Message from the Board
By: SPA Executive Vice President Steven Webbenhurst
We all heard the jokes about 20/20 vision as 2019 ended. Looking into our crystal balls, I don’t think any of us foresaw our world changing the way it has this year with COVID-19.
It’s amazing to see how everyone associated with pharmacy has stepped up to the task of putting our patients’ needs ahead of our own in many instances during this troublesome time. I know that for a period of a week or two, changes were occurring in our personal lives that crossed over into our professional lives on an hourly basis. But, we continue to evolve our practices, to minimize the spread of the virus while still providing the best care for our patients. I won’t go into some of the stories I’ve read about that describe how healthcare workers are keeping their families protected, but I know that is a concern for all of us.
What I marvel at is how quickly we have adapted our practices so that we can continue to do what we do best; provide access to our patients while providing them with the medications and advice they need. On television shows, pharmacists are usually portrayed by older men with little personality in a setting that looks like it’s out of the 1970’s. In today’s world, I still think pharmacy is sometimes slow to change because we are cautious to make sure they are positive changes. But it is amazing how quickly our professional practices have shifted in the last few weeks to ensure that we can continue to serve our patients while being aware of risks of COVID.
I’d like to thank all of our members (and all pharmacists, technicians and interns) in our response to this crisis. You continue to make me proud to be a member of the profession.
Be safe, be compassionate, use good judgement and continue to serve our patients.
Spokane Pharmacy Association 