The APhA Foundation is proud to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of its longest running program, the Incentive Grants Program. Funding from both the APhA Foundation and theCommunity Pharmacy Foundation has made possible seed money for pharmacists, students, and community pharmacy residents to implement or support an existing innovative patient care service within their pharmacy practice.

Recipients of these grants can cultivate their grant-writing and research skills by implementing novel programs or expand services to improve patient outcomes in their practice site communities. The 2017–18 Incentive Grant recipients shared with the APhA Foundation the positive outcomes of their efforts.

In Witchita, KS, Erica Wilkinson, PharmD, of Dillon's Pharmacy was able to evaluate patient understanding and satisfaction with a community pharmacy–based travel health clinic.

"Patients have found this service to be an effective way to obtain quality comprehensive travel health information from a trained health care professional," said Wilkinson. "The convenience of filling prescriptions and receiving vaccines, OTC products, and travel-related counseling all in one visit is a big win for patients. Providers in the area are recommending their patients to this service because of the high value."

In Milwaukee, WI, Tanner Kowalski, PharmD, was able to make a difference at Skywalk Pharmacy by focusing on transitions of care for the pediatric population he served. He recalled his interactions with a worried family of a patient with a difficult treatment regimen: "I consulted them personally prior to discharge and took my time to ensure they were comfortable with their medications. Upon our 30-day follow-up call, the family said that they were grateful for everything we do and [wondered] if their child would be doing as well if they didn't use our pharmacy."

Taylor Harris, PharmD, in Cincinnati, OH, was able to fill a treatment gap for high-risk women of child-bearing age at Kroger Pharmacy through the implementation of preconception-focused interventions.

She shared a transformative moment during her project. "My most memorable patient experience was when I called one of my teenage patients who was enrolled in our study to perform a CMR [Comprehensive Medication Review] and gave her [the] applicable therapy recommendations and counseling," Harris said. "She informed me she had a mother and sister in the household who filled with us and wanted to know if I could do the same for them. I proceeded to perform CMRs for both her mother and sister. In that moment, I truly felt like a provider, one her patients trusted, listened to, and benefited from."

The Incentive Grants Program has a positive impact on the recipients, their practice sites, and their patients. I really appreciate the Foundation's role in facilitating initiatives that improve community health overall.

Click here to learn more about individuals who received a 2017–18 Incentive Grant and descriptions of their projects.