New Combined with Old Makes NABP's Poster Session and Educational Presentation Area Huge Success

May 19, 2003 12:00 am

NABP is pleased to announce that the newly added Poster Session and first ever Passport Drawing to the Educational Presentation Area at the 99th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, were a vast success. As in previous years, the Educational Presentation Area presented representatives from new software development and practice areas of interest to the state boards of pharmacy. The Presentation Area allowed meeting attendees to experience the most timely technological developments in dispensing equipment, computer software packages, online services, patient compliance and management programs, wholesale distributor innovations, and central fill technologies.

The addition of the Poster Session to the Educational Presentation Area gave attendees an additional opportunity to meet and discuss topical issues that currently affect the state boards of pharmacy. Displayed in the center of the educational presentation area, staff members from Arizona, Maine, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Virginia, and Washington posted materials about their specific topic on a four feet by six feet bulletin board designated for that board of pharmacy. Topics at the Poster Session included:

• Arizona's evaluation of how technology is impacting the application practice act and the redeployment of pharmacists in the dispensing process;
• Maine's security requirements for written prescriptions for Schedule II drugs issued by health care providers;
• Nebraska's delegated dispensing;
• New Mexico's small and specialty hospitals;
• North Carolina's information related to the release of a sign written in Spanish informing Spanish-speaking pharmacy patients they can obtain their prescription information and instructions in Spanish and other data on the efforts of the state to spread the word across the state;
• North Dakota's telepharmacy advances;
• Virginia's innovative programs and robotic pharmacy systems in hospitals; and
• Washington's new electronic inspection reporting system.

Due to the success of the poster session, NABP believes the session will become part of its regular Annual Meeting schedule.

"We wanted to create a new session for our Annual Meeting in which the state boards of pharmacy could interact with each other, display their ideas, and stimulate conversations. We believe we accomplished this goal," stated Donna S. Wall, NABP president.

"While our work was not the first of its kind, our board stimulated much conversation about this topic and was used as a mechanism to stimulate working conversations on current topics and issues," explains Dennis McAllister, vice president of the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy and NABP treasurer.

Participants found the poster session an extremely interesting and a positive addition to the Annual Meeting. They were also impressed by the diversity of the posters displayed and said they would likely participate in the poster session again next year, if offered.

Also new this year, was the opportunity to win prizes in the first Educational Presentation Area Passport Drawing. To be entered in the drawing, all participants had their passport stamped by each educational presentation area booth and dropped it off to NABP staff. Donated prizes from Options Travel included a round-trip airfare for travel in the continental United States and a three-day rental car from Avis Rent A Car. The Hyatt Hotel provided the prize of a two-night Hyatt Hotel stay anywhere in the US, Canada, or the Caribbean. Education Presentation Area participants suggested the poster session be included on the passports next year. Due to its success, NABP hopes the Passport Drawing will become an annual offering at the Annual Meeting.

Courtney Karzen