NCPA launches pilot with Bristol Myers Squibb to address cardiovascular disease in rural communities

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) has launched a partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb to address health-related social needs and care coordination for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The two organizations are piloting specialized training for pharmacy technicians in community health. “We are pleased to partner with BMS to improve access to care for people in rural communities,” said B. Douglas Hoey, pharmacist, CEO of NCPA. “The NCPA Innovation Center has partnered with the 25 rural pharmacies to improve cardiovascular outcomes through care coordination, screenings, transition of care interventions, and making sure patients have access to the medicines they need to sustain and improve health. Community pharmacists and their teams are increasingly playing a bigger role in the health care of Americans, and we are excited to create new, sustainable models of pharmacy-based care.” Pharmacist-community health worker teams in 25 rural pharmacies across Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri will be trained through a rigorous curriculum to more effectively evaluate patients with higher risk of CVD and guide them toward appropriate health care providers for further care and evaluation. Additionally, NCPA is creating new access points at these same independent pharmacies for screening, monitoring and management of cardiovascular disease, funded through a separate and independent grant by BMS, as part of a pilot program to evaluate the impact of enhanced access to critical health care services in medically underserved communities.