NPTA Advocacy – Key Issues
The pharmaceutical arm of the healthcare industry plays a crucial role in ensuring the health of every American. Advocacy campaigns at this level, therefore, focus on the critical issues affecting professionalism and effective service delivery in all aspects.
Our Focus
NPTA remains committed to ensuring competence from an educational level, the enactment of sound healthcare policies, and the continued advancement of pharmaceutical technicians.
From an NPTA perspective, every State Board of Pharmacy should enforce these minimum requirements for but practicing and prospective pharmaceutical technicians.
- Mandatory Competence-Based Exams such as PTCB and NHA. It is our chief interest that all professionals on board prove their competence by passing the necessary assessments. A proper examination mechanism ensures that all pharmaceutical professionals have the required capacity for reliable service delivery.
- Mandatory registration. A unified roster of all individuals and institutions in the pharmaceutical sector significantly improves oversight and efficiency. With a unified platform, there is an assurance of orderliness and the consistent enforcement of the necessary professional ethics.
- Standardized Formal Education and Training Requirements. The education and training institutions should follow a standardized model. This approach ensures consistency and considerably improves the quality of education or training received by all technicians.
- A Pharmacy Technician Representative on each State Board of Pharmacy. Representation at the state level makes our voices heard. Having a representative on the board also ensures that there is no disconnect at the state level.
Other Pertinent Issues in the Pharmaceutical Industry
The healthcare industry is quickly undergoing transformation courtesy of technological advancements and new medical discoveries. At such a time, it is necessary to advocate for a cohesive, proper framework that brings all key players on the same page for all Americans' well-being.
These are the pertinent issues in the industry today.
Drug Shortages
There should be a seamless supply system that ensures the availability of the necessary drugs and medical supplies. When there's a shortage, patients don't have access to the much-needed medication on time, with typically results in delayed recovery, among other undesired outcomes. NPTA champions for the efficient supply of drugs to all medical institutions for timely dispensation.
Drug Pricing
Costs play a vital role in the healthcare industry. An accurate reflection of this aspect of healthcare is the essential nature of health insurance for all citizens seeking hassle-free cover. With drug prices skyrocketing, patients contend with excessive out-of-pocket expenses, even when paying for common generic medications. NPTA prioritizes the availability of medicines at an affordable price.
When the prices are too high, patients may not afford them, and pharmacy technicians have a limited reach when working towards a healthier America.
Healthcare Reform
At a legislative level, the healthcare industry needs a more fluid mechanism that ensures quality and dependability right from the training phase to service delivery. NPTA pushes for the enactment of top-notch training and assessment procedures and the teaching of proper professional ethics for all pharmaceutical personnel. We also seek the implementation of policies that grow certified technicians at a personal and professional level.
Hospital Reimbursement
NPTA wants a system that handles hospital reimbursements promptly. When patients incur out-of-pocket expenses that demand a refund, the last thing they expect is unwanted delays and unnecessary complications. We all desire a more uncomplicated, more straightforward, and fast reimbursement system that moves funds back to client accounts in the shortest time possible.
Medication Safety
Extensive testing ensures that dispensed medication is fit for use. Our advocacy network brings together professionals from all states and abroad, and we push for the safety of all patients. Proper testing reduces the chances of harmful side-effects or worse, and reduces the chances of lawsuits. NPTA expects a keen adherence to safe manufacturing procedures by the relevant companies.
Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse
NPTA plays an active role and supports the legislative, private, and regulatory initiatives that address the abuse and misuse of prescription drugs. There is a need for the establishment of a balance between the availability of drugs, and the enacted measures against diversion and abuse. A unified front battling this problem controls access and facilitates treatment as well as the manufacture of abuse-deterrent medication.
As a voice for pharmaceutical technicians across the United States, we continually work towards a safer and healthier America.
Join Us Today
Become a part of our advocacy initiative by volunteering with NPTA. Sign up today and join our team https://www.pharmacytechnician.org/npta/Get_Involved.asp.