Happy American Pharmacists Month! In this blog, you’ll find the theme, resources, stories, and encouragement to include pharmacy technicians in your celebration.

World Pharmacists Day last Wednesday, September 25, was the perfect prelude to #APhM2019. We were thrilled with the attention the event got on social media—a big shout-out to all of you who took to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to spread the word about all that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians do for patients and communities.

Our campaign’s theme and central message is that pharmacists are “Easy to Reach and Ready to Help.” We want folks to understand the many ways pharmacists provide care and to emphasize pharmacists’ accessibility and expertise in patient care. The public needs to know about your expertise with diabetes and heart disease, allergies and influenza, and much more. Tell the world: A short conversation or an in-depth consultation with a pharmacist can make a big difference!

If you haven’t yet, check out the #APhM2019 website at pharmacistsmonth.com. There you’ll find everything you need to get started, including posters and banners for your pharmacy, buttons to wear proudly, downloadable graphics, a media kit you can use to further spread the message on social media, and more.

As you view the campaign materials, you’ll see our focus on eight patient care scenarios in which pharmacists are making a big difference. We can create an even larger impact when patients become more knowledgeable about our roles in medication management; immunizations; OTCs and supplements; diabetes management, hypertension, COPD, asthma, and other chronic conditions.

To kick things off now that it’s officially #APhM2019, we’ve brought back #APhMSelfieDay. We encourage pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians to snap and share photos of your teams, APhM events, American Pharmacists Month swag, as well as photos with your patients (with their approval, of course). Share your photos on social media with the #APhMSelfieDay hashtag—and don’t forget to tag APhA using @pharmacists on Twitter and @APhApharmacists on Facebook. I’m looking forward to seeing all your proud, smiling faces!

Keep an eye on APhA’s social media channels—we’ve got some great content planned every day this month on our Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn feeds. I hope you’ll share it with your network, too. Make sure to share your stories about how you’ve helped a patient, and even more important, encourage your patients to share experiences when a pharmacist delivered care that improved their health. Use the hashtags #APhM2019 and #pharmacistmonth on social media, and don’t forget that you can find even more ways to increase exposure at the #APhM2019 website, pharmacistsmonth.com.

A key date to be aware of is National Women Pharmacists Day on October 12, 2019. Show your appreciation for the women who have taught, mentored, and served alongside you. Give them a shout-out, and share a cherished memory on social media.

And be sure to give pharmacy technicians their due on #RxTechDay, October 15, 2019. Thank them for the support they offer you and your patients. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board has graphics available for your social media and website, as well as badges and stickers for your pharmacy team to wear, at https://apha.us/RxTechDayGraphics.

If you haven’t been thanked yet today for all you do for patients and communities, I will gladly be the first—THANK YOU for your dedication, perseverance, and passion. This month is all about you!