Arlington, Va. – Judith A. Monroe, M.D., FAAFP, president and CEO of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation, will accept the 2016 NACDS Foundation Excellence in Patient Care Award at the NACDS Foundation Dinner on December 1, 2016, in New York City.

Dr. Monroe and the CDC Foundation have demonstrated a true spirit of collaboration through public-private partnership initiatives designed to help prevent the spread and the consequences of the Zika virus, and to address other public health initiatives.

In making the announcement, NACDS Foundation President Kathleen Jaeger said, “We are very excited that we will be making this presentation in December. Dr. Monroe and the CDC Foundation have demonstrated a true spirit of collaboration through public-private partnership initiatives designed to help prevent the spread and the consequences of the Zika virus, and to address other public health initiatives.

“Dr. Monroe has dedicated her career to improving patient outcomes and fostering health and well-being in communities throughout the nation. Through her personal engagement in education, she has equipped countless health professionals to make a powerful impact wherever they serve. It is an honor to be able to recognize Dr. Monroe’s work – and that of her colleagues – with the 2016 NACDS Foundation Excellence in Patient Care Award.”

Dr. Monroe was named to her current role on December 14, 2015. She joined the CDC Foundation from CDC, where she was a member of CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden’s senior leadership team. At CDC, Monroe served as director of the Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support from 2010 to 2015. Before joining CDC, Dr. Monroe served as the state health commissioner for Indiana from 2005 to 2010.

Dr. Monroe began her clinical career as a member of the National Health Service Corps at the Morgan County Medical Center in rural Tennessee from 1986–1990. As a clinician educator, she joined the faculty in the Department of Family Medicine at Indiana University and led the department’s work in rural communities from 1990–1992. She then joined St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis in a dual administrative role as director of the Family Medicine Residency Program and the Primary Care Center from 1992–2005.

Dr. Monroe received [ READ MORE ]

Arlington, Va. – The NACDS Foundation today announced the launch of its newest research initiative, Improving Access Project: Tuberculosis Testing and Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment in Community Pharmacies. The Foundation study, led by principle investigators at the University of New Mexico, is designed to evaluate the impact of expanding access to community testing for latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI). The study coincides with a recent recommendation from the United States Preventative Task Force advising that asymptomatic adults at higher risk for LTBI should be screened in primary care settings.

Tuberculosis (TB) testing and LTBI treatment are important public health services and have been the cornerstone of TB prevention in the United States. The goal of this collaborative project is two-fold: (1) to survey patients and understand their healthcare experience and perception of receiving TB testing in the community setting, and (2) to evaluate improved patient health outcomes and access to care when TB testing and LTBI treatment are provided in the community pharmacy setting. The study will explore models to increase patient access to tuberculosis skin tests and immediate follow-up treatment as an effort to limit transmission.

“This study exemplifies key goals of the NACDS Foundation because it seeks to evaluate the impact of enhanced patient access of TB testing on patient outcomes, by engaging healthcare partners to extend the fantastic work of the state health department,” said NACDS Foundation President Kathleen Jaeger.

The University of New Mexico has confirmed the participation of seven community pharmacies and will begin rolling out services in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, N.M., as part of the study. Patients who seek care in participating sites will be counseled by trained pharmacists on risk factors and prevention and those with positive test results will enter directly observed therapy immediately after being referred to the New Mexico Department of Health Tuberculosis Program. A 12-week medication regimen and education plan will be provided for patients at no cost—patients will be able to choose [ READ MORE ]

Arlington, Va. –Emmy-award-winning writer and Saturday Night Live alumnus Seth Meyers will headline the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation Dinner, which will be held on December 1, 2016, in New York City. The sharp-witted and engaging comedian currently hosts Late Night with Seth Meyers on NBC. The New York Timesrecently referred to Meyers as the “smartest talk show host” of his generation.

We look forward to welcoming someone with such a strong reputation for giving back, as Seth Meyers does through his engagement and support for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, among others.

In its 18th year, the NACDS Foundation Dinner and contributions from the Foundation’s benefactors help support evidence-based research that advances patient care, pharmacy education, student scholarships, and charitable organizations that improve patient outcomes.

The Foundation has continued to advance its mission this year through several vital initiatives, including a collaborative response to the Zika virus public health emergency with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the CDC Foundation, the March of Dimes and other stakeholders to raise awareness about the Zika virus and protect at-risk populations in Puerto Rico and the U.S.

The Foundation is also partnering with more than 100 pharmacies on an innovative Point-of-Care Testing program to chart the health benefits of community-based services for a variety of common ailments and infections. In addition, as public health authorities raise awareness about HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) testing and Hepatitis C awareness as a way to prevent liver damage and liver cancer, a study funded by the Foundation is evaluating a model which would improve patient care by increasing access to important HIV and Hepatitis C testing. Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to supporting pharmacy education, the Foundation also provided $230,000 in scholarships and grants through its 2016 NACDS Foundation Scholarship Program.

“As the Foundation comes together during the NACDS Foundation Dinner to celebrate accomplishments and renew commitments to advancing patient care, we look forward to the unique perspective Seth Meyers will bring – in what has certainly been a year filled with turbulent political and world events,” said NACDS Foundation President Kathleen Jaeger. “In addition, we look forward to welcoming [ READ MORE ]