The 2016 Joint Federal Pharmacy Seminar (JFPS), held October 30 through November 2, hosted over 650 pharmacists and technicians at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, MD. This year’s theme, Leadership through Service, explored the roles of all branches of the Armed Forces in pharmacy and health care. JFPS 2016 attendees represented all aspects of federal pharmacy, including the Public Health Service (USPHS) pharmacy communities, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Defense (DOD), Coast Guard, and other federal agency pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and our neighbors to the North, the Canadian Force pharmacists.

Throughout the 3-day conference, federal pharmacy senior leaders highlighted strategic goals, joint and service-specific initiatives, public health, and performance measures in their pharmacy practice. George Jones Jr., PharmD—Chief, Pharmacy Operations Division at Defense Health Agency—told a packed audience that it was important to “leverage the capability that we have today to ensure excellence.”

In his presentation, titled “Integrated for Excellence,” Jones Jr. pointed to partnerships and collaboration with agencies like the DOD as key components in achieving health care goals that include reaching Congress mandated cost-savings targets, the successful implementation of drug take-back programs, and the creation of patient-centered medical homes for service members, which promote expanded inclusion of pharmacists.

Also, opioid abuse treatment and prevention, as well as efforts to increase pharmacists’ latitude to provide naloxone, factored into the strategies described by several presenters at the conference.

The conference, which included more than 80 exhibitors and supporters, provided an opportunity for attendees to receive over 21 hours of continuing pharmacy education.

In addition, attendees were able to review 52 poster presentations for which abstracts were published in the electronic January/February issue of the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (JAPhA). The presentations were part of the “JFPS Contributed Papers Poster Program,” which is designed to challenge federal practitioners and researchers by providing a forum to share practice information, disseminate research findings, and educate colleagues. Posters were accepted in four topic areas: Automation/Technology, Clinical Pharmacy, Hospital Inpatient Services, and Pharmacy Operations. 

Started in 1994, JFPS is the largest annual event for the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and USPHS. The seminar’s education and meeting activities were coordinated by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), working with federal pharmacy advisors. 

“I believe that this era is truly the opportunity of a lifetime for our profession,” said APhA President Jean-Venable “Kelly” R. Goode. “Congratulations to all of you for driving innovation in patient care models that are advancing our profession.”