- Email: [email protected]
2016 Prescott Lecture: Diabetes education—leadership through action
DEPARTMENTS Journal of the American Pharmacists Association 56 (2016) 611e614
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association journal homepage: www.japha.org
LECTURE
2016 Prescott Lecture: Diabetes educationdleadership through action Joshua J. Neumiller
Leadership is an action, not a position. dDonald H. McGannon It is an absolute honor to be selected as the 2016 recipient of the Albert B. Prescott Award and to humbly join an esteemed group of past recipients. Initially, I was at a loss for what to speak about this evening, as I do not think of myself as a “leader” in the traditional sense. When seeking advice from a colleague, however, he encouraged me to simply speak about my path and passion for working in the field of diabetes, which he expressed to me was “leadership through action.” So, following his advice, I am going to start my presentation this evening with a personal story that initially sparked, and continues to fuel, my interest in diabetes education and research. After graduating from Washington State University (WSU) with my Doctor of Pharmacy, I entered graduate school with the goal of earning a PhD in immunology. After a few short months into my graduate studies, I began to not feel well. For a number of weeks, I was generally fatigued and frequently experiencing dizzy spells. I found myself often rubbing my eyes in an attempt to resolve my blurry vision. My wife began to comment on both the number of times I was waking in the middle of the night to use the restroom and the amount of fluids I was drinking to quench my constant thirst. While deep down I knew what my symptoms suggested, I was initially in a state of denial and dismissed
my wife’s requests to seek medical attention for several weeks. Despite my insistence that my symptoms would soon pass, they continued to worsen with time. While visiting my parents for the Thanksgiving holiday, my wife asked me to check my blood glucose with a family members glucometer. Consistent with my fears, the glucometer read “476.” At this point, it was around 6 pm the evening before Thanksgiving as we made our way to the local urgent care center. Not surprisingly, the facility was operating with a skeleton crew and was scheduled to close about an hour after we arrived in anticipation of the holiday. I explained to the urgent care staff that I had been experiencing hyperglycemic
symptoms for several weeks and reported my blood glucose reading to them. They quickly confirmed my findings with a finger stick in the clinic. As I sat trying to digest what was happening, a million things were going through my head. Why me? Will I need to take insulin for the rest of my life? Will I be able to eat pumpkin pie tomorrow!? Before I knew it, the nurse was administering my first injection of 10 units of regular insulin. After about 15 minutes had passed, the nurse was back to check my blood glucose. It hadn’t changed significantly and remained over 400 mg/dL (which isn’t particularly surprising given the pharmacokinetics of regular insulin). To my surprise, I soon thereafter felt
About the Prescott Award Albert B. Prescott was a maverick in the late 1800s because of his advocacy of an academic basis for pharmaceutical education. Founder and dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Michigan, Prescott nurtured his idea for nearly 40 years before the rest of the profession caught up with his vision. In 1900, Prescott was the first president of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. This chemist, educator, and leader of pharmacists was also instrumental in founding Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy Fraternity at the University of Michigan in 1883, and he was the advisor to the Alpha Chapter and the first honorary brother of the fraternity. The Albert B. Prescott Leadership Award was established by Phi Delta Chi in 1987 to honor young pharmacists who lead their field. Now administered by the Pharmacy Leadership and Education Institute, this annual award is bestowed on a pharmacist who is no more than 10 years into his or her career and who has demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities as a student and young pharmacist. The recipient delivers a scholarly lecture on issues such as pharmacy as a profession, leadership, or future trends in pharmacy practice or education.
E-mail address: [email protected]. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.japh.2016.08.016 1544-3191/© 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
DEPARTMENTS Lecture / Journal of the American Pharmacists Association 56 (2016) 611e614
another poke in the back of my armdI was given another 10 units of regular insulin. At this point, the clinic was past closing time, and I was provided with a prescription for metformin and a glucometer and instructed to follow up with my primary physician as soon as possible. Cue my first hypoglycemic event. While the specifics are a bit fuzzy, I recall waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat with my heart racing. I stumbled my way to my new glucometer to find my blood glucose had fallen from the 400s into the 40s. At that juncture, I didn’t follow my typical advice to people to follow the “15/15 rule,” but rather polished off that pumpkin pie I had been lamenting that I would be missing out on the next day. Needless to say, I was back over 400 mg/ dL the next morning. In the weeks to follow, I would be formally diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and started on a basalbolus insulin regimen. I found it difficult to come to grips with the reality that I would need to use insulin for the rest of my life. The notion of implementing insulin use into my daily routine and becoming “dependent” on insulin was overwhelming and depressing. My resistance and difficulty with starting an insulin use routine was surprising to some; I was a pharmacist after all. People would tell me, “Well, at least you are a pharmacist and know what you are doing.” Sure, I had counseled customers in the pharmacy about their insulin many times. Every day I worked at the pharmacy, almost without exception, I talked to somebody about how to take their
diabetes medication, what side effects to expect, and the importance of avoiding and properly treating hypoglycemia. I felt confident in my knowledge and ability to counsel people with diabetes, but when it was me taking the medications and dealing with my own management, it was as if all of that knowledge, training, and experience had gone out the window. This was a turning point for me. I found myself thinking back to all those people who had asked me for advice as they picked up their first month’s supply of insulin. Had I done enough to help these people? Most of them did not have medical backgrounds, yet here I was, a pharmacist, struggling with taking insulin, counting carbs, remembering to check my blood glucose multiple times per day, and ultimately facing the fact that I had diabetes. It was a sobering realization. Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. dWinston Churchill I found myself at a crossroads. Prior to my diagnosis, I had a clear vision of my career aspirations and intent to earn a PhD and work in the pharmaceutical industry. Following my diagnosis, however, I felt a pull to learn more about diabetes and educate people with diabetes going through similar experiences and challenges. Ultimately, I made the difficult decision to end my PhD program of study and return to clinical pharmacy. While in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at WSU, I had the good fortune of learning from several expert clinicians
and diabetes educators nationally known for their work and expertise in diabetes care and research. The first was my late friend and mentor, Stephen M. Setter, PharmD, CGP, CDE. Steve referred to himself as an “anti-pharmacist,” not because he was against pharmacy, but because he prided himself in more often than not making therapeutic recommendations to simplify medication regimens. When I called Steve to talk about my recent diagnosis and to seek advice for pursuing a career in diabetes education, he immediately offered me a residency position. In doing so, he graciously offered to do everything he could to set me on a path toward obtaining my certified diabetes educator (CDE) credential. I started a geriatrics specialty residency with Dr. Setter the following month. Immediately upon starting my residency, Steve quickly engaged me in research and scholarship opportunities with another key mentor at WSU, R. Keith Campbell, BSPharm, CDE. Keith is the most knowledgeable and widely recognized pharmacists in the diabetes arena in the United Statesdtruly a pioneer for the role of pharmacists in diabetes care. As a kindred pharmacist living with T1DM, Professor Campbell quickly took me under his wing and opened doors for me that would have been difficult (if not impossible) to open without his guidance and mentorship. At my first American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions meeting, Keith escorted me through the exhibit hall and introduced me to no fewer than 50 international diabetes experts. During our 3- to 4-hour walk through the exhibit hall, Keith also
Joshua J. Neumiller, PharmD, CDE, FASCP Joshua J. Neumiller, PharmD, CDE, FASCP, is Vice-Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacotherapy at the Washington State University (WSU) College of Pharmacy. At WSU, Neumiller also serves as the Director of Experiential Services and delivers lectures to student pharmacists in all 3 years of the Doctor of Pharmacy didactic curriculum. Josh is an active member and volunteer with the American Diabetes Association (ADA). He has served as editor-in-chief for the ADA journal Diabetes Spectrum since 2013 and is a current member of the ADA Professional Practice Committee (PPC). The PPC is a multidisciplinary expert committee with the primary responsibility of updating the ADA’s Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. Neumiller received his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from Washington State University (WSU), graduating magna cum laude. He also completed a Specialty Residency in Geriatrics and a Clinical Research Fellowship following graduation, both at WSU.
612
DEPARTMENTS Lecture / Journal of the American Pharmacists Association 56 (2016) 611e614
introduced me to the editor-in-chief for the ADA journal Diabetes Spectrum, Jackie Boucher, MS, RD, LD, CDE, and recommended that she add me to the editorial board. I found myself serving on the editorial board within a month. Together, Steve and Keith encouraged me to pursue a 3-pillar approach to “addressing the need” for diabetes education and research (Figure 1). These 3 pillars, composed of patient education, health care provider education, and clinical research, have maintained my focus since beginning my residency in 2006. I have been so fortunate to interact with, and learn from, a host of mentors and colleagues through my scholarly pursuits. I thought I would take this unique opportunity now to briefly highlight a few areas of work that I have found particularly rewarding. Since my residency, I have had the pleasure of being a member of a multidisciplinary research team at WSU exploring the role of pharmacists in the home setting during transitions of care.1-5 Working on these projects has allowed me to interact with hundreds of study participants, and for those with diabetes I was able to provide diabetes education to them and their caregivers in their homes. This work is not only rewarding, but the ability to interact with people where they live is such a rich opportunity to provide impactful patient education. I have learned so much through my interactions with patients and study participants in their homes, and have certainly amassed a number of memorable cases to share with
my students in class (such as the woman who was using tuberculin syringes to selfadminister her insulin). These clinical research endeavors have proven beneficial in advancing my efforts in both the “patient education” and “research” pillars. As mentioned previously, Keith Campbell has opened unbelievable doors and opportunities for me over the years. That stroll through the ADA exhibitor area and my invitation to serve on the Diabetes Spectrum Editorial Board has proven to be one of the most impactful and rewarding opportunities thus far in my career. Through my involvement on the editorial board, I was able to network with a wide range of medical professionals including dietitians, nurses, exercise physiologists, physicians, and other pharmacists working in diabetes research and education. These interprofessional interactions eventually led to additional opportunities to serve on multidisciplinary workgroups and writing groups6,7 in addition to serving in my current role as editor-in-chief for Diabetes Spectrum. These activities have been central in my efforts to contribute to health care provider education. As I noted at the very beginning of my comments this evening, if I was asked to brainstorm 5 or 10 words to describe myself, “leader” would not make the list. I have made it a point, however, to take advantage of as many opportunities presented to me as possible, and in doing so have found that great reward can often be found well outside of my comfort zone.
In conclusion, I want to sincerely thank the Pharmacy Leadership and Education Institute, Phi Lambda Sigma, and the selection committee for this great honor. I truly feel that this award belongs as much, if not more, to the leaders who have led me down the path I am on today. I can only hope that in the future I can “pay it forward” by mentoring and inspiring future pharmacists in the same fashion. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank a number of people who have lent me significant guidance and support, both personally and professionally. On the professional (and often personal) side, I want to again thank my primary mentors Steve Setter and R. Keith Campbell for all of their guidance and friendship. While Steve is no longer with us, his passion for patient care lives on through all of the pharmacists he inspired over the years. I have also immeasurably benefitted from counsel and guidance from a number of additional mentors over the last 10 years, including B. Paige Lawrence, Cindy Corbett, Danial Baker, John White, Mark Garrison, Brian Gates, Katherine Tuttle, and Carol Wysham, among others. I also have to thank my first department chair, Linda Garrelts MacLean, for welcoming me onto the faculty at WSU and providing me with invaluable initial (and continued) guidance as a new and developing faculty member. In turn, I can’t thank my current chair, John White, Jr, PharmD, PA-C, and dean, Gary Pollack, PhD, enough for their continued support as a faculty
Figure 1. Addressing the need. HCP, health care provider.
613
DEPARTMENTS Lecture / Journal of the American Pharmacists Association 56 (2016) 611e614
member within the WSU College of Pharmacy. I’m so thankful and fortunate to have Dr. White as a chair, faculty colleague, mentor, and friend. Thanks is also due to all of my fellow Cougs (faculty, staff, and students) on the WSU-Spokane Health Sciences Campus from whom I learn every day. I also want to give thanks to my friends and colleagues who took the time to write such kind letters in support of my nomination for this award, including Drs. Gary Pollack, John White, Keith Campbell, Irl Hirsh, and Katherine Tuttle, and Drs. Robert Ratner and Christian Kohler from the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Last, yet most importantly, I want to thank my immediate and extended family for their ongoing love and support. I’m so lucky to have the level of family support that I do. While I wish I had time to mention them all by name, I only have time to acknowledge a handful of my loved ones this evening. First, I want to thank my loving wife Angie who supports me in every way
614
and is a wonderful partner in raising our 3 amazing children, Haley, Heidi and John (all 3 of whom selflessly maintain candy stashes in their rooms to share with their dad in case his blood sugar is low). Thanks is certainly due to my mom and dad, Todd and Darla Neumiller, who instilled in me a strong work ethic and are always there for me under any circumstance. I’m also very fortunate to have mothers- and fathersin-law, Dave and Nancy Holmes and Irene and Randy Ewing, who likewise provide us with immeasurable support. I also want to thank my grandparents, Wayne and DeEtte Thomas, and all my brothers and sisters (Jason, Marie, Dan, Tim and Becki) who never hesitate to lend helping hands or share words of encouragement.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
intervention. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2009;66(22):2027e2031. Setter SM, Neumiller JJ, Weeks DL, et al. Screening for undiagnosed cognitive impairment in home-bound older adults. Consult Pharm. 2009;24(4):299e305. Corbett CF, Setter SM, Daratha KB, et al. Nurse identified hospital to home medication discrepancies: implications for improving transitional care. Geriatr Nurs. 2010;31(3): 188e196. Setter SM, Corbett CF, Neumiller JJ. Transitional care: exploring the home healthcare nurse’s role in medication management. Home Healthc Nurse. 2012;30(1):19e26. Alicic RZ, Short RA, Corbett CL, et al. Medication intervention for chronic kidney disease patients transitioning from hospital to home: study design and baseline characteristics. Am J Nephrol. 2016;44:122e129. Evert AB, Boucher JL, Cypress M, et al. Nutrition therapy recommendations for the management of adults with diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2013;36: 3821e3842. Tuttle KR, Bakris GL, Bilous RW, et al. Diabetic kidney disease: a report from an ADA consensus conference. Diabetes Care. 2014;37: 2864e2883.
References 1. Setter SM, Corbett CL, Neumiller JJ, et al. Resolving medication discrepancies in older patients transitioning from hospital to home care: impact of a pharmacy/nursing
Joshua J. Neumiller, PharmD, CDE, FASCP, Vice Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, Spokane, WA
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association journal homepage: www.japha.org
LECTURE
2016 Prescott Lecture: Diabetes educationdleadership through action Joshua J. Neumiller
Leadership is an action, not a position. dDonald H. McGannon It is an absolute honor to be selected as the 2016 recipient of the Albert B. Prescott Award and to humbly join an esteemed group of past recipients. Initially, I was at a loss for what to speak about this evening, as I do not think of myself as a “leader” in the traditional sense. When seeking advice from a colleague, however, he encouraged me to simply speak about my path and passion for working in the field of diabetes, which he expressed to me was “leadership through action.” So, following his advice, I am going to start my presentation this evening with a personal story that initially sparked, and continues to fuel, my interest in diabetes education and research. After graduating from Washington State University (WSU) with my Doctor of Pharmacy, I entered graduate school with the goal of earning a PhD in immunology. After a few short months into my graduate studies, I began to not feel well. For a number of weeks, I was generally fatigued and frequently experiencing dizzy spells. I found myself often rubbing my eyes in an attempt to resolve my blurry vision. My wife began to comment on both the number of times I was waking in the middle of the night to use the restroom and the amount of fluids I was drinking to quench my constant thirst. While deep down I knew what my symptoms suggested, I was initially in a state of denial and dismissed
my wife’s requests to seek medical attention for several weeks. Despite my insistence that my symptoms would soon pass, they continued to worsen with time. While visiting my parents for the Thanksgiving holiday, my wife asked me to check my blood glucose with a family members glucometer. Consistent with my fears, the glucometer read “476.” At this point, it was around 6 pm the evening before Thanksgiving as we made our way to the local urgent care center. Not surprisingly, the facility was operating with a skeleton crew and was scheduled to close about an hour after we arrived in anticipation of the holiday. I explained to the urgent care staff that I had been experiencing hyperglycemic
symptoms for several weeks and reported my blood glucose reading to them. They quickly confirmed my findings with a finger stick in the clinic. As I sat trying to digest what was happening, a million things were going through my head. Why me? Will I need to take insulin for the rest of my life? Will I be able to eat pumpkin pie tomorrow!? Before I knew it, the nurse was administering my first injection of 10 units of regular insulin. After about 15 minutes had passed, the nurse was back to check my blood glucose. It hadn’t changed significantly and remained over 400 mg/dL (which isn’t particularly surprising given the pharmacokinetics of regular insulin). To my surprise, I soon thereafter felt
About the Prescott Award Albert B. Prescott was a maverick in the late 1800s because of his advocacy of an academic basis for pharmaceutical education. Founder and dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Michigan, Prescott nurtured his idea for nearly 40 years before the rest of the profession caught up with his vision. In 1900, Prescott was the first president of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. This chemist, educator, and leader of pharmacists was also instrumental in founding Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy Fraternity at the University of Michigan in 1883, and he was the advisor to the Alpha Chapter and the first honorary brother of the fraternity. The Albert B. Prescott Leadership Award was established by Phi Delta Chi in 1987 to honor young pharmacists who lead their field. Now administered by the Pharmacy Leadership and Education Institute, this annual award is bestowed on a pharmacist who is no more than 10 years into his or her career and who has demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities as a student and young pharmacist. The recipient delivers a scholarly lecture on issues such as pharmacy as a profession, leadership, or future trends in pharmacy practice or education.
E-mail address: [email protected]. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.japh.2016.08.016 1544-3191/© 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
DEPARTMENTS Lecture / Journal of the American Pharmacists Association 56 (2016) 611e614
another poke in the back of my armdI was given another 10 units of regular insulin. At this point, the clinic was past closing time, and I was provided with a prescription for metformin and a glucometer and instructed to follow up with my primary physician as soon as possible. Cue my first hypoglycemic event. While the specifics are a bit fuzzy, I recall waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat with my heart racing. I stumbled my way to my new glucometer to find my blood glucose had fallen from the 400s into the 40s. At that juncture, I didn’t follow my typical advice to people to follow the “15/15 rule,” but rather polished off that pumpkin pie I had been lamenting that I would be missing out on the next day. Needless to say, I was back over 400 mg/ dL the next morning. In the weeks to follow, I would be formally diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and started on a basalbolus insulin regimen. I found it difficult to come to grips with the reality that I would need to use insulin for the rest of my life. The notion of implementing insulin use into my daily routine and becoming “dependent” on insulin was overwhelming and depressing. My resistance and difficulty with starting an insulin use routine was surprising to some; I was a pharmacist after all. People would tell me, “Well, at least you are a pharmacist and know what you are doing.” Sure, I had counseled customers in the pharmacy about their insulin many times. Every day I worked at the pharmacy, almost without exception, I talked to somebody about how to take their
diabetes medication, what side effects to expect, and the importance of avoiding and properly treating hypoglycemia. I felt confident in my knowledge and ability to counsel people with diabetes, but when it was me taking the medications and dealing with my own management, it was as if all of that knowledge, training, and experience had gone out the window. This was a turning point for me. I found myself thinking back to all those people who had asked me for advice as they picked up their first month’s supply of insulin. Had I done enough to help these people? Most of them did not have medical backgrounds, yet here I was, a pharmacist, struggling with taking insulin, counting carbs, remembering to check my blood glucose multiple times per day, and ultimately facing the fact that I had diabetes. It was a sobering realization. Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. dWinston Churchill I found myself at a crossroads. Prior to my diagnosis, I had a clear vision of my career aspirations and intent to earn a PhD and work in the pharmaceutical industry. Following my diagnosis, however, I felt a pull to learn more about diabetes and educate people with diabetes going through similar experiences and challenges. Ultimately, I made the difficult decision to end my PhD program of study and return to clinical pharmacy. While in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at WSU, I had the good fortune of learning from several expert clinicians
and diabetes educators nationally known for their work and expertise in diabetes care and research. The first was my late friend and mentor, Stephen M. Setter, PharmD, CGP, CDE. Steve referred to himself as an “anti-pharmacist,” not because he was against pharmacy, but because he prided himself in more often than not making therapeutic recommendations to simplify medication regimens. When I called Steve to talk about my recent diagnosis and to seek advice for pursuing a career in diabetes education, he immediately offered me a residency position. In doing so, he graciously offered to do everything he could to set me on a path toward obtaining my certified diabetes educator (CDE) credential. I started a geriatrics specialty residency with Dr. Setter the following month. Immediately upon starting my residency, Steve quickly engaged me in research and scholarship opportunities with another key mentor at WSU, R. Keith Campbell, BSPharm, CDE. Keith is the most knowledgeable and widely recognized pharmacists in the diabetes arena in the United Statesdtruly a pioneer for the role of pharmacists in diabetes care. As a kindred pharmacist living with T1DM, Professor Campbell quickly took me under his wing and opened doors for me that would have been difficult (if not impossible) to open without his guidance and mentorship. At my first American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions meeting, Keith escorted me through the exhibit hall and introduced me to no fewer than 50 international diabetes experts. During our 3- to 4-hour walk through the exhibit hall, Keith also
Joshua J. Neumiller, PharmD, CDE, FASCP Joshua J. Neumiller, PharmD, CDE, FASCP, is Vice-Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacotherapy at the Washington State University (WSU) College of Pharmacy. At WSU, Neumiller also serves as the Director of Experiential Services and delivers lectures to student pharmacists in all 3 years of the Doctor of Pharmacy didactic curriculum. Josh is an active member and volunteer with the American Diabetes Association (ADA). He has served as editor-in-chief for the ADA journal Diabetes Spectrum since 2013 and is a current member of the ADA Professional Practice Committee (PPC). The PPC is a multidisciplinary expert committee with the primary responsibility of updating the ADA’s Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. Neumiller received his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from Washington State University (WSU), graduating magna cum laude. He also completed a Specialty Residency in Geriatrics and a Clinical Research Fellowship following graduation, both at WSU.
612
DEPARTMENTS Lecture / Journal of the American Pharmacists Association 56 (2016) 611e614
introduced me to the editor-in-chief for the ADA journal Diabetes Spectrum, Jackie Boucher, MS, RD, LD, CDE, and recommended that she add me to the editorial board. I found myself serving on the editorial board within a month. Together, Steve and Keith encouraged me to pursue a 3-pillar approach to “addressing the need” for diabetes education and research (Figure 1). These 3 pillars, composed of patient education, health care provider education, and clinical research, have maintained my focus since beginning my residency in 2006. I have been so fortunate to interact with, and learn from, a host of mentors and colleagues through my scholarly pursuits. I thought I would take this unique opportunity now to briefly highlight a few areas of work that I have found particularly rewarding. Since my residency, I have had the pleasure of being a member of a multidisciplinary research team at WSU exploring the role of pharmacists in the home setting during transitions of care.1-5 Working on these projects has allowed me to interact with hundreds of study participants, and for those with diabetes I was able to provide diabetes education to them and their caregivers in their homes. This work is not only rewarding, but the ability to interact with people where they live is such a rich opportunity to provide impactful patient education. I have learned so much through my interactions with patients and study participants in their homes, and have certainly amassed a number of memorable cases to share with
my students in class (such as the woman who was using tuberculin syringes to selfadminister her insulin). These clinical research endeavors have proven beneficial in advancing my efforts in both the “patient education” and “research” pillars. As mentioned previously, Keith Campbell has opened unbelievable doors and opportunities for me over the years. That stroll through the ADA exhibitor area and my invitation to serve on the Diabetes Spectrum Editorial Board has proven to be one of the most impactful and rewarding opportunities thus far in my career. Through my involvement on the editorial board, I was able to network with a wide range of medical professionals including dietitians, nurses, exercise physiologists, physicians, and other pharmacists working in diabetes research and education. These interprofessional interactions eventually led to additional opportunities to serve on multidisciplinary workgroups and writing groups6,7 in addition to serving in my current role as editor-in-chief for Diabetes Spectrum. These activities have been central in my efforts to contribute to health care provider education. As I noted at the very beginning of my comments this evening, if I was asked to brainstorm 5 or 10 words to describe myself, “leader” would not make the list. I have made it a point, however, to take advantage of as many opportunities presented to me as possible, and in doing so have found that great reward can often be found well outside of my comfort zone.
In conclusion, I want to sincerely thank the Pharmacy Leadership and Education Institute, Phi Lambda Sigma, and the selection committee for this great honor. I truly feel that this award belongs as much, if not more, to the leaders who have led me down the path I am on today. I can only hope that in the future I can “pay it forward” by mentoring and inspiring future pharmacists in the same fashion. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank a number of people who have lent me significant guidance and support, both personally and professionally. On the professional (and often personal) side, I want to again thank my primary mentors Steve Setter and R. Keith Campbell for all of their guidance and friendship. While Steve is no longer with us, his passion for patient care lives on through all of the pharmacists he inspired over the years. I have also immeasurably benefitted from counsel and guidance from a number of additional mentors over the last 10 years, including B. Paige Lawrence, Cindy Corbett, Danial Baker, John White, Mark Garrison, Brian Gates, Katherine Tuttle, and Carol Wysham, among others. I also have to thank my first department chair, Linda Garrelts MacLean, for welcoming me onto the faculty at WSU and providing me with invaluable initial (and continued) guidance as a new and developing faculty member. In turn, I can’t thank my current chair, John White, Jr, PharmD, PA-C, and dean, Gary Pollack, PhD, enough for their continued support as a faculty
Figure 1. Addressing the need. HCP, health care provider.
613
DEPARTMENTS Lecture / Journal of the American Pharmacists Association 56 (2016) 611e614
member within the WSU College of Pharmacy. I’m so thankful and fortunate to have Dr. White as a chair, faculty colleague, mentor, and friend. Thanks is also due to all of my fellow Cougs (faculty, staff, and students) on the WSU-Spokane Health Sciences Campus from whom I learn every day. I also want to give thanks to my friends and colleagues who took the time to write such kind letters in support of my nomination for this award, including Drs. Gary Pollack, John White, Keith Campbell, Irl Hirsh, and Katherine Tuttle, and Drs. Robert Ratner and Christian Kohler from the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Last, yet most importantly, I want to thank my immediate and extended family for their ongoing love and support. I’m so lucky to have the level of family support that I do. While I wish I had time to mention them all by name, I only have time to acknowledge a handful of my loved ones this evening. First, I want to thank my loving wife Angie who supports me in every way
614
and is a wonderful partner in raising our 3 amazing children, Haley, Heidi and John (all 3 of whom selflessly maintain candy stashes in their rooms to share with their dad in case his blood sugar is low). Thanks is certainly due to my mom and dad, Todd and Darla Neumiller, who instilled in me a strong work ethic and are always there for me under any circumstance. I’m also very fortunate to have mothers- and fathersin-law, Dave and Nancy Holmes and Irene and Randy Ewing, who likewise provide us with immeasurable support. I also want to thank my grandparents, Wayne and DeEtte Thomas, and all my brothers and sisters (Jason, Marie, Dan, Tim and Becki) who never hesitate to lend helping hands or share words of encouragement.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
intervention. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2009;66(22):2027e2031. Setter SM, Neumiller JJ, Weeks DL, et al. Screening for undiagnosed cognitive impairment in home-bound older adults. Consult Pharm. 2009;24(4):299e305. Corbett CF, Setter SM, Daratha KB, et al. Nurse identified hospital to home medication discrepancies: implications for improving transitional care. Geriatr Nurs. 2010;31(3): 188e196. Setter SM, Corbett CF, Neumiller JJ. Transitional care: exploring the home healthcare nurse’s role in medication management. Home Healthc Nurse. 2012;30(1):19e26. Alicic RZ, Short RA, Corbett CL, et al. Medication intervention for chronic kidney disease patients transitioning from hospital to home: study design and baseline characteristics. Am J Nephrol. 2016;44:122e129. Evert AB, Boucher JL, Cypress M, et al. Nutrition therapy recommendations for the management of adults with diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2013;36: 3821e3842. Tuttle KR, Bakris GL, Bilous RW, et al. Diabetic kidney disease: a report from an ADA consensus conference. Diabetes Care. 2014;37: 2864e2883.
References 1. Setter SM, Corbett CL, Neumiller JJ, et al. Resolving medication discrepancies in older patients transitioning from hospital to home care: impact of a pharmacy/nursing
Joshua J. Neumiller, PharmD, CDE, FASCP, Vice Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, Spokane, WA