When you begin to read and review the proceedings of these early meetings, it is striking that the problems facing the profession and the Association are very closely paralleled to those which face us today. Some of the earliest conference are concerned about
- Survival in the face of pricing competition and a lack of fair reimbursement
- Physician opposition to scope of practice
- The impact of technology
- Professional vs commercial interests
- A lack of interest in professional organizations
- And the constant whine of “what is the Association doing for me?”
To combat such issues, one of the first tasks of the1876 convention was to draft a constitution, defining the purpose and goals—the mission and vision—of the organization.
Those goals represent the same three pillars that continue to underpin the Connecticut Pharmacists Association today:
- “Concert of action”: collective effort, especially in public policy, legislative action, and the active defense of the profession was essential from day 1;
- “Diffusion of knowledge”: continuing education and professional development for pharmacists, even though it would be more than 100 years before these became mandatory elements of the profession, was recognized as a vital need; and finally
- “Open and fraternal intercourse:” events and initiatives that promote networking, career development, and community building among our members.