Dr. Lenora Newsome
Appearances
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
I think that you're spot on. We are promoting more services, but in the past, we used to have a little bit more time to spend with our patients. And the more things you do, then there's less time to spread around. And I think that we'll begin to see the results of not having that little extra special time, a time to...
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
answer those little bitty questions that may be not big to us, but big to you that will make your life go a lot better. We're doing a point of care testing. We're doing more immunizations, but the time factor work force conditions so that you have time to do a little more. And we are working on that. How do we, you know, there's more need there.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
But how do we get more time to take care of both needs? So when did you know?
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
That's the magic word, scope of practice. Our scope of practice did expand. About the turn of the century, I'd say 1999, 2000, pharmacists became available to take care of immunizations for the companies. pretty country, excuse me. And we have, you know, we've taken that and we have done a tremendous job with it, especially the changes that you saw with the COVID-19 vaccines.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
We were able to get a lot of people vaccinated or immunized and a lot of lives were saved. But that takes, you know, more people, more pharmacists, more time to do that. So the smoking cessation, that's another thing that we've taken on. So we've taken on a lot of responsibility, but we need expansion of time or more bodies of pharmacists to be able to do all of this.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
All of that fall under your license to practice pharmacy under your scope of practice. What had to happen was that the states had to implement rules and regulations so that the scope of practice could be increased. So that's where all of that begins to fit under the umbrella of pharmacy. If that's good. You understand that, what I'm saying?
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
As far as this is where it's discussed, you get your medication, you go to the doctor, you get your prescription, and you come and you find out that, yes, I have a treatment plan, but I can't afford the treatment plan that the doctor has offered. And that's very discouraging. But... Pharmacies do not, we do not give the drug prices. That's not determined by us.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
But yet we're the people that are on the front lines to listen to the complaints about it.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
I was gonna say, in Arkansas, we have like a copay system that has been in place for years, but the copays are not bad. on the Arkansas Medicaid program.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
I was going to say I don't have a hard answer for that one. That's all new technology. So there are different systems out there, but the key thing is getting them to be able to communicate with each other. So that's going to be a large challenge that lies ahead of us.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
My main thing is the long-term side effects of these medications. We're seeing the results right now that we're losing weight, but what else is going to be going on as we look at it in the future? And once you lose the weight, how do you wean yourself off of it? Or will you ever be able to wean yourself off of it?
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
And another long-term thing that we have to look at that's something that we're not looking at is the mental health, not only of the person that's dropping the weight, but the mental health of those that are around that person, the loved ones. How do they react to things? How is that person approached? So it's so many things we have to look at.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
All right. I've had a lifelong passion with pharmacy, just taking care of people, going to work every day. Each day is going to be different. You're going to have different challenges each day. But go forth with a positive mental attitude that you're going in to take care of people for that day and just take it. one day at a time.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
I live in the southern part of the state, not far from the Louisiana border, in a rural area. But I take care of the people in my area. And like I say, now that has been transformed to being with the State Board of Arkansas for 32 years now, and now on a national level with NABP. So it's just those little things you do every day that has come out with large outcomes for me.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
Good morning. I'm sorry about the delay, but sometimes our technology doesn't do what we want it to do.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
Yeah, true. I'm happy to be serving as president of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. And my presidential initiative is the mental health and well-being of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and all pharmacy. But as I have progressed with my chosen subject, I found out that the very things that are needed in pharmacy are needed everywhere.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
I am meeting people in hotels, in airports, and what you do, you just take the time to listen. And if I can, or if I do have any guidance, try to point them in the right direction. But this is a big thing, and this is something that we all have to address. Thank you.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
I just think we've reached a time of burnout. We've been doing more and more. And once the pandemic came along, once you've been doing a lot and then you're asked to be squeezed a little bit more, but it was like nothing to give.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
It's like now we're having to go back to address those issues to get everybody back right in center so that we're in a position to continue to give because of the profession. We are always the ones that give, try to get everybody back to normal, get them well physically and also mentally. And right now that's been hard to do.
Health Chatter
Pharmageddon
So we're working on trying to get back to there, if that makes sense to you. Yeah.