There is a need for education about and development of advocacy skills within student pharmacists. Pharmacy literature describes experiences incorporating advocacy education within curricula; however, these are often singular, limited experiences. To increase student pharmacists’ awareness, knowledge, and skills, effective advocacy curricular threads are necessary within curricula. This paper provides rationale for the need for a greater emphasis on development of these skills within student pharmacists, evidence of curricular experiences surrounding advocacy from the literature, initial observations from a piloted curricular thread at one school, and implications for the academy.

Heart failure (HF) affects 6 million Americans, has an expected increasing prevalence in the next 20 years, and has a 5-year mortality rate of 50%. It represents the number one reason for hospitalization in patients older than 65 years. Recent legislation has increased the accountability of care of patients with HF, specifically readmission rates for HF in less than 30 days. This increased focus on HF readmission rates has led many health care organizations to reassess transition-of-care issues (i.e., from home to hospital, from hospital to home) and possible interventions to positively impact these readmission rates. During this process, home health care providers play an integral role and should be aware of possible issues to ensure optimum care for patients.

Evaluation of: Bangalore S, Steg PG, Deedwania P et al. β-Blocker use and clinical outcomes in stable outpatients with and without coronary artery disease. JAMA 308(13), 1340–1349 (2012). The number of myocardial infarctions (MIs) in population remains high and this event is a significant predictor of mortality. Information in the literature points to a reduction in mortality, reinfarction and sudden death in first year, especially in patients with high risk, if β-blockers (BBs) are used after MI. In a perspective study, Zuckerman et al. have determined outcome following pharmacotherapy after acute MI in older adults. It is apparent that a number of matters require consideration in evaluation of the effectiveness of BBs. It seems that not all patients benefit equally from treatment with BBs but such an intervention reduces mortality. It is also important to recognize that the beneficial effects of BBs should not be considered in isolation since the biological system is too complex to manipulate with the use of a single class of drugs.

To offer an insight into the themes which will be explored at the Masterclass, in this short video Dr. McKenzie Calhoun and colleagues at the ETSU Family Physicians in Kingsport, Tennessee discuss how a model of interprofessional collaboration is typically applied and put into practice in the care of patients at the center. They highlight the importance and value of a team-based approach in enhancing the provision of primary healthcare.

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