ACCP Strategic Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Plan

ACCP Strategic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan Professional Practice Accountability 2021 ACCP Strategic Diversity, Equity, and Member Assessment As accountable the healthfocused care team, ACCP’s baseline members member of assessment on clinical pharmacists establish and maintain written organizational DEI was administered in June of 2021. collaborative practice agreements with individual Completed by 1000 ACCP members, the results serve as physicians, medical groups, or health systems and/ a representative sample of demographics and inclusion or practice under granted clinical privileges experiences withinformally the organization. Representative from the medical staff or credentialing system of the samples are considered a best practice within organization in which they practice. These agreeprofessional organizations given that voluntary reporting ments, together iswith state Respondents pharmacy practice acts, of demographics minimal. to the ACCP confer specific authorities, responsibilities, and acassessment represent all member segments including countabilities to the clinical pharmacist. Clinical students, trainees, and practitioners ranging fromphar0-5 macists committedtoto promoting quality care that years of are membership 20 years of membership. improves patients’ health outcomes. This is accomThis sample demonstrates an underrepresentation plished by leading and participating in health care of members identifying as Black/African American, organizations, 7% (n 68), and conducting Hispanic/Latinresearch, American disseminating descent, 5% research findings, and applying these findings to clin(n 49) relative to Doctor of Pharmacy graduates in ical practice. 2020, which were 8.8% Black/African American and 6.4% Hispanic/Latin American descent.8 Greater racial/ ethnic diversity was observed among student, trainee, Responsibility and member respondents in the 0–5-year category, than members with greater Representation Clinical pharmacists have atenure. covenantal, “fiducial” in rethese younger mirrored This or exceeded pharmacy lationship withgroups their patients. relationship relies graduate diversity Black/African American byand on the trust placed in in the clinical pharmacist the Hispanic/Latin descent identity. sample patient and theAmerican commitment of the clinicalThe pharmacist included from all groups,patients with most to act in respondents the best interests of age individual and patient populations. exhibit the respondents between Clinical 25 and pharmacists 44 years of age. Sixtytraitspercent of professionalism: responsibility, commitment two of the sample identified as a woman, 31% to excellence, respect for honesty and integas man, 3% nonbinary, andothers, 2% transgender. Female rity, and care and compassion. subscribe to the predominance was observed in allThey age categories except pharmacy profession’s ethics for members 65 years ofcode age of and older.and Theadhere sampleto all pharmacist-related legalfrom and identities ethical standards. also included representation including Clinical pharmacists alsocommunity assume (n 64) responsibility for members of the LGTBTQIA and those advancing their(n discipline through involvement in prowith a disability 16). fessional societies andn participation in health policy The majority (78%, 618) of respondents feel at local, state, national, and international levels. comfortable and welcome at ACCP events and feel that leaders of ACCP demonstrate the importance of DEI through their actions (56%, n 444). Reasons cited by those who do not feel comfortable and welcome at ACCP events (n 30) include a perception that ACCP has an exclusive approach to membership and services and that ACCP does not understand their needs. Among respondents, there was limited racial/ethnic diversity Clinical pharmacists are licensed professionals with Inclusion Plan advanced education and training who practice in all types patient care settings. participate as ACCP of is dedicated to creating andThey sustaining a culture members of the health care team to provide high-qualof diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). A commitment ity, patient-centered care that to coordinated, embrace diversity and inclusion is to an ensure ACCP core individuals and populations achieve the best possivalue. Strategic direction 1.5 of the 2020 ACCP Strategic ble outcomes from medications. Plan states that the their College will employ Clinical practicespharthat macists assess medication-related needs, evaluate 1 embrace DEI to fully achieve its mission. This priority medication therapy, implement plans of initiative includes thedevelop followingand objectives: care, and provide follow-up evaluation and medica Fostering complex/difficult conversations about equity, tion monitoring in collaboration with other members respect, diversity, and inclusion of the health care team. In the course of this prac Providingpharmacists education for interpret members, diagnostic leadership, and tice, clinical andstaff labon harassment, discrimination, and unconscious bias oratory tests, identify the most appropriate drug and Developing a strategic plan patients that includes nondrug therapies, and DEI teach andsteps caregivto promote respect and address bias orThey ers about medications and howinstances to use of them. inappropriate behavior also serve as health care researchers, university and college faculty, medication information specialists, Disseminating best – and unsuccessful – practices organizational leaders, consultants, implemented through the strategic DEIand plan authors of books and articles on pharmacology and medication Leadership Commitment therapy. Beginning in 2020, the ACCP Board of Regents (BOR) has had ongoing complex and in-depth conversations about Education equity, respect, diversity, and inclusion. In January 2021 theclinical BOR engaged a consulting firm,6–8 Ameli Global Today’s pharmacists complete years of Partnerships (AGP), and participated with ACCP staff in undergraduate and professional education leading to professional development activities focused on DEI printhe doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree, including ciples and of best practices incorporating content on DEI 2–3 years coursework that emphasizes pharmaterminology andclinical basics, assessment, microaggressions, unconscious cology and the monitoring, and treatment disease;series and 1–2 years inleadership supervised, bias, and of a four-part on inclusive .2-7 direct patient care as members of the Collaborative worksettings, with AGPwhere, has included a comprehenhealth care assessment team, theyexercise, engagewhich in the sive values ledassessment, to the BOR’s treatment, teaching of patients. affirmationmonitoring, of the 2020 and Strategic Plan Core Values, aThey disalso complete 1–2 years of accredited postgraduate cussion and definition of the principles that align with residency training as licensed clinicalfilter practitioners, these values, development of value questions where they work in team-based settings under and the to facilitate decision-making (in development), guidance of expert practitioners of in aclinical pharmaadministration and interpretation baseline memcyber and other health disciplines. Clinical pharmacists assessment culminating in a plan to incorporate DEI achieve board certification their area(s) specialacross the organization. Theinthoughtful andof deliberate ization and maintain competence through recertificaintegration of DEI across ACCP Core Values, Strategic tion, continuing education, and self-directPlan,mandatory and this DEI Plan will ensure sustainability. ed continuous professional development. ACCP Strategic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan 1 December 2021

implemented in 2021 and additional phase I plans will be implemented through December of 2022 (Figure 2). The College will employ ongoing monitoring with a formal re-assessment planned in late 2022 or early 2023. Phase 2 action plans will be developed and implemented between early 2023 and mid-2024 and the plan will be revised and updated beginning in July 2024. Plan implementation and monitoring will include BOR, ACCP staff, and member (e.g., 2022 Task Force on DEI, 2022 Member Relations Committee, and PRN leadership) engagement throughout. Ongoing DEI efforts, and results of informal and formal plan assessments will be routinely communicated to ACCP members. across nominations for awards and elected/appointed leadership roles. A formal, recorded presentation of assessment results is available to ACCP members within their respective accp.com account under “My Links.” Implementation and Monitoring ACCP leadership has received additional member feedback through informal communications, 2020 strategic planning surveys, annual member issue surveys in 2020 and 2021, and through Practice and Research Network (PRN)/BOR communications. With input from these communications sources, the BOR has worked with ACCP staff and AGP to develop a list of priorities for a three-year DEI plan (Figure 1). Early components of the plan (Phase I) have already been Figure 1. ACCP DEI Plan At-a-Glance. ACCP Strategic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan 2 December 2021