National Pharmacy Council (NPC)

The purpose of this committee is to advance pharmacy practice within the IHS. This will be accomplished through pharmacy mentorship, resource guides, and advanced clinical certificate programs.

The Antimicrobial Stewardship (ASP) Committee is dedicated to optimizing the use of antimicrobials within the Indian Health Service (IHS) to improve patient outcomes while minimizing toxicity and the development of resistance. Through evidence-based strategies, the committee promotes the appropriate selection, dosing, duration, and route of antimicrobial therapy to ensure the safest and most effective treatment. As part of its mission, the ASP Committee provides ongoing education and support, including an annual webinar series designed to enhance antimicrobial stewardship practices across IHS facilities.

The IHS National Pharmacy Council Awards Committee recognizes individuals and teams whose work advances pharmacy practice, patient care, and operational excellence across the Indian Health Service. The committee also highlights achievements through monthly pharmacy spotlights, reviews and submits U.S. Public Health Service award nominations related to National Pharmacy Council activities, and oversees the annual IHS pharmacy awards program.

The National Pharmacy Awards Committee (NPAC) is responsible for identifying and promoting awareness for internal and external award programs, facilitating the nomination process, and coordinating all phases of award activity and recognition. Activities include calling for, receiving, reviewing, and editing award narratives; identifying potential award nominees, and promoting external recognition opportunities, etc. The committee coordinates the annual Sr. and Jr. Pharmacist, technician, and preceptor awards. In addition, the NPAC recognizes and disseminates pharmacy best practices and strategic initiatives through the Monthly Spotlight which is included in the NPC newsletter, the IHS Week in Review, and a variety of agency meetings.

The Communications Committee is responsible for developing and maintaining various communication modalities, as well as identifying, defining, and advocating for the communication needs of the NPC internally, and with all pharmacy programs in the IHS.

The NPC Communications Committee is seeking article submissions for the NPC Newsletter. Please consider submitting articles highlighting an innovative clinic/process in IHS pharmacy practice.

General Guidelines for Newsletter Articles:

• Please submit articles in Microsoft Word (.DOC or .DOCX format).
• Please include the following subject line: NPC Newsletter – [Article Title][Author Last Name](s)].

Photography Guidelines

• We highly encourage photograph attachments be submitted in .JPG or .PNG format.
• Please embed photo(s) into the Word document and also include the original image file(s) as an attachment.
• Uniformed officers must follow the USPHS uniform specifications.
• Please include a caption for each picture including the full names of civilian employees. Also include the ranks of each PHS officer present in the picture.
• If there is a civilian in the photo, ensure that the subject signs a copy of the IHS photo release form: DHHS Appearance Release - Adult.

The mission of the Inventory Management Committee (IMC) is to review and maintain up-to-date recommendations and best practices for IHS' current inventory management. These practices ensure that IHS/Tribal/Urban (I/T/U) facilities have the information needed to comply with applicable IHS policy.

The IHS Pharmacy Policy Alignment Committee was established to ensure consistent alignment of pharmacy policies and full implementation of the Indian Health Manual, Part 3, Chapter 7 across federally operated IHS facilities. The committee utilizes subject matter expert team leads and members to perform annual reviews of pharmacy operations, identify gaps, and support standardized compliance.

The Pharmacy Professional Specialty Group (PSG) works to improve the health status of the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people by identifying, defining, prioritizing and advocating for the information resource management and technology needs of pharmacists in I/T/U facilities. This group centralizes and coordinates these efforts across all aspects of the pharmacy computer software including: ambulatory, hospital, national drug file, allergy tracking, automation, interfacing and training.

The purpose of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Pharmacy Revenue Committee (PhRC) is to identify, define, prioritize and advocate for pharmacy best practices and opportunities in billing and reimbursement. Our mission is to advance pharmacy billing to strengthen overall business practices by providing training, education, and resources on billing for medications, pharmacy products, and clinical services.

The Pharmacy Technician Practice Advisory Committee (PTPAC) provides training resources and best practices which promote expansion and advancement of technician roles and responsibilities to support patient care.

Subcribe to the IHS Pharmacy LISTSERV to stay connected.

The IHS Recruitment and Retention Committee (RRC) supports the Principal Pharmacy Consultant by overseeing pharmacist recruitment, retention, and staffing across all 12 IHS Areas. It actively recruits talent, manages the placement of student externs, and coordinates the IHS Pharmacy Residency Program. Additionally, the RRC identifies staffing needs, offers best practice guidance on staffing models, disseminates information on the IHS and NHSC Loan Repayment Programs, and collaborates with HR specialists and the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Division of Commissioned Personnel Support to streamline advertising and online recruitment tools.

Recruitment Subcommittee/Vacancies

• IHS locations
• Pharmacy Job Opportunities
• USA Jobs
• Student Programs and Commissioned Officer Student Training and Extern Program (COSTEP)
• Pharmacy Student Opportunities

Residencies

• IHS Pharmacy Residency

Retention Subcommittee Staffing

• RPM Resources: Pharmacy staffing criteria

Loan Repayment

• IHS Loan Repayment
• NHSC Loan Repayment Program Updates annually

The National Committee on Heroin, Opioids and Pain Efforts (HOPE) wworks with Federal and tribal stakeholders to promote appropriate and effective pain management, reduce overdose deaths, and improve access to culturally appropriate treatment.

The National Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (NCPS) certification uniformly recognizes an advanced scope of pharmacy practice aimed at managing disease states and/or optimizing drug therapy to improve patient outcomes. Efforts to recognize pharmacists as providers in the Indian Health Service led to the establishment of the National Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Committee (NCPSC) in 1997. Development in the roles of clinical pharmacists across the federal spectrum has resulted in establishing directives and memorandums of agreement (MOU) to permit all Health and Human Services OPDIVs and Public Health Service (PHS) clinical pharmacists to receive NCPS recognition as of 2013. Since 2017, all NCPS approved protocols have included privileges or the authority to provide comprehensive care. Through the adoption of expanded scope of practice and uniform recognition of healthcare providers within assigned agencies, NCPS pharmacists are providing direct patient care and supporting population health outcomes amid growing shortages of primary care providers. Visit the IHS Clinical Pharmacy site.

The IHS National Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee (NPTC) was developed in 2004 to create a national formulary in response to the substantial national cost increases of pharmaceuticals. NPTC is a permanent, chartered IHS Committee consisting of both field members and leadership officers. Field membership includes twelve practicing physicians and pharmacists representing the full spectrum of geographic and practice settings in Indian country. Leadership of the NPTC includes a physician Chairperson and a pharmacist Vice-Chair. The primary responsibility of the NPTC is to ensure that the IHS National Core Formulary (NCF) remains up to date with changes in medical knowledge and practice and provides I/T/U clinicians with the tools to deliver evidence-based and cost-effective pharmaceutical services to improve the quality of and access to care.

The Syndemic Committee encourages pharmacy engagement in syndemic services to support integrated, patient-centered pharmacy approaches and connect pharmacy teams to tools, guidance, and best practices through the IHS STI website's IHS Syndemic Clinical resources to improve prevention, treatment, care coordination, and health outcomes across the Indian Health Service.

The IHS Syndemic Committee aims to address the HIV Syndemic impacting American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The team brings together pharmacists across the Indian Health Service to promote testing, prevention, and treatment of HIV, HCV, and STIs, with a special focus on rising syphilis and congenital syphilis cases. Using the trusted Test-To-Treat model, we’ll create and share ready-to-use resources, templates, and best practices to support rapid, pharmacy-based interventions. We will deliver effective, scalable models to improve care and outcomes without reinventing the wheel. Together, we can be part of the solution and positively impact our communities. Visit the IHS Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) website to learn more.