Innovations-Magazine-April-2023 - 6

INTERVIEW WITH A BOARD EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Peter Ragosta, Sr, RPh
Chief Administrative Officer/Executive Officer,
Rhode Island Board of Pharmacy
How long have you served as
executive officer of the Rhode
Island Board of Pharmacy?
What was your role prior to working
with the Board?
I have served as executive officer for the
Board, which is part of the State of Rhode
Island Department of Health, since 2014.
Prior to joining the Department of Health,
I served in leadership positions in retail
and hospital pharmacy.
Rhode Island
Board of Pharmacy
Number of Board
Members
7 pharmacist members
and 2 public members
Number of
Compliance
Officers/Inspectors
1
Rules & Regulations
Established by
Board of Pharmacy
and Rhode Island
Department of Health
Number of
Pharmacist Licensees
2,185
Number of
Pharmacies
696
Number of
Wholesale
Distributors
27
What is one of the most significant
challenges or issues that your Board
addressed in the past year or so?
Beyond the many challenges associated with
the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
pandemic, our Board has begun to address
the subject of pharmacist well-being and
workplace conditions. We have noticed a
downward trend of enrollment in colleges of
pharmacy, combined with staffing shortages in
community pharmacies. Our Board members
remain open-minded and collaborative on
the issue, and we intend to keep the subject
at the forefront of our discussions. Well-being
and work environments are important in
all sectors, and our Board is compelled to
be part of the solution, given the pharmacy
profession's deep impact on public health. We
all witnessed the profound, positive impact
our profession had on public health during
the COVID-19 pandemic with respect
to testing, vaccination, and treatment. I
believe testing, treatment, and vaccination
would not have been as successful without
pharmacist involvement. There is no question,
in my mind, that both corporate leaders and
regulatory leaders cannot ignore the issue
of pharmacist well-being. I sense that all
stakeholders are willing to come together with
honest intentions to address this important
issue. In the end, public health will benefit.
What actions were taken by the
Board to address the issue?
We have a very collaborative Board, with
members representing all different types
4 | APRIL 2023
of pharmacy practice. We all agree that
to place blame in one direction is not a
solution. We are looking at regulatory
solutions to encourage reasonable staffing
models in pharmacy settings. We encourage
and applaud companies that continue to
innovate through technology and creative
business models to decrease stress on
their pharmacists and team members. We
realize that advocating for pharmacists to
be recognized as health care providers and
passing laws, such as allowing pharmacist
prescribing, is a key step toward professional
satisfaction and ultimately well-being.
What other key issues has the
Board been focusing on?
Drug shortages seem to be more prominent
than ever before. We are trying to
understand the many variables that may
cause such shortages. Is it a result of the
widespread supply chain issues across
world markets? Is it regulatory limitations?
While those larger causes may exist, we are
leveraging all regulatory pathways to find
solutions. The recent shortage of pediatric
amoxicillin products has prompted the
Board to make the provider community
aware of compounding options and creative
administration solutions. We aim to be as
flexible as possible in our regulatory actions
when we identify opportunities to help.
What insights do you have for
other states that may be facing
similar challenges?
Gain common ground with all
stakeholders and your board members.
Taking a team approach to problems
allows for positive outcomes inside
government and in the private sector.
Working with stakeholders from
corporations and other organizations with
a trusting and collaborative approach has
been very effective. Bringing an issue to
the private sector in a nonpunitive way
can sometimes solve problems without
regulatory enforcement.
Innovations-Magazine-April-2023

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