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APhA Immunization Champion Awards 2021
The American Pharmacists Association established these special awards in 2008 to recognize the value and extraordinary contributions pharmacists provide to improving the vaccination rates in their communities. Across the country, more than 320,000 pharmacists have completed training as immunization providers. In all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, pharmacists have the authority to administer vaccines. Pharmacists and student pharmacists have assumed one or more roles as immunization educators, facilitators, and vaccine administrators, thereby reducing vaccine-preventable morbidity and mortality across the lifespan.
Pharmacists, in collaboration with physicians, public health officials, and other immunization stakeholders, are recognized as important members of the immunization neighborhood and are developing solutions to increase access to vaccines and other public health services. Millions of vaccines are administered by pharmacists each year. The profession’s dedication to meeting the public’s immunization needs and protecting people from vaccine-preventable diseases is evident in the work of this year’s nominees and the many thousands of immunizing pharmacists practicing in communities nationwide.
2021 APhA Immunization Champion Awards—Call for Nominations
Deadline: January 18, 2021
The APhA Immunization Champion Awards program recognizes individuals and organizations within the profession of pharmacy who have made extraordinary contributions towards improved vaccination rates within their communities.
Submissions specifically related to the provision of immunization services during the COVID-19 pandemic are highly encouraged.
Submit your nomination online by January 18, 2021.
There are six (6) categories of recognition including:
Community Outreach:
Practitioner or pharmacy that has conducted activities and provided education within the communities they serve to increase immunization awareness and delivery. This category recognizes individuals and organizations that have successfully embraced the key elements of the “immunization neighborhood” - collaboration, coordination, and communication among immunization stakeholders (between pharmacies/pharmacists and immunization coalitions, physicians, nurses, public health departments), dedicated to meeting the immunization needs of the patient and protecting the community from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Corporation / Institution:
Community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, long-term care pharmacies, clinics, government entities, corporations, institutions, etc. that have established, facilitated, and/or collaborated with their community to provide services to improve vaccination rates. These entities should address and incorporate key elements of the “immunization neighborhood” within their submitted activities.
Friend of Pharmacy:
An individual who is a non-pharmacist and has supported, facilitated or advocated for pharmacists' role in immunizations. Individuals could include a coalition leader, community leader, policy maker, physician, public health official, reporter, etc.
Individual Practitioner:
A pharmacist who has established, facilitated, and/or collaborated within their community to provide services to improve vaccination rates. These individuals should exemplify key elements of the “immunization neighborhood” within their submitted activities.
Pharmacy Team Member:
An individual who is not a pharmacist nor Student Pharmacist who has advocated for immunizations, and who has proactively identified at-risk patients for vaccination. Individuals could include a pharmacy technician, store manager, store cashier, etc. Activities could include: conducting or coordinating community outreach, patient education campaigns, managing or delivering immunization services, or supporting pharmacists in the provision of immunization services.
*Please Note –Colleges/Schools of Pharmacy may submit nominations that are not solely conducted by an APhA-ASP chapter; however, Operation Immunization projects are not eligible for these awards (those should be submitted to the APhA-ASP Awards program).
Nominees will be evaluated on their immunization activities, based on the following criteria:
Impact:
Describe how the nominees work supported and/or utilized pharmacists to improve immunization rates, education or access. This may also highlight how the individual’s work has advanced pharmacists’ role as a valued member of the “immunization neighborhood” and healthcare team, and the immunization rates of their community across the life-span.
Collaboration/Coordination/Communication:
Describe the extent of collaboration, coordination, and communication with other health care providers, public health organizations, and/or other organizations within their community or practice setting to address an immunization issue and/or provision of immunization services.
Originality:
Describe the creativity, innovation and originality utilized by the nominee in achieving increased vaccination rates, access and/or education in their community. Nominations should highlight new or enhanced activities over the previous year.
Challenges and Opportunities:
Challenges and Opportunities: Describe the challenges and opportunities that the nominee encountered and how they addressed those issues.
Award Recipients
The awards will be presented at APhA2021 Virtual, March 12-15, 2021
Each award category includes a national winner and may include honorable mention recipients.
National winners receive:
- Annual Meeting Registration
- $500 honorarium
- Crystal award
Honorable mention recipients receive:
- Annual Meeting Registration
- $100 honorarium
- Award plaque
2020 Award Recipients
Individual Practitioner
Honorable Mention
Erica Mahn (Springfield, MO))
National Winner
Heather Stewart (Saco, ME)
Corporation/Institution
Honorable Mention
Red Lake Indian Health Service (Tenstrike, MN)
Rite Aid (Camp Hill, PA)
National Winner
Sand Run Pharmacy, (Akron, OH)
Walgreens Co. (Deerfield, IL)
Community Outreach
Honorable Mention
Sara Fietsam (St. Louis, MO)
National Winner
Zeshan Mahmood (Alexandria, VA)
Travel Health
Honorable Mention
UNC Campus Health Pharmacy (Chapel Hill, NC)
National Winner
Karl Hess (Irvine, CA)
Pharmacy Team Member
National Winner
Christine Ramos (Coachella, CA)
Friend of Pharmacy
National Winner
Michelle Martinez (Whiteriver, AZ)
Previous Immunization Champions
2019: Learn About our 2019 Immunization Champions
2018: Learn about our 2018 Immunization Champions
2017: Learn about our 2017 Immunization Champions
2016: Learn about our 2016 Immunization Champions
2015: Learn about our 2015 Immunization Champions
2014: Learn about our 2014 Immunization Champions