Pharmacy and Wellness Review
Abstract
Healthy People, sponsored by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, utilizes evidence-based medicine to create objectives addressing significant preventable health issues. The vision of Healthy People is to improve the quality and length of life free from preventable disease, disability, injury and death. Based on objectives outlined by Healthy People 2020 (HP 2020) pharmacists can play a role in public awareness, collaborate with other health care professionals and help achieve goals set forth by HP 2020. Based on the expertise and accessibility of the pharmacist, pharmacists can impact nine of the 13 new focus areas pf HP 2020, including adolescent health, blood disorders and safety, dementias, early/middle childhood, global health, health care-associated infections, older adults, emergency preparedness, and sleep health. HP 2020 is now an Internet-accessible, user-friendly, interactive database, that can further enhance communication between patients and pharmacists. Pharmacists and student pharmacists can use the various tools and resources available to them to implement these health improvement priorities and realize the goals and objectives set forth by HP 2020.