Pharmacy Podcast Network

The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association (PPA) Board of Directors has named Victoria E. Elliott, RPh, MBA, CAE as Chief Executive Officer.  Elliott will succeed Patricia A. Epple, CAE, who is retiring at the end of 2020. “Pat has been an outstanding leader of PPA for the last almost two decades,” said Chuck Kray, president of PPA. “She is leaving a strong organization in the hands of an equally strong successor. We are looking forward to welcoming Victoria Elliott.” Epple has been with PPA since 2002. As CEO, Elliott will blend her training as a registered pharmacist with her 24 years of experience in association management to lead PPA in its mission promoting the profession through advocacy, education, and communication to enhance patient care and public health. She will manage PPA operations, membership growth and engagement, and all program development and implementation. In addition, she will oversee PPA’s affiliated entities including its Educational Foundation, the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network, and PharmPAC – PPA’s political action committee.  A Certified Association Executive since 2003, Elliott’s qualifications include alliance-building, volunteer engagement, board governance, leading legislative advocacy, and grassroots efforts to affect laws and regulations that critically impact healthcare professionals and the patients they serve. “I look forward to joining the PPA management team and am excited to work with my pharmacy colleagues and the PPA Board of Directors to advance the state of pharmacy practice across Pennsylvania,” said Elliott. Prior to this appointment, Elliott was the CEO of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC), where she led a management transition, implementation of a three-year strategic plan, a branding campaign, and the launch of a series of educational summits focused on critical wound care issues. She also served as Executive Director for the American Neurological Association, Dermatology Nurses’ Association, Attention Deficit Disorder Association, and the Society For Biomaterials at Association Headquarters, and was the Executive Director for the Pennsylvania Society of Health-System Pharmacists from 1998 to 2005. Before her career in association management, Elliott spent six years as a pediatric pharmacist in the Jefferson Health System, and two years as the Assistant Director of Pharmacy at Hahnemann University Hospital. In addition to her pharmacy degree from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, now part of the University of the Sciences, Elliott earned an MBA in Health and Medical Services from Widener University. She is a Past President of the Mid-Atlantic Society of Association Executives (MASAE) and the Delaware Valley Society of Association Executives. She is also a member of the American Society of Association, the organization that confers the CAE designation. Elliott is a recipient of the MASAE Service Award for her distinguished service to the Association and in 2001, was recognized by the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy as the Young Alumnus Award winner.  Ms. Elliott will begin her new role on December 1, 2020.  PSHP congratulates Ms. Elliott on this appointment and looks forward to working with her, and PPA, on Pennsylvania pharmacy issues.  Pennsylvania Society of Health System Pharmacists  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone talks about clinical decision support—but what about ‘medication decision support’? Clinical decision support (CDS) gets a lot of attention, but what about “medication decision support?” Increasingly, health system leaders are putting this issue front and center, especially as it relates to medication alerts that are integrated into EHR and clinician workflows. It’s important that medication alerts improve safety and quality while also making clinicians’ jobs easier. If not properly executed, these alerts can become a burden rather than a decision support tool. In an interview, Anna Dover, PharmD, and Bob Katter can speak to best practices around medical decision support, including medication alerts:   Fit the medication decision support into the user’s workflow without interrupting them—and make the alerts actionable. Move alerts to the time when they are relevant and to the best person capable of understanding and making a decision about the risk/medication. Use decision support that incorporates patient characteristics. We are going to see that alerts and decision support that rely only on medication lists and nothing more specific from the patient will start to fade away. That traditional approach, although very sensitive, is not very specific. In other words, the alert was good at telling you about a potential risk, but not good about telling you whether this specific patient was at higher or lower risk. We know have the technical capability to leverage lab results, patient age, gender, diagnosis, and other factors to fire an alert when the risk is high—or automatically suppress an alert when the risk is low. Leverage analytics for better medication decision support. By looking at the data being generated through prescribing, we can make predictions about how a clinician or set of clinicians will respond to alert-tuning or modification. It’s possible to simulate and make educated guesses about whether an alert will have the intended effect and improve care, or whether it will cause additional burden to the prescriber. Medication decision support can also go a step further: This data can be leveraged to make specific predictions about a patient, such as quantifying their risk of opioid addiction—or even better, their risk of facing a whole host of adverse drug events. That determination may be based upon their genetics, co-morbidities, and current physical state. The future of medication decision support will focus on a combination of curated, evidence-based rules/knowledge and AI-driven pattern recognition. When we have better alerts, we can use analytics to prove that they work better; they can be installed side-by-side with traditional alerts to validate that an advanced system is safe and effective—ultimately enabling the removal of traditional alerts. Monitor the impact of deployments, get feedback, and respond, in order to optimize.  It’s important to closely manage and maintain your knowledge system to reflect evidence and pivot as needed. First Databank (FDB) is the largest drug database in the United States. Bob and Anna are in discussions with health systems, hospitals, and community and retail pharmacists on a daily basis and have in depth knowledge on pain points and opportunities related to the pharmacy industry across the healthcare landscape. Anna from a Pharm D’s perspective and Bob from a business leadership perspective. Guests: Anna Dover, PharmD, Director, Product Management, (FDB)  LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-dover-02137117/ Bob Katter, President of First Databank (FDB)  Bio on FDB website: https://www.fdbhealth.com/company/leadership/bob-katter LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobkatter/ This episode was sponsored by First Databank  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Beyond the Sig, Brooke Kulusich, a third-year student pharmacist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, sits down with Melissa S. McGivney, PharmD, FCCP, FAPhA who serves as Associate Dean for Community Partnerships and Professor of Pharmacy and Therapeutics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. As a national leader in advancing  pharmacist-provided patient care in the community for 20 years, Dr. McGivney shares her perspective on the progress our profession has made and the challenges that lie ahead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Medication adherence has proven challenging for many individuals during the coronavirus pandemic. For all the convenience offered by virtual visits, they make it more difficult to administer injections or assess how patients are responding to medication. Difficulty obtaining refills or necessary lab work can be barriers to medication adherence, as well. Care coordination is especially important now, says Dr. Ehret, who also suggests that providers consider giving patients extra refills when warranted—and check in on patients most at risk for medication nonadherence. Featuring: Megan Ehret, PharmD, MS, BCPP Associate Professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and PsychU Pharmacist Corner Advisor Joseph Cirrincione, PharmD, MBA Medical Science Liaison, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. Megan Ehret, PharmD, MS, BCPP, is Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice & Science at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. A board-certified psychiatric pharmacist, she is also PsychU’s Pharmacist Corner Section Advisor. Joseph Cirrincione, PharmD, MBA, is Medical Science Liaison for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. Speakers are paid consultants or employees of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. PsychU is supported by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC), Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (OAPI), and Lundbeck, LLC – committed supporters of the mental health treatment community. The opinions expressed by PsychU’s contributors are their own and are not endorsed or recommended by PsychU or its sponsors. The information provided through PsychU is intended for the educational benefit of mental health care professionals and others who support mental health care. It is not intended as, nor is it a substitute for, medical care, advice, or professional diagnosis. Health care professionals should use their independent medical judgement when reviewing PsychU's educational resources. Users seeking medical advice should consult with a health care professional. No CME or CEU credits are available through any of the resources provided by PsychU. Some of the contributors may be paid consultants for OPDC, OAPI, and / or Lundbeck, LLC. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In January 2020, a front page article in the New York Times by Ellen Gabler hit the pharmacy profession like a thunderbolt: How Chaos at Chain Pharmacies is Putting Patients at Risk. For many pharmacists, every word of it rang true - and propelled Wes Hickman from obscurity to pharmacy celebrity. Dr. Hickman’s posts on the social media platform Reddit, announcing his decision to go out on his own, caught the attention of the NY Times. His experiences gave voice to the frustrations and fears of many like him. He is now the sole proprietor of an independent pharmacy bearing his name in Leland, N.C., just outside of Wilmington. We spoke with him recently on a weekday morning, as he was preparing to open his pharmacy and serve the people of the town where he was raised and still lives with his young family.  Here's the original NYT Article featuring Wes Hickman:  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/health/pharmacists-medication-errors.html  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We welcome our newest host, pharmacy student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy ‘22 Ms. Brooke E. Kulusich Brooke mentions: "Throughout pharmacy school, my passion for patient care has remained the driving force in my career. I have gained a deep appreciation for the vital role of pharmacists in the community and have been inspired to scale my impact beyond the individual patient level. As one of the most highly-regulated industries, pharmacy presents a unique opportunity to engage clinicians in shaping policies that carry our profession forward. Through Gavel & Pestle, I hope to share my passion for the intersection of healthcare and the law and look forward to learning alongside our audience through conversations with experts. As a third-year student pharmacist, I am interested in a career in pharmacy law or association management that would enable me to leverage my patient care experiences to advance policy decisions and improve patient access to care. Upon graduation, I hope to pursue a clinical or commercial role in a healthcare, government, private sector or public sector leadership position."  Contact us today for a Gavel & Pestle Podcast episode appearance.  Today's episode is sponsored by CEimpact:   https://www.ceimpact.com/marketplace  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Twenty minutes is an eternity in our business, where literally every second counts," says Priyank, who owns three pharmacies in New York: one in the Bronx and two in Yonkers. "The Real-Time Prescription Benefit solution has essentially solved this problem for us, while at the same time, providing a much better experience for our patients." Priyank says his road to pharmacy ownership felt inevitable. "I've always wanted to help people, and I've always had an interest in health care." That's why instances of patients having to leave the pharmacy without their medications were especially heartbreaking. "This was happening multiple times per day, to maybe 20% of our patients, and the logical result was an increase in non-adherence." Priyank's trio of pharmacies includes Felicity Pharmacy in the Bronx, and Getty Square Pharmacy and Health Rx Pharmacy in Yonkers. Both Felicity and Getty Square serve patients who mostly rely on Medicare and Medicaid. Priyank Patel owners of 3 pharmacies: Felicity Pharmacy in the Bronx, and Getty Square Pharmacy and Health Rx Pharmacy in Yonkers. Both Felicity and Getty Square serve patients who mostly rely on Medicare and Medicaid. Stated in the blog MMS Blog https://www.micromerchantsystems.com/blogdetail/big-savings-in-the-big-city Surescripts Blog: https://surescripts.com/news-center/intelligence-in-action/price-transparency/big-savings-in-the-big-city/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Atopic Dermatitis is not extensively taught in pharmacy curriculum. With several international medical societies publishing updated guidelines and newly approved medications, it's time for a review. Clinicians can learn ways to help treat patients under the skin. This episode is accredited for CPE. Subscribe at CEimpact (https://www.ceimpact.com/pharmacist) and claim your CE today! The CE for this episode is supported by an educational grant from Xellia Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on providing important anti-infective treatments against serious and often life-threatening infections.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Medical PotCast host Joe Friedman interviews Cannabis Industry Consultant Shanna Perry. For the last 10 years, Shanna Perry has been entrenched in the American cannabis industry. Ms. Perry has lived and worked in West Palm Beach, Los Angeles, Denver, New York City and in Las Vegas. After earning her degree in audio engineering and broadcasting, Ms. Perry served as Director of Events for five CBS AM/FM radio stations. After leaving that position in 2010 she became interested in learning more about the cannabis industry and how she could position herself for a successful career in the cannabis space. Motivated to self educate, she lived in Denver, NYC, FL, and Las Vegas. Each move brought new knowledge, new experiences, and a greater understanding of economics and the cannabis industry. In 2014, recognizing Nevada was positioned for enormous growth in both the medical and recreational cannabis channels, Ms. Perry took up residence in Las Vegas and became an original member of the Las Vegas Medical Marijuana Association. Pioneering herself into the industry’s foundation, she was the first professional to successfully present and sell mainstream advertisers to a leading, Nevada-based, medical cannabis lifestyle publication. She moved easily from media to advising, honing her brand, SHANNABIS, at conventions and within the industry. Strategically using social media platforms enabled her to build her contact list along with her brand. Within three years, she became one of Las Vegas’ most influential and trusted advocates for cannabis. As a bona fide consultant on all aspects of cannabis, Ms. Perry has served as an advisor to government regulators, business owners, law enforcement, physicians, and attorneys globally. She is known for her honesty, vitality, and passion for the cannabis industry. Her well-roundedness and education, coupled with her personal and professional experiences, are the cornerstones of SHANNABIS. Making her truly, one of the cannabis industries’ most valuable resources. This episode is sponsored by UltiGuard Safe Pack is the only pen needle product that comes with an all-in-one sharps container. Learn more about why UltiGuard Safe Pack is the best choice for your patients and your pharmacy. Learn more UltiGuard Safe Pack https://www.ulticare.com/ultiguard-safe-pack/podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Genetic mutations can result in anything from different hair colors to conditions like muscular dystrophy or cystic fibrosis, but did you know that the hands of fate can also dole out genetic superpowers? In this episode, our non-GMO hosts discuss three genetic mutations that result in abilities some consider to be... unnatural. This is NOT your physician's podcast. Hosts Shane Garrettson and Cal Vandergrift dive into the pharmacy world with fun, interesting, and downright weird topics!Tune in for NEW episodes, available on Spotify, Apple, Anchor, and more! Check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages at Let's Pharmonize to view videos and images relevant to every episode! If you have any questions, comments, or even corrections, e-mail us at pharmonization@gmail.com. PLEASE READ: Shane and Cal are NOT medical professionals. DO NOT USE the information presented in this podcast to aid in your own personal health or medicinal benefit. This is a light-hearted podcast that should not be taken with the same seriousness as your own personal health,A special thanks to Kelly Kerr for creating the music used in the intro and outro.Additional music and sounds by FesliyanstudiosAll Rights Reserved See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices