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WASHINGTON — The National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF) today announced the formation of a new organization, the National Hispanic Pharmacists Association (NHPA), to increase access to care for Hispanic communities across the country. Launched in collaboration with public and private sector partners including CVS Health, Walmart and PhRMA, NHPA seeks to empower Hispanic pharmacists and other members of the healthcare community to lead efforts that will improve the health of Hispanic populations, which are currently underrepresented among health professionals.
As of 2016, Hispanics make up the largest ethnic or racial minority in the United States and yet, Hispanic pharmacists make up only 4.5% of the 342,000 employed pharmacists across the country.
“Given that by 2042, one out of four people living in the United States will be Latino, NHHF is excited to launch NHPA so that Hispanic pharmacists can develop programs and opportunities that can directly impact the health of Americans,” said NHHF president Dr. Elena Rios.
Some of the efforts NHPA will take on include starting a scholarship program, developing professional and continuing education opportunities and expanding the organization through new corporate partners. NHPA also looks to create a mentorship program and regional student chapters to increase the number of Hispanic pharmacists in the future and further the organization’s outreach.
“Through my experiences in clinical practice and in working with Spanish-speaking patients, I’m confident that the NHPA will help address the health disparities that Hispanics face in the United States,” said NHPA board of directors president Maria Hearns-Rivas.
NHPA has also received strong support from its Corporate Founders since its inception. “CVS Health has a presence in nearly 10,000 communities across the country, and for our company to thrive, we need a highly trained, culturally diverse health care workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve,” said Lisa Bisaccia, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, CVS Health. “We are proud to be one of the founding corporate partners of the National Hispanic Pharmacists Association, and we look forward to working together to improve the health of Hispanic populations in the United States.”
“PhRMA is committed to partnering with organizations to improve the health of all communities. The work of the National Hispanic Pharmacists Association will go a long way toward improving health equity and access to needed treatments,” said Dr. Mike Ybarra, vice president of Medical Affairs and Strategic Alliances, PhRMA.
