WASHINGTON, DC – The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation today announced the recipients of the 2020 APhA Foundation Pinnacle Awards. Established in 1998, the annual awards celebrate significant contributions to the medication use process through increasing patient adherence, reducing adverse drug events, promoting the use of national treatment guidelines, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing communication among the members of the healthcare team.
“This year’s recipients highlight the impact pharmacists can make in the provision of quality medication use services. The Pinnacle Awards and the work of the APhA Foundation showcase pharmacists’ contributions to improve the health of communities served,” said APhA Foundation Executive Director, Mitchel C. Rothholz, RPh, MBA.
The 2020 recipients will be honored at the virtual APhA Foundation Pinnacle Awards Program and Innovation in Pharmacy Practice Lecture program on September 25, 2020, 4:00pm-5:00pm ET. Award recipients were selected by the Pinnacle Awards Committee composed of practitioners from diverse backgrounds.
Awards will be presented in three categories:
Individual Award for Career Achievement: This category recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in enhancing healthcare quality and medication use.
Group Practices, Health Systems, and Healthcare Corporations: This category recognizes a significant scientific contribution and/or quality improvement project.
Voluntary Health Agencies, Nonprofit Organizations, Associations, Government Agencies and Public/Private Partnerships: This category recognizes organizations that have demonstrated approaches to assist patients and their caregivers in achieving better outcomes from their medications.
The 2020 APhA Foundation Pinnacle Award recipients:
Category I: 2020 Individual Award for Career Achievement
David Nau RPh, PhD, FAPhA
David Nau was selected for his exceptional work promoting the adoption of numerous pharmacy quality measures which has allowed increased attention to pharmacists’ medication adherence efforts. According to his nominator, Nau has given numerous presentations on quality medication use as well as having published many peer reviewed articles on the topic, and his service to the pharmacy profession related to quality improvement is unmatched.
Category II: 2020 Group Practice–Health System–Corporation Award
OhioHealth
OhioHealth was chosen based on their robust outcomes directly affecting patients, and their ability to prove pharmacists’ value to payors. OhioHealth provides numerous patient-centered pharmacy services throughout the state, and their ability to serve many different populations simultaneously could serve as a model for other health systems.
Category III: 2020 Government Agency–Nonprofit Organization–Association Award
Ohio Northern University (ONU) HealthWise
ONU Healthwise was selected because of their pharmacist-led, interdisciplinary practice that provides the following: campus-wide employee/student health and wellness clinic, rural mobile health clinic, student health outreach services, a community pharmacy, a telemedicine call center and a drug and health information center. These six interconnected units provide pharmacy services in a unique coordinated fashion that exemplifies the ability of pharmacists to provide clinical services using an integrated model.
The APhA Foundation applauds the work of all nominees and previous Award recipients to advance the quality of medication use and outcomes.
Support for the Pinnacle Awards Program is provided by an educational grant from Merck.
About the American Pharmacists Association Foundation
The APhA Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., is a trusted source of research demonstrating how pharmacists can improve health care. The APhA Foundation’s mission is to improve health by inspiring philanthropy, research, and innovation that advances pharmacists’ patient care services. The APhA Foundation is affiliated with the American Pharmacists Association, the national professional society of pharmacists in the U.S. Follow the APhA Foundation on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.