Power of Providers (POP) Initiative

Last updated March 26, 2026

Power of Providers (POP) Horizontal Logo - DOH.wa.gov/POP

Welcome Health Care Professionals!

Thank you for joining us and thousands of other health care professionals across the state. We recognize that you are trusted messengers in your communities and are proud to be your partner in building a Washington where all people have access to care and accurate health information.

We are here to support you. To learn more about the Power of Providers (POP) program, our mission and vision, and the benefits of being a member, visit our About POP page. Send questions about the program to powerofproviders@doh.wa.gov. Please use this flyer to share information about POP with your colleagues! (PDF)

Check out POP’s new webpages:

Let us know what you’d like to see on the pages in the future.

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Subscribe to the Power of Providers newsletter, which comes out twice a month and provides relevant resources, stories, information, and tools to support the work you do.

Provider Spotlight

POP is excited to announce the provider spotlight is back. The power of community care, maintaining work-life balance and a super cool dog is the recipe for our next spotlight, Cris DuVall.

Meet Cris DuVall
Cris DuVall with her dog Ruby

Outside of working for Compass Health as a case manager in the San Juan Islands, Cris is also a clinical pharmacist at Ray’s Pharmacy on Orcas Island. Her commute involves a ferry boat, and a two day stay to help administer vaccines. She doesn’t just do it alone though. She gets some help from Ruby, her service dog. Among the challenges of working in an archipelago in the San Juans, Cris has found ways to make the challenges a little easier on her patients. Her work at an independent pharmacy allows her to think outside the box to support people coming in for a vaccine.

"When I’m administering shots, that’s where my dog Ruby shines," she said. "People come to see the 'shot dog.' Some even travel from other islands to get their vaccines because of Ruby. They bring their kids, or they come first and then return with their children so they can meet the dog."

Including Ruby encourages vaccinations and puts people at ease when faced with a shot.

"Ruby has become a motivator for people to come in and get their vaccinations. Some people even bring her treats afterward because she did such a great job supporting them. It’s a lot of fun and helps people overcome fears about shots or anxiety about being in a clinical setting."

Barriers for Islanders

Living on a beautiful island is a dream for a lot of people. But it does come with challenges of being a rural community. For starters, "there’s only one pharmacy on three different islands, and they’re all independent pharmacies. Right now, many insurers will not reimburse pharmacies for administering pediatric COVID-19 vaccines. They prefer them to be given in clinics."

But without pediatricians readily available, that is difficult. Additionally, other medications could be given at a pharmacy, but reimbursement is tricky as they are not considered medical settings. Participation in some programs can be challenging because sometimes their requirements are designed for clinical settings, not pharmacies. It can be difficult for independent pharmacies to participate due to a shortage of personnel.

However, Cris tells us that they are addressing their barriers by "working to build a robust year-round vaccination program. We try to provide vaccines for as many age groups as our licensure allows. "They are improving access by working to accept many insurance plans, so patients do not have to make costly, time-consuming ferry trips off the island. "We also try to streamline medication access. For example, we synchronize medications so patients can pick them up all at once instead of making multiple trips." Cris emphasized the importance of removing these barriers as a continuation of building and maintaining trust. "Building trust and strong relationships is also essential. Ruby helps with that. She makes me more approachable. People greet her first and then greet me. She’s my ambassador."

Building Relationships

As we continued our conversation about independent pharmacies, building relationships remained the thread that we have spoken about so many times in creating safe spaces for providing accessible whole care to communities. With independent pharmacies, particularly on an island, patients are friends, and neighbors.

Moreover, personal connection can improve a patient’s safety, says Cris. "Physicians might see someone for a short appointment, but we see patients frequently. Because of that, we sometimes notice side effects or medication issues quickly."

For example, we might say, "'you started this medication last week, and you look a little different. Let’s talk about it.' Those relationships allow us to catch problems early." Building that patient relationship extends to the provider as well, and the direct connection enables them to resolve issues quickly.

Burnout

A continuing topic surrounding health care is burnout. The impact can be felt across professional roles. Cris had some wisdom to share about how she manages it and offers thoughtful words to keep in mind as people enter this field. "Burnout is a real issue. Perspective and self-care are critical. Many people enter health care because they want to help others, but they sometimes lose sight of that motivation. I experienced that when working in large corporate retail settings. That environment didn’t align with my goals. I wanted to be in a community where I could connect with people. One of my professors said, 'People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.' I try to keep that in mind."

Hope

When talking about hope for the future of health care and access, Cris is thoughtful about creativity and resourcefulness. Living on the islands "People here often have multiple roles in the community and work together to support one another." She also has hope for future professionals entering health care, as she sees them motivated to make a difference in their communities. She also notes that medicine itself is working on collaboration, "Pharmacy schools are also emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration. Students work with medical, nursing, and nutrition students, learning how to support each other and work as a team." She ends by reminding us, "when we collaborate effectively, we can provide excellent care and improve access to the medications and services people need."

Washington Updates, Highlights and Information

Vaccines

Notice from Office of Immunization: Please remove the phone number 833-VAX-HELP (833-829-4357) from any materials you share. If you see this number being used by one of our partners, please ask them to remove it as well. Although the Office of Immunization previously used this number, it is no longer associated with our agency and is now owned by a different entity. Unfortunately, this entity is attempting to scam or obtain personal information from callers. In at least one instance, a caller was quoted a fee to receive their vaccination record.

Please use the following number instead: 1-866-397-0337.

Highlights
  • Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is lowering the state blood lead action level to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) to better protect children and reduce exposure. Clinicians are asked to begin blood lead confirmatory and follow-up testing starting at 3.5 µg/dL. The new action level aligns with federal guidance and identifies children with blood lead levels higher than 97% of U.S. children under age 6. These DOH webpages provide information to help you care for your young patients and prepare for the new action level:
  • Youth-serving medical and behavioral health providers and professionals are invited to join the DOH Youth Friendly Care Network. The network is a statewide initiative for providers and professionals who want to deepen their understanding of youth-friendly care principles and establish or enhance youth-friendly care in their practice. To learn more or express interest, visit: Youth Friendly Care Network | Healthier Washington Collaboration Portal.
Additional Information

News

In the News

Events

Upcoming Events

Resources

The Power of Providers initiative offers peer-to-peer webinars on a variety of topics, including Long COVID, behavioral health support for health care workers, vaccine hesitancy, and more. Vaccine topics are on this page in the Training Videos and Webinar Recordings section below.

Please go to the following pages for these specific topics:

Free Printed Patient Materials

Health care providers in Washington can access the POP Shop and order free materials in multiple languages to promote vaccination against COVID-19 and other illnesses. The POP Shop allows you and your staff to order posters, stickers, informational brochures and flyers, discussion guides, and much more.

Get step-by-step instructions (PDF) for ordering here.

Order Free Materials

Resources to Share with Patients

Access patient materials in more than 50 languages on the Resources and Recommendations page.

Resources and Recommendations

General Public

Available Services and Service Locators

Toolkits and Social Media Resources

Posters and Handouts

Websites

Pregnant People, Children, and Youth

Online Resources​​​

Posters and Handouts

People With Special Needs

Resources for Providers and Staff

Communication Resources

General Public

Toolkits and Social Media Resources

Discussion Guides

Other Health Communication Resources

Children and Youth

Training Videos and Webinar Recordings

Continuing Education Credits and Non-Credit Training Options

Continuing Education Credits Available

Non-Credit Training Options

Other Information

Equity Resources
Resources for Stress and Burnout

Please email questions to powerofproviders@doh.wa.gov.

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