FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2016
Media Contacts:
Chad Clinton
Associate Director, Public Relations
American Pharmacists Association
(202) 429-7558
WASHINGTON, DC – The Indiana Pharmacists Alliance (IPA) has selected H. Christian Johnson, R.Ph., as the recipient of the 2016 Bowl of Hygeia Award for outstanding community service. Johnson was presented the award at the 2016 IPA Annual Convention & Expo on Thursday, September 22. The Bowl of Hygeia is sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association Foundation, the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations and the American Pharmacists Association with support from Boehringer Ingelheim.
For nearly 20 years, Johnson has maintained his IPA membership, serving on Medicaid and Managed Care Committees. His contributions to the pharmacy profession, under-served populations and the State of Indiana Administration are varied, deep and impactful. Working at the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Johnson implemented a new pharmacy benefits manager, improved drug therapy management, reduced waste and overutilization. This brought about new technologies, real-time third party screening, which improved efficiency of claim adjudication processes and better oversight of drug benefits.
He has raised awareness of resources and services that the FSSA provides to people in crisis to respond more effectively to their needs. Johnson continues to keep an open communication channel with the IPA community around the state regarding drug treatment services, pharmacy reimbursement, medication therapy management, Indiana Governor and Vice President Candidate Mike Pence' Drug Abuse Taskforce, and changes in policies and initiatives. He is a strong, professional leader committed to community and government service and is very deserving of the Bowl of Hygeia honor and recognition.
Established in 1958, the Bowl of Hygeia Award recognizes pharmacists who possess outstanding records of civic leadership in their communities and encourages pharmacists to take active roles in the affairs of their respective communities. The award is presented annually by participating state pharmacist associations, including those in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In addition to service through their local, state and national pharmacy associations, award recipients have devoted their time, talent and resources to a wide variety of causes and community service.
The Bowl of Hygeia is the most widely recognized international symbol for the pharmacy profession and is considered one of the profession’s most prestigious awards. The Bowl of Hygeia has been associated with the pharmacy profession since as early as 1796 when the symbol was used on a coin minted for the Parisian Society of Pharmacy. The bowl represents a medicinal potion and the snake represents healing. Healing through medicine is precisely why the pharmacy profession has adopted the Bowl of Hygeia symbol.
About the American Pharmacists Association Foundation
The APhA Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., is a trusted source of research demonstrating how pharmacists can improve health care. The APhA Foundation’s mission is to improve people’s health through pharmacists’ patient care services. The APhA Foundation is affiliated with the American Pharmacists Association, the national professional society of pharmacists in the U.S. For more information, please visit the APhA Foundation website www.aphafoundation.org. Follow the APhA Foundation on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.
About the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations
The National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) promotes leadership, sharing, learning, and policy exchange among pharmacy leaders in all 50 states and Washington, DC, and provides education and advocacy to support pharmacists, patients, and communities working together to improve public health. NASPA was founded in 1927 as the National Council of State Pharmacy Association Executives (NCSPAE). For more information, please visit the NASPA Web site www.naspa.us.