APhA Foundation Board of Directors Member: Anjanette Wyatt, BSPharm, PharmD
Although this week ushers in the traditional season of giving, APhA Foundation Director, Anjanette Wyatt, BSPharm, PharmD, gives back to her community year-round promoting public health. Her efforts are bolstered by the work the Foundation undertakes to demonstrate how pharmacists enhance the quality of patient health outcomes.
Anjanette is showing her leadership and care by helping those in her community manage their medication portfolios during the coronavirus pandemic. She developed a COVID-19 OTC tool kit to educate and provide information on medications that can boost the immune system and well-being of individuals and provides best practices to assist in the prevention of the spread of the virus.
“We know that people with chronic health issues, like diabetes, are prone to more serious complications from COVID-19,” notes Anjanette. And with Texas listed as having one of the nation’s highest rates of diabetes, she takes advantage of every opportunity to raise awareness about the disease that impacts so many of its residents— especially in at-risk populations.
Helping her community in times of need is nothing new to Anjanette. During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, she organized and operated the Temporary Relief Pharmacy at Houston’s NRG Center. She and the volunteer team of pharmacists, student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians provided remote pharmacy services for more than 7,000 evacuees.
Throughout Texas, Anjanette provides guidance and resources for her patients to help them maintain optimal health. The work of the APhA Foundation has provided insights that has opened new paths for Anjanette in the care of individuals and her community. As an APhA Foundation board member, she enthusiastically supports the Foundation’s research initiatives that advance pharmacists care services to improve health outcomes for people across the country.
Diabetes Awareness Month Q & A with Anjanette
Diabetes is personal for Anjanette. Many members of her family have been adversely impacted by Type 2 Diabetes. Her grandmother and father both passed away as a result of the complications of Type 2 Diabetes. Also, her aunts and siblings are living with Type 2 Diabetes.
How does your family’s health history impact your life?
I strive every day to keep my Hemoglobin A1c results out of the diabetic range. I am proud, as an APhA Foundation board member, to be an instrumental part of such an incredible initiative to assist the communities most impacted by diabetes.
Both your sisters and a cousin are pharmacists. What influence does that have on your family?
We encourage them to know their numbers— allowing them to see the trends in how their body is responding to certain foods – and take preventative action.
How does your engineer beginning inform your work?
Months into Wyatt’s junior year of college, she was on the road to becoming an engineer – until tasked with building a car from the ground up. She pivoted to biology and later forged a pharmacy career.
I maintain an engineer’s viewpoint; I see things as a system. I tell my family and patients that the body is a machine.
You should ask, “how is my machine running?” It's like you are looking at a car’s dashboard – the indicator lights will let you know when something is wrong.
Checking your HgA1c numbers will let you know how your body is “running.” If you know what is going on in your body, you can take steps to keep it operating successfully.
It is Important that patients know their lab values and what is abnormal. This will assist in disease state management and in bringing the body back to a normal state.
With this information, you can assist the healthcare professionals in making your “machine” run as best as it can.