From Paula’s Desk: Supporting AMCP to Achieve Racial Equity in Health Care

Dear #AMCPFdn Friends,

This edition of our e-news comes as our nation grapples with the harsh realities of deeply rooted racial injustice that has once again been spotlighted by the recent killings of Black lives — George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. We at the AMCP Foundation are inspired by the unity of millions in our country and abroad who are peacefully protesting in their communities and online to spark change. We are committed to learning how we can act and implement change to eradicate racial injustice.

AMCP Foundation is the 501(c)3 non-profit organization supporting AMCP, which joined with 13 other national pharmacy associations in a statement demonstrating the pharmacy profession’s commitment to eliminate racism and discrimination. AMCP Foundation’s mission is to advance medication-related research and education, and we must examine systemic racism as it relates to this mission.

When we say that the AMCP Foundation develops leaders and enhances health, we cannot make exclusions.

Our staff and volunteer leaders are evaluating ways we can be more accountable to our mission. As we consider next steps, I invite your questions and input, and will share your advice with my AMCP colleagues and the Foundation Trustees. Here are some initial themes that may spur your reflections.

Diversity among our leaders is critical. Appointments to the AMCP Foundation Board of Trustees are made to maximize diversity, which includes (and is not limited to) race, cultural and ethnic identity, gender identity, geographic region, level of experience, professional qualifications, and professional area of expertise. Can you recommend potential Trustees for service?
Inclusive programs and storytelling: small, yet powerful starting points. AMCP Foundation opens doors to managed care careers. Through our educational programs – the internships and competitions we host, the stories we tell, the alumni successes we highlight – we can elevate and more accurately represent people of color in pharmacy and health care services. What new initiatives would you be excited to launch with us?
Research helps us understand. In our latest Trends in Health Care Report, we discuss social determinants of health as a global influencer. Through AMCP Foundation research programs, we seek to increase awareness about how managed care pharmacy can reduce disparities and improve care. What are the most important research questions we should be asking in health care to achieve this goal?
The philanthropic sector, including association foundations like ours, is actively listening. Our team is considering views and data issued by groups like the Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE; requesting action by philanthropy on anti-Black racism); Association Foundation Group (AFG; rejecting racial injustice and violence); and American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Research Foundation (research on diversity and inclusion in associations). What other resources should we consider as we learn how to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work?

I look forward to hearing from you and continuing to reflect on how we can achieve more together. And I hope the stories in this e-news illustrate the potential of collective action.

Gratefully and hopefully,

Paula J. Eichenbrenner, MBA, CAE 
Executive Director, AMCP Foundation

Originally published in the June 2020 AMCP Foundation Insights e-newsletter.