Letter to Congressman:

CONGRESSMAN PETE SESSIONS


PARK CENTRAL VII
12750 MERIT DRIVE,

SUITE 1434


DALLAS, TEXAS 75251-1229

Dear Congressman Sessions:

My name is _____. I am a first year pharmacy student at the _______. I am writing to express my concerns with the upcoming health care reform bill. Although our legislatures are currently working to produce a health-care solution that best addresses the nation's public health needs, I feel that the bill in its current form fails to address a very critical component of any health-care reform, namely the role of the pharmacist. The bill in its current state does not clearly define and outline the role and contribution of pharmacists in the health-care system.

To correct this, I propose that we should seriously consider the results of the Asheville project and implement this project nationally as part of the current health-care reform plan. In 1996 employers for a local company in Asheville, North Carolina, conducted an experiment in which pharmacists took on the role of primary care managers for their employees. As a result, pharmacists were more actively involved in the lives of their patients and the results indicated that the employees missed fewer workdays and had better health overall. This is an excellent model for the role of pharmacists in the health-care system that can be followed nation-wide. Many of the leaders of the American Pharmacist Association are actively pushing for this model to be implemented. This project would give a definite outline for the role of pharmacists with regards to health care in the upcoming health-care reforms.

In conclusion, I feel that more emphasis should be placed on the role of pharmacists in the health care system. The best way to go about this would be to implement the Asheville Project nationally. Thank you for taking the time to consider this proposition.

Sincerely yours,

_________________