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2021 Member Greeting & Seven Ways to get More out of your ICHP Membership in 2021
Greetings ICHP Member:
The New Year is already a month old and we would like to thank you for your membership in ICHP – a membership that we think will prove very valuable to you in 2021! We also want to highlight 7 ways to get more from your ICHP membership.
The more you use your membership, the more valuable it becomes. You can use your membership to connect with other members, take on small tasks to help ICHP, volunteer to serve on a division, committee, or network, use the resources members and staff have created on the ichpnet.org website, participate in outstanding educational offerings and take part in our online social media: Facebook™, Twitter,™ LinkedIn™, and Instagram™!
In 2020 the Collaborative Pharmaceutical Task Force convened again to provide more recommendations for changes to the Illinois Pharmacy Practice Act to be considered in the spring 2021 session of the Illinois General Assembly. The Collaborative Pharmaceutical Task Force recommended that the group reconvene to form recommendations on remuneration of pharmacists for patient care services. Hopefully, the General Assembly will approve the continuation of the task force to discuss this important issue. Your ICHP membership will keep you informed of important changes in our profession. In addition, ICHP representation at each Illinois Board of Pharmacy meeting means you will know as soon as the rules of the Practice Act change. Being an engaged member ensures that you stay on top of the practice of pharmacy in Illinois.
ICHP always needs a strong cadre of dedicated volunteers. It is easy to jump in and start serving ICHP and the profession. Through monthly conference calls as a member of an ICHP division, committee, or network, making shorter term commitments on an educational meeting planning committee (like the Spring and Annual Meetings), as a local affiliate officer, student chapter officer or member of the ICHP Board of Directors. You can make a difference for pharmacy while building your leadership skills and your professional network.
We sincerely hope that you will review these 7 ways (below) and get a bigger bang for your ICHP membership buck! You owe it to yourself and we owe it to you!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Arnoldi, ICHP President
Chris Crank, ICHP Executive Vice President
Seven ways to get MORE out of your ICHP membership in 2021
#1 Small Tasks - With a small effort you can make a big impact for ICHP! Review a student’s CV, peer review a KeePosted article, serve as a poster judge, or view our short task list for other quick, one-time
jobs you can do that make a contribution to ICHP.
#2 Networks - ICHP has several networks to support pharmacy professionals in a variety of roles. The Ambulatory Care Network is for members who work or have an interest in the ambulatory setting. The Pharmacy Directors Network helps directors from around the State find solutions to perplexing issues, share experiences with TJC and other accreditors, and provide insight to ICHP. New Practitioners support each other as they enter and build their foundation in the profession. The Small and Rural Hospital Network will work to bring our members in critical access and smaller community hospitals together to discuss the issues they face and our Pharmacy Technician Network will serve as a sounding board for our tech members. As you can see, there are plenty of ways to get involved.
#3 Regular Participation - Are you knowledgeable at planning CPE programming? An expert in attracting new members to our organization or a policy wonk who is always thinking about pharmacy’s future? Consider volunteering one hour a month on any of ICHP's Divisions or Committees! Go to ichpnet.org and click About Us > Divisions & Committees. All members are welcome!
#4 Advocacy - ICHP provides a variety of opportunities to have an impact on State legislation that affects pharmacy. Attend Pharmacy Legislative Day and get coached on talking points and face-to-face time with legislators, volunteer on the Government Affairs Division, or visit our Advocacy center on the website to identify your legislators and contact them using a ready-made template to start a discussion.
#5 Resources - ICHP provides countless resources for enhancing your career, practice, or care for your patients. Our KeePosted™ news journal is published four times a year online and in print and features Medication Safety Pearls, Best Practices, and more. Our online Toolkits have tips for establishing a residency program, continuing professional development and much more. Our Career Center features available pharmacy positions and helpful tips for professional development. Look for the Career Center e-mail in your inbox every other Thursday.
#6 Education - ICHP offers numerous opportunities to obtain continuing pharmacy education credit (CPE) and brush up on new medications and technologies. Check out our CPE News Brief, sent right to your inbox monthly. You can also access the ICHP Calendar at ichpnet.org to see the latest offerings like local affiliate CPE and networking meetings, statewide meetings, home-study, LIVE webinars, and more!
#7 Social Media - Use ICHP's online communities on Facebook™, Twitter™, LinkedIn™ and Instagram™! These online offerings allow members to connect with each other in social and professional forums by asking questions, sharing best practices, attaching files, and more. Use the social media platform that fits your style and stay connected!
Visit www.ichpnet.org/2021 on how to get the most out of your membership this year!
