Watch Out for the Changing Health Care Landscape
Did 2012 end the way you expected? Some of us in the Northeast experienced a terrible hurricane across a wide swath of land with Hurricane Sandy, and many people are still recovering. It will take years for some to regain their footing. Perhaps not as dramatic, but just as impactful, is the changing landscape of health care. It’s changing faster than anyone really expected and all health care professionals—pharmacists included—need to watch out for how it will forever change the way they do the business of patient care.
In times of turbulence and stress, it is important to let your core beliefs guide you into a new reality. No one can say exactly how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will work—or not work—but rest assured that more voices will be heard as the new year unfolds and the impact of the law is felt as new provisions take effect. I’ve discussed the importance of the individual’s personal responsibility to be proactive and take charge of their own health and the health of their family—and this issue of Pharmacy Times, which is focused on Heart Health, demonstrates some useful ways pharmacists can help their patients do just that on a day-to-day basis.
In rough weather, it is also the time to look for new solutions to old problems. I encourage the pharmacy community to continue developing its entrepreneurial spirit wherever possible, despite the obstacles. We’ve showcased some of these entrepreneurs in our Next-Generation Pharmacist AwardsTM program this fall, and we know you are out there and we support you.
We are committed to providing pharmacists with the very best tools and resources—in enterprising new ways—to enable you to grow and continue to become a force in the health care landscape. Changing winds require defining new strategies and finding new paths, and it is the person who is willing to engage in thinking outside of the box, while working inside the box, who will succeed in this new environment. This year, Pharmacy Times has offered more online resources than ever before for a wide variety of mobile devices—all with the purpose of being available 24/7 for your continuing education needs, new patient care opportunities, and the very latest in medications and clinical insights.
In this final issue of the year, we would like to take the opportunity to wish you and your families a very happy and health new year! Watch out for the changing landscape, and know that we will be there with you through the twists and turns as we celebrate 116 years of publication.
Thank you for reading!
Mike Hennessy Chairman/Chief Executive Officer/ President
