Millions of Americans rely on highly trained professionals to help maintain their health and well-being, whether they live in major metropolitan areas like Washington, D.C., or rural communities across the country.

Pharmacists.

“It could be in a hospital, a community pharmacy, pharmacists that work in the pharmaceutical industry or maybe in academia,” says Michael Hogue, CEO of the American Pharmacists Association. “But most of these pharmacists are providing direct patient care, day in and day out.”

Hogue says a key task for pharmacists “is really to make medicines work” for those who rely on them.

That means making sure a patient gets the right medicine at the right time, along with the right dose, regardless of where the individual accesses medicine.

But he says that’s becoming more difficult, particularly for community-based pharmacies.

“I think what Americans are realizing is that rapidly, we’re losing access to the only healthcare resource that many consumers have in their local communities,” Hogue says.

He says that’s true not only in many rural communities, but also in major cities, where many communities of color have limited options for access to a pharmacy.

“We are concerned that many of these pharmacies have some really strong headwinds, making it very difficult for them to be able to survive,” he says.

Lingering impact of the pandemic�� �� �� ��

Hogue points out that the pandemic was a major jolt to the healthcare system, in part because physician resources had to be diverted to hospitals to take care of acutely ill patients with COVID-19.

That left the local pharmacy as the only healthcare option in many communities.

“And as most all Americans know, you got all your vaccines in the pharmacy during that time frame,” Hogue says. “If you needed a test for COVID or you needed to be tested for the flu and treated, that happened in a pharmacy.”

That created a huge workload for pharmacists and pharmacies.

“So it was a pretty stressful environment for pharmacies,” Hogue says.

Congress faces critical deadline on PREP Act

During the pandemic, modifications were made to the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, known as the .��

The changes helped pharmacies to administer vaccines, through broader authority, which in turn saved lives and prevented many more from becoming ill.

But the changes to the PREP Act are set to expire at the end of the year.

“The whole healthcare industry is on edge about this,” Hogue says.

That’s because the government allowed for various healthcare activities — including testing and treatment for not just COVID-19, but other illnesses — to be compensated for with federal funds

Hogue says that helped improve patients’ access to their health care providers, including pharmacists.

“So one of the bills that the American Pharmacists Association is championing would actually provide some permanency, particularly for our most vulnerable patients — our senior citizens, our Medicare beneficiaries,” he says.

Call to action in lame-duck session��

Hogue says it’s imperative that Congress take up the legislation during the lame-duck session.

He says a failure to act will have extensive ramifications for patients and the healthcare system.

Hogue’s association is trying to make sure that HR 1770 — the — gets marked up by the House Ways and Means Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Jason Smith, R-MO.

“This bill is critical to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries continue to have access to the pharmacists care services for testing and treating for respiratory disorders and for immunizations,” Hogue says, adding that those on Medicare are often the most vulnerable in terms of access to care.

Hogue says pharmacists have shown they are well-trained and capable of providing services.

“If Congress doesn’t act now, Medicare beneficiaries will be denied important care, and we will see consumers in rural communities who will perish,” he says.

The legislation has bipartisan support, and Hogue remains hopeful it will pass.

He concludes by pointing to the case of his own parents, who live in a rural community of southern Illinois and have to drive more than an hour to see their family physician.

Both are in their 80s and have a pharmacy that’s a 10-minute drive from their home.

“When mom and dad think they might have the flu or COVID, doesn’t it make a lot more sense that they drive 10 minutes to their pharmacy?” Hogue says, noting the pharmacist can always refer them to a physician if they need follow-up care.

“I can’t imagine that there wouldn’t be members of Congress who’d have the same situation that I have in my own family,” Hogue says.

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When it comes to healthcare, achieving an “A” grade for safety is not merely a mark on a scorecard, it’s a testament to a hospital’s unwavering commitment to excellence and the well-being of the community.

It’s also historic in the case of Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center, which just received its first A in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, the only hospital rating focused exclusively on hospital safety.

“Getting to the best score means we are creating a safer hospital for our patients,” said Eunmee Shim, president of Fort Washington Medical Center.�� “When you get to an A grade, it means we are the safest hospital that you can find, and we’re very proud of that.”

The Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit watchdog organization that serves as a voice for health care consumers and purchasers.

Its A, B, C, D or F letter grades are known as a quick way for patients to choose the safest hospital, providing information on how likely they are to experience accidents, injuries, errors or harm.

“Not many hospitals can get to an A grade,” Shim said. “It is critical that we maintain that grade, and those efforts are underway with all of our staff working together.”

The journey from F to A

Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center has gone through a remarkable transformation as it continues reducing local health care disparities in southern Prince George’s County, helping residents find medical care close to where they live so they don’t need to travel to places such as other Maryland counties, Virginia or D.C.

In 2018, the hospital received an F in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade.

Now, just six years later, it has turned things around entirely.

“It all starts in the emergency room,” said Fiona McMahon, director of quality and safety services at Fort Washington Medical Center. “Something the emergency room has really started to zoom in on is hospital-acquired C. diff infections, for example.”

Clostridioides difficile, known as C. diff, is a common hospital-onset infection that typically affects older adults and can lead to serious complications.

“If you test them when they come in, it’s much better because then we know upfront, and we’re not finding that out four or five days later,” McMahon said.

The priority, according to McMahon, is essentially to identify problems immediately in the emergency room before someone is moved to the inpatient floor, ensuring the highest level of care for every patient who goes in for treatment.

“A lot of this is awareness,” said Dr. Jeffrey Stone, the director of the emergency department at Fort Washington Medical Center.�� “What’s key to our success is that the whole team is aware of what these measures are, and what constitutes good quality.”

The doctors, nursing team and everyone else in the emergency room must be on the same page, according to Stone.

“From when a patient walks through the door to when the patient leaves, all the steps have to be in line,” Stone said. “There has to be consistency so that each patient has the same experience regardless of what they’re coming in for.”

Maintaining the excellence

Receiving an A grade in safety is a source of reassurance for the community.

Errors are minimized, risks are mitigated and patient outcomes improve.

“For patients and their families, it’s a huge deal,” said Dr. Ron Brathwaite, the hospital medicine director at Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center.

When someone is in the hospital, they often have people at home who worry about them.

Knowing that safety is the highest priority instills confidence, assuring them that their loved one’s well-being is paramount.

“I have aunts, uncles, daughters and sons of patients who come into the hospital,” Brathwaite explained. “Giving them the peace of mind that we’ve made these improvements is huge.”

Such an achievement is not attained overnight.

Behind every successful safety upgrade lies a dedicated team of healthcare professionals who uphold the highest standards of care.

“Physicians feel comfortable and encouraged to bring their patients to be treated at Fort Washington Medical Center because they know that they will be safe and get high-quality care,” said Dr. Senda Beltaifa, the medical director of the laboratory at Fort Washington Medical Center.

“It really takes a village, because the providers cannot do what they do alone,” Beltaifa added.

From frontline nurses to administrative staff, from physicians to maintenance workers, each individual plays an important role in creating a culture of safety.

“This is a testament to the great leadership at Fort Washington,” Beltaifa said. “The power that comes from working together and having open communication between the providers and the administration is what got us here.”

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Specialists at Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center are raising awareness of the significant impact diabetes can have on residents and communities as part of an ongoing effort to bring more resources and treatment options to southwestern Prince George’s County.

“The prevalence of diabetes has gone up over the past few decades,” said Dr. Eleisha Flanagan, a bariatric surgeon and one of the newest members of the Fort Washington hospital’s team.

November is , a time when communities across the country team up to help draw attention to the illness.

It affects about 37 million Americans and occurs when blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high.

Diabetes can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart, and it’s linked to certain types of cancer.

“It has become more widespread due to a number of socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, including a lack of access to healthy food and a lack of safe options or resources for physical activity,” Flanagan said. “When we have communities that end up with those factors, then diabetes tends to follow.”

Diabetes afflicts 13.8% of residents in Prince George’s County.

About 35% of adults in Prince George’s County suffer from obesity, which is higher than the overall average of 32.2% in Maryland and 31.9% across the United States.

Type 2 diabetes, in particular, occurs most often in middle-aged and older people, and being overweight is one of the major risk factors.

Diabetes and surgery

As a surgeon, Flanagan is sensitive to the effects diabetes can have on a hospital patient.

The illness can make it more difficult for wounds to heal and can cause an electrolyte imbalance, leading to kidney problems.

“Uncontrolled diabetes has an increased risk of complications for patients who are undergoing surgery,” said Flanagan. “It can change the outcome of the surgery itself.”

However, gastric bypass and other weight-loss bariatric surgeries may be the best option for someone who is suffering from diabetes.

“We have a robust bariatric surgery team here at Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center,” said Flanagan.

The team works with a bariatric nurse practitioner and provides patients with access to a nutritionist, a psychologist and an exercise specialist.

“We work closely with your primary care physician,” Flanagan said. “If an endocrinologist or another type of specialist is needed, we bring them on as well.”

According to Flanagan, bariatric surgery is “hands down the most effective treatment for type 2 diabetes.”

The metabolic effect of weight loss that results from surgery can often cause a patient’s diabetes to go into remission entirely.

When that happens, the patient is able to stop taking all or most of their medications.

Coming back home

Flanagan was hired at Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center as part of the hospital’s overarching goal of bringing in new, talented specialists who can serve a region in which residents too often face a lack of health care options.

Hospital leaders have outlined a plan for the future that includes a larger hospital with a strong provider network and a long list of specialty services.

A 93,000 square foot medical pavilion is near completion in Oxon Hill at National Harbor and is set to receive patients in2023. The pavilion will include outpatient surgical services including orthopedic, ophthalmic, cardiovascular, general surgery, and more, in addition to a full range of diagnostic imaging services using state-of-the-art equipment for faster and more detailed testing.

It’s all in the name of reducing disparities and helping people find care close to home so they don’t need to travel to places such as other Maryland counties, Virginia or D.C. in search of medical options.

“Traveling 30 minutes or more to see a doctor really prevents patients from seeking care or following up with their care,” Flanagan said. “I’m elated that a hospital system with great resources is dedicated to really serving the community.”

Another thing Flanagan said she’s “ecstatic” about is returning to the place she calls home.

Flanagan is originally from the Fort Washington area in Maryland.

Her medical training took her away from the region for a while, but now she’s back and is able to pursue her passion.

“It means a lot to me to be able to serve and take care of the community where I grew up,” Flanagan said. “It is truly an honor and a pleasure to be here and practice here.”

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