[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 5, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E304-E305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING NACDS RxIMPACT DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 5, 2014

  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Sixth 
Annual NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill. This is a special day where 
we recognize pharmacy's contribution to the American healthcare system. 
This year's event, organized by the National Association of Chain Drug 
Stores, takes place on March 12-13. Nearly 400 individuals from the 
pharmacy community--including practicing pharmacists, pharmacy school 
faculty and students, state pharmacy leaders and pharmacy company 
executives--will visit Capitol Hill. They will share their views with 
Congress about the importance of supporting legislation that protects 
access to community and neighborhood pharmacies and that utilizes 
pharmacists to improve the quality and reduce the costs of providing 
healthcare.

[[Page E305]]

  Advocates from 40 states have travelled to Washington to talk about 
the pharmacy community's contributions in over 40,000 community 
pharmacies nationwide. These important healthcare providers are here to 
educate Congress about the value of pharmacists and protect access to 
the essential services they provide as part of our healthcare delivery 
system. And just as these providers travelled to meet with us, Members 
of Congress have toured retail chain pharmacies in our own communities 
more than 250 times since 2009. There are 106 chain pharmacies in my 
own Congressional District, and those stores employ nearly 10,000 
Washingtonians.
  Patients have always relied on their local pharmacist to meet their 
healthcare needs. The local pharmacist is a trusted, highly accessible 
healthcare provider deeply committed to providing the highest quality 
care in the most efficient manner possible.
  As demand for healthcare services continues to grow, pharmacists have 
expanded their role in healthcare delivery, partnering with physicians, 
nurses and other healthcare providers to meet their patients' needs. 
Innovative services provided by pharmacists do even more to improve 
patient healthcare. Pharmacists are highly valued by those that rely on 
them most--those in rural and underserved areas, as well as older 
Americans, and those struggling to manage chronic diseases. Pharmacy 
services improve patients' quality of life as well as healthcare 
affordability. By helping patients take their medications effectively 
and providing preventive services, pharmacists help avoid more costly 
forms of care. Pharmacists also help patients identify strategies to 
save money, such as through better understanding of their pharmacy 
benefits, using generic medications, and obtaining 90-day supplies of 
prescription drugs from local pharmacies.
  Pharmacists are the nation's most accessible healthcare providers. In 
many communities, especially in rural areas, the local pharmacist is a 
patient's most direct link to healthcare. Eighty-nine percent of 
Americans reside within a five-mile radius of a community pharmacy. 
Pharmacists are one of our nation's most trusted healthcare 
professionals. Utilizing their specialized education, pharmacists play 
a major role in medication therapy management, disease-state 
management, immunizations, healthcare screenings, and other healthcare 
services designed to improve patient health and reduce overall 
healthcare costs. Pharmacists are also expanding their role into new 
models of care based on quality of services and outcomes, such as 
accountable care organizations (ACOs) and medical homes.
  As we refine healthcare reform and seek new strategies to improve 
patient care, pharmacists will play a critical role. I believe Congress 
should look at every opportunity to make sure that pharmacists are 
allowed to utilize their training to the fullest to provide the 
services that can improve care and lower costs. In recognition of the 
Sixth Annual NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill, I would like to 
congratulate pharmacy leaders, pharmacists, students, executives, and 
the entire pharmacy community represented by the National Association 
of Chain Drug Stores, for their contributions to the good health of the 
American people.

                          ____________________