re trying to make this cake using only the cream cheese and hoping we can add the rest of the stuff when it’s half-cooked.

There are many segments in the pharmacy profession: community, institutional, academia, research, insurance/benefit providers, government, and consulting (to name a few) and all are required to advocate for the profession. All of these segments are impacted by reimbursement models and changes to legislation, either directly or indirectly. I strongly believe that pharmacists in all sectors want to thrive in the new environment but, as Laura’s recent post on ‘Comfort’ can attest, clinicians need time to evolve as practitioners. One day we were not prescribing, the next day the regulations passed and our whole way of practicing changed. Due to this short transition period, we find ourselves trying to convey confidence to the public while at the same time fending off doubters from other health professionals that feel we’re overstepping.

So polish up your soapbox. I’m sure you have one laying around somewhere. It doesn’t have to be large, or new, or fancy in any way. It just needs to support your weight so that you can stand above the rabble and be heard. It’s up to all of us to support our livelihoods as caregivers in a healthcare system that preys on those who lack vision. Should you have a rewarding interaction with anyone (patient, colleague, peer, another healthcare professional, etc.), share it so that others can begin recognizing their own.

With the flu-shot blitz fast approaching, we will once again be in the public eye. Get yourself ready to look the public square in the eye and show them how effective we can be with our new responsibilities. AND If they want to know a bit more about what we can do, Make sure your soapbox is in the corner…just in case 🙂

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, employer or affiliation.