HRSA Awards Grant to ASHP to Advance Well-Being for Healthcare Workforce

ASHP is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), has selected ASHP, on behalf of our members and the pharmacy profession, to engage in a collective effort aimed at addressing burnout in the healthcare workforce. The three-year opportunity is made available through the American Rescue Plan to help healthcare organizations establish a culture of well-being and support training efforts that build resiliency among the healthcare and public safety workforce.

Pharmacy professionals are essential members of the healthcare workforce and provide critical patient care in our country as medication therapy experts. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are often the most accessible healthcare providers for patients, particularly in tribal, rural, and underserved communities. While demonstrating an unwavering commitment to serving patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many pharmacists, pharmacy residents, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians are experiencing alarming rates of occupational burnout and stress.

“We are extremely honored to be selected by HRSA to lead this critical work as part of our longstanding commitment to advance well-being and resilience in the pharmacy and healthcare workforce," said ASHP Chief Executive Officer Paul W. Abramowitz, Pharm.D., Sc.D. (Hon.), FASHP.  “From our role as the pharmacy sponsoring organization of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience to the myriad resources we have developed to assist our members in their efforts to combat burnout, ASHP is well positioned to take on this charge to advance solutions and address a problem that has been significantly exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

Burnout is a threat to patient safety, public health, and the resilience of our healthcare infrastructure. A healthy and thriving pharmacy workforce is essential to ensuring patient safety and optimal medication therapy outcomes. ASHP remains steadfast in ensuring the pharmacy profession has effective resources, tools, and critical support as we focus on creating cultures of change within practices and institutions. This opportunity with HRSA will further enable interventions aimed at both improving the workplace and supporting individuals.

We look forward to working with HRSA and sharing updates with you on this important work. In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, including participating in the program, please email us at [email protected].