The Cleveland Society of Health-System Pharmacists can not just offer “presences” to our parent organizations.  We must first establish a strong regional society willing to look critically at ourselves.  The Cleveland regional healthcare establishment is a beacon of light in what is often regarded as a despondent geographical area.  Our association with innovative, creative and progressive healthcare does not resolve CSHP of providing the same attention to our state and national organizations.  Arguably, it creates a higher expectation of our society.

 In order to meet our expectations and responsibilities, identification of what we want to achieve followed by defining how to make these changes can give insight to our future.

I believe three concepts need attention:

1.  Clarification of CSHP

2.  Participation within CSHP

3.  Intervention within CSHP and outside CSHP

 Clarification

Dr. Farine (Secretary) has taken our Constitution and Bylaws and created a document that is now is available on our website for members to study, reflect and comment on.  We must decide the relevance of these documents to the current and future state of our organization.

 In upcoming meetings, we will have reports from local representatives to OSHP regarding the work that is occurring in the state of Ohio.  This will be followed by discussion of issues that face the future of pharmacy and how our region might address these changes.

Participation

Considerable time has been spent attempting to get the message out that our society is active and willing to participate in future conversations in the state and national arena.  We are making small gains in attracting visitors and current members to our monthly meetings.  It is my hope that support for CSHP/OSHP/ASHP comes internally from all health-system pharmacies.  With encouragement from the Directors of Pharmacy, I believe participation will increase.  However, it is our society’s responsibility to convince management of the importance of this organization and how their input will set the direction of pharmacy practice in the future.

 With the constraint of time, many members would like to help, but do not want to subscribe to being in a leadership role.  A unique aspect of pharmacy is the ability to take what you have and create a sound organization.  I believe pharmacy has excelled in this area.  Just looking at scheduling, many in managment have taken FTE positions and parceled it to two or three PTE.  Our society must do this also.  Here are a few examples:

 1.  Submit one article you wrote that can be placed on our website for the education of all

2.  Review part of the Constitution or Bylaws and make comments and recommendations

3.  Become a “prn” local area representative to OSHP when one of our voted members can not go or attend a conference call

4.  Seek out one sponsor for a meeting or our website

5.  Review minutes from OSHP and give a short report on their meetings

6.  Write a short commentary regarding opinions of where pharmacy needs to move towards and how to make these changes work

Interventions

By addressing the “clarification and participation” we can, as a society, take our global opinions and comments to OSHP for consideration.  By addressing the “clarification and participation” we can establish and move forward as a society locally with the hope to improve our practice.  And finally, by addressing the “clarification and participation”, we can, as a society, better serve our patients.

 How will this occur?  This will depend on you!  The landscape has been laid, but the building still must be built.  With our Constitution and Bylaws, much of the design is in place, although upon review, there may need to be some adaptations. 

 I submit these comments with the excitement and anticipation.  CSHP can be the beacon of light to OSHP and ASHP.  Although presence is important, let’s help with the preceding chaos.

 
Respectively submitted,

 Wayne H. Grant, PharmD, RPh

November 11, 2008

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