We appreciate the support from comments generated from inside and outside the profession regarding APhA’s recent announcement of our commitment to attaining “provider status.” We applaud the work of other groups in various stages of support and participation in this profession-wide initiative.

On January 30, the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners held its quarterly meeting. Significant discussion focused on opportunities and models to value the pharmacist’s role and inclusion in evolving health care delivery teams and systems. As one speaker noted, speaking of pharmacists, “We have capable providers in an incapable system.” New models may allow us to provide the care we are trained to provide, but we have to be on the team. It will take unified messaging from the profession, examples of pharmacists making an impact today, and the involvement of all pharmacists.

We should extend a tip of the hat to APhA Immediate Past-President Marialice Bennett for creating our Task Force on Provider Status in the first place. Going back to 2 years ago, when our House of Delegates began considering whether the timing was right to reintroduce efforts in this area, to last year’s House discussion, when Marialice updated the House on our Board of Trustees’ commitment to this issue and named the Task Force, we have taken the call from our members seriously.

APhA President Jenelle Sobotka and the Board have continued that commitment. Under Jenelle’s leadership with APhA President-elect Steve Simenson as Task Force Chair, the Board approved significant resources to the effort. I am encouraged by what I hear as I meet with various stakeholders, including payers, employers, policy makers and pharmacists, to explain how the current system denies access to pharmacists’ clinical services. Without us, medication use will never achieve its full benefit for our patients. Start your engines because our journey, with you on board, has started!