For years, I’ve heard pharmacists say things like, “If patients only knew…,” meaning that if consumers only knew what we as pharmacists have to offer, we would be overwhelmed with support and payment for our services. If every pharmacist in America were an APhA member, we would have the resources to mount a major consumer campaign on our own. The challenges of cutting through all of the noise in consumer advertising would be hard to overcome, but at least we could try to reach every patient with important messages about their medications.

One of the ways we try to get the word out about pharmacists’ value is through coalitions such as one organized by the National Consumers League (NCL). This group is leading a multiyear campaign to raise awareness of the importance of good medication adherence. The campaign targets consumers and health practitioners nationwide.

This national campaign is expected to launch publicly in early 2011. The campaign’s integrated education and outreach strategy will include a mix of communications tactics and vehicles, such as a core-message framework, campaign brand identity, earned and paid media, public service advertising (PSAs), and three interactive websites. The group has a budget of at least $5 million for a 3-year campaign.

Special outreach efforts to people with chronic conditions—particularly cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, and diabetes—and to health practitioners will enhance the reach of the campaign.

NCL has brought together APhA and more than 100 public and private stakeholder organizations, including health practitioners, caregivers, employers, researchers, government agencies, and patients to plan, develop, and implement the campaign. AHRQ, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, has provided planning support for the campaign.

GMMB, a full-service strategic communications firm specializing in issue advocacy and cause‐based campaigns, was hired to administer the campaign.

The campaign-planning process has featured three main elements: stakeholder meetings, research, and working groups. The three working groups are developing and informing campaign strategy around chronic condition and health care practitioner outreach, as well as evaluation:

Chronic Condition Outreach: This group’s objective is to identify how best to convey the messages and tools of the campaign to those with or closely affected by chronic conditions. Criteria developed by this group identified cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, and diabetes among the primary target conditions. This working group will identify and collect information about tools that promote and improve adherence, and establish the criteria and process for vetting these tools. Cochaired by Brenda Hindle (American College of Cardiology) and Ray Bullman (National Council on Patient Information Education—APhA is a founding member).

Health Care Practitioner Outreach: This group’s objective is to identify how best to build campaign awareness among health practitioners before and during the campaign, and how to prepare practitioners to support patients to be more adherent. This group is collecting adherence resources and tools for health practitioners to help them gain a better understanding of adherence. Cochaired by Laura Cranston (Pharmacy Quality Alliance—APhA is a founding member) and Donna Sweet (American College of Physicians).

Evaluation: This group’s objective is to identify the best mechanisms to evaluate the campaign’s impact and effectiveness, in addition to assessment of the campaign’s reach and impact by GMMB. This group is developing a campaign evaluation design. Cochaired by Lee Rucker (AARP) and Gary Persinger (National Pharmaceutical Council).

APhA will be working closely with NCL on this important effort. I encourage all pharmacists to do the same.