Tag: community

Message from the Board
By: SPA Executive Vice President Steven Webbenhurst

“Oh what a night…” is the first line in a song by The Four Seasons which was released way back in December, 1963.

I think we should come up with a song that starts “Oh what a year…”

I think we can all agree that the last year has been remarkable, and not in a good way. But we are finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. With three approved COVID vaccines being given (many by pharmacists, technicians and interns), fewer cases along with hospitalizations due to COVID rapidly declining, we are starting to see a new phase taking over.

The board is excited to make plans to return to in-person events. Although we’ve had some great continuing education events virtually this last year, many of us long to mingle with friends and colleagues at such events. And we have several social/networking events being planned, just waiting for venues to be open to larger groups. So watch your email and faxes for information on both interesting CE programs as well as exciting social events that will be coming in the next weeks.

And as you look at your calendars, be sure to INK IN our fabulous Centennial Bash which will include our annual awards and meeting. Because this is the CENTENNIAL year of our organization, we have big plans that will blow our usual annual meetings out of the water!!! It is going to be Friday, September 17th at the Centennial Hotel (for our centennial 😊). More information will be sent later this spring.

And for our technician members, you can also mark Saturday, October 2nd as our annual Technician Day event with continuing education on topics chosen by you!

I’m sure you’re as excited as we are to return to something close to “normal”. So watch your email and faxes in the next few weeks for more information.

And if you haven’t renewed your membership, there is no better time than now. You’ll enjoy our free CE and social events this year as well as a discount for our Centennial Bash and Technician Day. See our website for more details!

Message from the Board
By: SPA Executive Vice President Steven Webbenhurst

Happy New Year!

I’m sure almost all of us are happy to see 2020 fade away. There were some positive parts of last year, but COVID cast a shadow over most of it.

The board is excited to announce four new board members. They are Alex Hayfetz, Candice Boyd, David Kim and Nicole Rodin. Christeen Hancock was also re-elected to a 2nd two year term.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to those who are leaving the Board. They include Shurrie Morris, Peter Martsin and Andrew Yabusaki. We appreciate all their work and support. James Hendrix-Ward’s term also expired but he has agreed to help with the upcoming awards banquet.

2021 is an exciting year for our organization. Did you know that the association began 100 years ago? Hard to imagine, but we will celebrate our centennial this year! Our plans were to hold a Centennial Bash (our annual meeting and awards ceremony) in March of this year, but due to the lingering COVID epidemic, we are waiting until later in the year for the celebration.

The Centennial Bash will be a grander celebration than our usual banquet. It will be held at The Centennial Hotel (for our centennial) and will have a 1920’s theme. As a new date is picked, we will announce that information so you can reserve the date.

I received an email reminding me that my membership expired at the end of the year. If you received the same email, please follow my lead and renew yours as well. Thank you everyone for your continued support.

May 2021 be a fantastic year for all of us.

Message from the Board
By: SPA Executive Vice President Steven Webbenhurst

As I mentioned in my last message, 2020 has been different than any of us could have imagined. As COVID-19 becomes a more stable issue, other issues continue to arise. One thing that has been apparent is how quickly information changes. As COVID began to emerge, there were so many unknowns regarding the virus. We heard different things from different people or agencies. We were constantly bombarded with facts and theories.

For many of us, it was really information overload. That overload lead to stress and anxiety for most everyone, but especially for those of us in healthcare as well as for “essential” workers. If I checked news in the morning, by lunchtime there was something new. By dinnertime, there was still more new information. It was amazing to see the pace at which information came at us. The COVID topic was constantly in our faces. It was nearly impossible to avoid the topic. Whether you checked news sources or social media, it was the majority of what both covered.

As we worked our way thru the initial weeks of the epidemic, we were all amazed at how some information changed over time. We were told that masks weren’t necessary unless you had COVID or took care of someone with health issues. Then we were told to wear masks. Then not to wear masks. And then to wear masks as many people were asymptomatic carriers. And the mask controversy continues to evolve.

I think more importantly, we all realized that we got conflicting information depending on our sources of information. One official said one thing and another said something different. I hope that over time, most people were able to find a reliable and consistent source of information. And I’m sure it’s a shock, but not all the information on the internet (or Facebook) is true. 🙂

I have some information that has been verified. The Spokane Pharmacy Association is moving to a new membership platform this summer. You will receive information on how to create a profile along with other emails explaining this new platform. Like anything new, there may be a few hiccups along the way, but this will allow us to better serve all of you in the future with the added features this platform offers.

Stay well. Stay safe. We will be in contact regarding possible summer activities and we appreciate all you do for the community!

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.