News Roundup

Report Finds Disparities in Drug Treatment for Minority Patients

Minority patients are often under-prescribed, over-prescribed, or mis-prescribed pharmaceutical treatment for cardiovascular illness, asthma, psychiatric illness, pain, and other conditions, according to a new study from the National Minority Quality Forum.

“Differences in response to pharmaceuticals in minority populations indicate the importance of including diverse groups in comparative-effectiveness assessments,” said Richard Levy, one of the authors of the study,  and a healthcare consultant and former vice president of the National Pharmaceutical Council. “Failure to do so may reduce, rather than improve, the quality of care for ethnic and racial minorities.”

The report found disparities in access to medications through insurance programs, in the prescribing of medications and in adherence to medication regimens for

African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans. It recommends that therapy should be tailored to individual needs, and stereotyping and overgeneralization in caring for diverse populations should be avoided.

By improving access to and use of medications in diverse groups requires policies that enable affordable, personalized therapy, the report, entitled “Origins and Strategies for Addressing Ethnic and Racial Disparities in Pharmaceutical Therapy: The Health-Care System, the Provider, and the Patient.”

Ethnic and racial background should, like factors such as age or gender, be considered in selecting drugs and dosages, in the composition of drug formularies and preferred drug lists, and in determining the scope of drug substitution policies, the report suggests.

— Renita Burns

RecruitMilitary Hosts Veteran Job Fair in NYC

RecruitMilitary, a

full service military-to-civilian recruiting firm, is holding a job fair for veterans and military service members at Madison Square Garden on May 28. More than 30 employers are expected to attend the four-hour job fair.

Veterans and their spouses will be able to interview with national, regional and local employers including CSX Transportation, the U.S. Census Bureau, Prudential Insurance, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“The reason companies look for veterans is because of their ability to work in diverse teams and leadership training,” says John McCahan, director of operations at RecruitMilitary.

RecruitMilitary is co-sponsoring the event with National Veterans Committee, the American Legion, and Military Spouse Corporate Career Network.

The New York City fair is one of 65 scheduled for 2009. For more information visit recruitmilitary.com

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— Renita Burns

Johnson Controls, NFBPA to Develop Sustainability-Focused Program

Johnson Controls Inc., a Milwaukee-based auto parts maker with a focus on eco-friendly products, and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) announced the development of a sustainability component for the Forum’s Executive Leadership Institute (ELI).

As part of a three-year sponsorship, Johnson Controls will collaborate with the NFBPA and Southern University at Baton Rouge to develop curriculum for the program. The sponsorship will focus on developing public managers’ expertise in sustainability management practices that support a green economy.

“We’re in the business of helping building owners and managers improve their environmental footprint,” said Bruno Biasiotta, vice president and general manager of solutions at Johnson Controls Building Efficiency.

“Working with the NFBPA on this training program will allow Johnson Controls to help develop leaders with the expertise to lead the development of energy-efficient sustainable communities. Additionally, this partnership builds on our commitment to diversity, which is both a core value and practice at Johnson Controls.”

To develop the curriculum for the Institute, the company will use an approach that measures an organization’s economic prosperity through cost savings, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility.

The NFBPA’s ELI currently offers 15 curriculum topics, from policy development to globalization to community building.

The organization established ELI in 1987 to sharpen the skills and capabilities of African American managers and administrators who have already demonstrated superior achievement.

— Janell P. Hazelwood