The health care reform (HCR) bill signed this morning by President Obama includes provisions to ensure patient access to pharmacists’ medication therapy management (MTM) services, medications, and a viable pharmacy infrastructure. These critical services reduce the toll of inappropriate medication use, including nonadherence, and improve the quality of our nation’s health care system.

APhA strongly supported the bill’s inclusion of provisions to address our nation’s medication-use crisis. This is an opportunity for us to deliver as the medication experts on the health care team. We opened the door for the recognition of pharmacists' services. Now we need to continue that work with regulators and our colleague organizations to ensure that patients have the tools that they need to use their medications safely and effectively.

The opportunity is there—grasp it!