NACDS expands point-of-care testing program

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) recently announced its acquisition of a program that provides training for pharmacists to administer point-of-care testing in pharmacies.

NACDS’ Community Pharmacy-Based Point-of-Care Testing certificate program will begin in April with a tour of pharmacy schools nationwide. Click here to see a list of tour stops; click here to begin the application process.

At each tour stop, participants will compete a certificate program on the first day and then a training program on the second. The second day will teach participants to train other pharmacists.

“While patients continue to look to their pharmacist as a steward of medication safety and effectiveness, more and more patients are looking to their pharmacists to provide innovative services that further help maintain their health and wellness, including point-of-care testing,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE.  “In light of the evolution of convenient and accessible healthcare services, this NACDS certificate program demonstrates the education and training of pharmacists, and empowers greater access to services that can help improve patient health.”

The program will train participants to administer a variety of point-of-care tests, as well as health and physical assessments. The certificate program is accredited and offers 20 hours of continuing pharmacy education credit, including 12 hours of home study and eight hours of training about disease states, physical assessments, point-of-care tests, collaborative practice models, and business models.

The faculty at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Ferris State University developed the certificate program. Support from Quidel, a leading manufacturer of diagnostic healthcare solutions, will allow NACDS to waive registration fees for participates who receive the training during the national tour.

 Schools that are participating in the tour are University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy, Omaha; Ferris State University College of Pharmacy, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Northeastern University School of Pharmacy, Boston, Mass.; Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Charleston, SC; University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Austin; Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Los Angeles; St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, Mo.; Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, Portland; University of Utah College of Pharmacy, Salt Lake City; Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy, Chicago, Ill.; and University of Colorado Denver School of Pharmacy, Denver.