Arlington, Va. – Demonstrating its commitment to advancing patient care, today the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation announced the launch of an eight (8) hour online continuing education (CE) program for pharmacists, nurses, physicians and other healthcare professionals to empower patients to achieve positive health outcomes.  The Comprehensive Motivational Interviewing Training for Health Care Professionals (comMIt) offers online learning modules to enable healthcare professionals to empower and support patients.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The comMIt program provides a foundation for patient-centered medical care, empowering healthcare professionals to facilitate behavior changes that enable patients to achieve positive health outcomes.[/perfectpullquote]

Specifically, the comMIt education program utilizes approaches that enable healthcare providers to engage patients in maximizing their health and controlling any conditions they may have, while also encouraging them to maximize ways to stay healthy.  For pharmacists, motivational interviewing techniques can help effectively engage patients to facilitate positive behavior change such as taking medication as prescribed, helping to reduce medication non-adherence.

The concept of motivational interviewing is a patient-centered form of counseling that engages patients by promoting positive attitudes and actions about their healthcare. Bruce Berger, Ph.D. and William A. Villaume, Ph.D. who specialize in health behavior change and health communication developed the comMIt program for the NACDS Foundation. Experts in this field, they co-authored the book Motivational Interviewing for Health Care Professionals: A Sensible Approach.

“The comMIt program provides a foundation for patient-centered medical care, empowering healthcare professionals to facilitate behavior changes that enable patients to achieve positive health outcomes,” said NACDS Foundation President Kathleen Jaeger.   We’re pleased to be teaming up with Dr. Berger and Dr. Villaume on this educational program aimed at getting patients on the right road to better health.

Registration is now open for the NACDS Foundation comMIt program.  An overview of the program can also be found on the program site.

NACDS is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.