The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have selected the USC-led California Right Meds Collaborative as one of six Community of Practice (CoP) Teams working on a national project to advance health equity and prevent heart disease and stroke.
The project, “Advancing Health Equity with Pharmacy-Based Strategies, Pharmacists Patient Care Services and Support Services,” aims to accelerate the implementation of pharmacy-led strategies to advance health equity through initiatives that address racial and ethnic disparities in cardiovascular disease risk factors, prevalence or outcomes.
Led by Steven Chen, associate dean for clinical affairs at USC Mann, the California Right Meds Collaborative includes L.A. Care Health Plan, California Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, American Heart Association, California Pharmacists Association and the California Chronic Care Coalition.
“Pharmacists are natural collaborators,” noted Michael D. Hogue, executive vice president and CEO of APhA. “We are excited to see the models the CoP Teams employ to tackle CVD, including financial sustainability as a part of the model, to optimize public health and pharmacy partnerships to address the needs of local communities.”
“Public health epitomizes a team sport, and pharmacists stand as vital members of this dynamic team,” added Janet Wright, Director, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, CDC. “Collaboration across public health and clinical sectors is key in preventing and managing heart disease and stroke, addressing health disparities in our communities, and advancing health equity. We are delighted to support this collective effort and look forward to celebrating the results these teams will achieve in cardiovascular health and care.”
For more information, read the full APhA announcement.