Spring/Summer 2011 - Purdue College of Pharmacy - Purdue ...

Purdue Pharmacy Instrumental
in Passing House Bill 1233
The state of Indiana now has a new Collaborative
Drug Therapy Management (CDTM) law which permits
pharmacists to adjust drug therapy per physician-signed
protocol in any practice setting, within specified
circumstances. Indiana also has a new law that
expands immunizations administered by protocol
to include shingles. The laws went into effect on
July 1, 2011, and it was due to the diligent work
of some key Purdue Pharmacy players.
It all began when Indiana Pharmacists Alliance (IPA)
President, Dr. Suellyn Sorensen, asked Dr. Gloria Sachdev,
Clinical Assistant Professor, Primary Care, to serve as
the IPA Legislative Chair for 2010-2011. She, along with
the fearless efforts of her committee, was able to draft,
revise, and ultimately pass the new house bill.
Basically, the new law permits collaborative drug
therapy management between physicians and pharmacists
in any practice setting as long as two criteria are met:
1) there needs to be direct supervision (defined as a physician
being available for consultation), and 2) a pharmacist
must have access to the patient’s medical records.
“This is the biggest piece of pharmacy
legislation that has happened in the
past 20 years, and it will really move our
profession forward,” comments Sachdev.
When asked why she believes this bill is so important,
she replies that it will allow pharmacists to function in
roles they’ve been trained to function in and allow more
opportunities for collaboration with physicians to help
chronic disease state management.
The committee began working in April 2010, met
through the summer, and then drafted language in the
fall so it would be ready by the time session began in
January of 2011. The committee was able to obtain
tremendous support from medical groups, hospitals, and
payers in spite of the Indiana State Medical Association
(ISMA) initially opposing the bill. Dr. Sachdev understood
the importance of getting ISMA’s support, so she met
with ISMA representatives to educate them on the bill’s
language so they could vote accordingly. Her determination
paid off, and ISMA ultimately changed their position to
“neutral.” The bill finally passed in both the full Senate
and House on the last day of session (April 29, 2011).
When discussing some of the lessons learned
throughout this process, Sachdev quips, “The legislative
process is like making sausage: disgusting to watch,
but the end result is delicious!”
The IPA Legislative Team
Dr. Gloria Sachdev
Clinical Assistant
Professor, Primary
Care, Purdue University
IPA Legislative Chair,
2010-2011
“The IPA legislative committee worked
passionately and as a unified team with
laser focus,” says Sachdev. “I would like
to extend my sincere gratitude for their
dedication in helping our profession
take a leap forward and creating another
opportunity for pharmacists to improve
health care in our communities.”
The legislative committee consisted of:
Max Barnhart (BS 1987), Administrative
Director, IU Health BMH Community
Pharmacy Network; Tabitha Cross, Director
of Professional Development, IPA; Kyle
Hultgren (PharmD 2006), Managing Director,
Center for Medication Safety Advancement,
Purdue University; Bill Keown, Lobbyist,
KWK Management Group; Bill Malloy (BS
1976), Clinical Director, Pharmacy Services,
Community Health Network; Lary Sage,
Executive Vice President, IPA; Kathleen
Shoemaker, Consultant, Lilly U.S.; Suellyn
Sorenson, Past President, IPA and Clinical
Pharmacist Specialist Infectious Diseases,
Pulmonary, Neurology, Indiana University
Health - University Hospital; and Julie
Williams (PharmD 1995), Clinical Manager,
Ambulatory Pharmacy Services, Indiana
University Health Methodist Hospital.
Also included were Chelsea Leeper and
Veronica Vernon, two PharmD candidates
each participating in a one-month elective
legislative policy and advocacy rotation at
the State House.
Furthermore, two freshman legislators—
both pharmacists—were instrumental in
their efforts. Dr. Sachdev extends sincere
gratitude to Representative Steve Davisson
(BS 1981) and Senator Ron Grooms,
whom she considers to be “rock stars.”
20 The Purdue Pharmacist