VerifiedRx Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence

Margins are tight everywhere in healthcare, and a health system pharmacy adds value especially when led by an established chief pharmacy officer.  Jordan Dow, Chief Pharmacy Officer at Froedtert Health, Michael Oinonen, VP of Pharmacy Networks at Vizient, and our usual host Gretchen Brummel, Pharmacy Executive Director for the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence join guest host Carolyn Liptak, Pharmacy Executive Director with the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence to discuss the importance of the CPO role.
 
Guest speakers: Jordan Dow, PharmD, MS, FASHP, FACHEChief Pharmacy OfficerFroedtert Health
 
Michael Oinonen, PharmDVP of Pharmacy Networks Vizient
 
Gretchen Brummel, PharmD, BCPS Pharmacy Executive Director Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence 
 
Host: Carolyn Liptak, BS Pharmacy, MBA Pharmacy Executive Director Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence 
 
Show Notes: 
[00:54-02:53] Mike Oinonen and Jordon Dow background information 
[02:54-04:31] What exactly is a Chief Pharmacy Officer and how the CPO role differs from other types of health system pharmacy leaders
[04:32-08:17] Gretchen and Mike discuss their blog post on the CPO role
[08:18-07:46] Does the CPO role apply to all health systems in all hospitals big or small
[07:47-12:11] How prevalent is this CPO role, and its history
[12:12-15:42] Benefits of having a pharmacist at the C-suite level
[15:42-19:03] What an organization is mission without a CPO
[19:04-21:46] Where the CPO role is going in the future
 
Links | Resources:
A Chief Pharmacy Officer in your C-suite: Vital to health system success 
Vizient Pharmacy Solutions 
Pharmacy Network 
HVPE 
ASHP Statement on the Roles and Responsibilities of the Pharmacy Executive 
Rationale for having a chief pharmacy officer in a health care organization | American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy | Oxford Academic (oup.com) 
The rise of the chief pharmacy officer 
 
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Rural pharmacy practitioners are unique, and practicing in this setting takes a broad and deep understanding of pharmacy opportunities and challenges.  Dr. Kyle Johnicker and Dr. Samreena Rasheed, both pharmacy clinical coordinators at Northwestern Medicine overseeing small and rural hospitals join host Gretchen Brummel, Pharmacy Executive Director with the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence at ASHP Midyear in Anaheim to discuss their unique opportunity and challenges.
 
Guest speakers: Kyle Johnicker, PharmDPharmacy Clinical CoordinatorNorthwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital
 
Samreena Rasheed, PharmD, BCPSRegional Pharmacy Clinical CoordinatorNorthwestern Medicine Huntley, McHenry, and Woodstock Hospitals
 
Host: Gretchen Brummel, PharmD, BCPS Pharmacy Executive Director Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence 
 
Show Notes: 
[00:47-02:28] Dr. Johnicker and Dr. Rasheed background information 
[02:29-04:10] What attracted them to rural pharmacy
[04:11-05:32] Skill set necessary for rural pharmacy
[05:33-07:46] Recent pharmacy successes at their organization
[07:47-09:29] Where they would like to see rural pharmacy grow in the future
[09:30-10:48] Advice for students or residents thinking about a career in rural pharmacy
 
Links | Resources: 
Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Stewardship Program: Northwestern Medicine
 
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The incredible staying power of drug shortages kicks the door open for full-time pharmacy roles designed to combat this issue. Dr. Austin Pytlowany, clinical pharmacist specialist in drug shortage management at Michigan Medicine and Vizient's Kyle Hoelting, senior clinical manager of drug shortages and drug information join host Gretchen Brummel, Pharmacy Executive Director with the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence to discuss drug shortages and drug information and share their perspectives.
 
Guest speakers: Austin Pytlowany, PharmDPharmacy Manager – Inventory and Drug Shortage ManagementMichigan Medicine
 
Kyle Hoelting, PharmD, BCPSSr. Clinical Manager of Drug Information and ShortagesVizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence 
 
Host: Gretchen Brummel, PharmD, BCPS Pharmacy Executive Director Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence 
 
Show Notes: 
[00:48-01:53] Dr. Pytlowany background information 
[01:54-02:52] Why Michigan Medicine created his position
[02:53-05:52] The overall impact of drug shortages right now
[05:53-07:12] National impact of drug shortages
[07:13-10:41] Austin’s position helping improving patient care at Michigan Medicine
[10:42-12:25] Organizational benefits of individuals or a teams dedicated to drug shortages
[12:26-16:41] Other kinds of positions out there
[16:42-20:40] Concepts and solutions coming out of this or to market
[20:41-22:11] Future for these types of roles in drug shortages
[22:12-25:38] Advice for people who want to get into this specialty
 
Links | Resources: 
The One Thing You Need to Know about Drug Shortage Stewardship
Drug Shortage Stewardship: Calls to Action for the Interconnected Supply Chain
ASHP Current Drug Shortages
 
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Health system pharmacies are turning to outpatient infusion services to improve financial performance as margins shrink. Dr. Zinkeng Asonganyi, Director of Ambulatory Pharmacy and Infusion Services at University of Texas Medical Branch or UTMB Health discusses the program and it’s implications with host Gretchen Brummel, Pharmacy Executive Director with the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence.
 
Guest speaker: Zinkeng Asonganyi, PharmDDirector of Ambulatory Pharmacy OperationsUTMB
 
Host: Gretchen Brummel, PharmD, BCPS Pharmacy Executive Director Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence 
 
Show Notes: 
[00:52-01:38] Dr. Asonganyi background information 
[01:39-06:44] What’s happening in infusion at UTMB
[06:45-12:15] Complexities and logistics of the program
[12:16-15:13] Maintaining and growing reimbursement in this time of challenges
[15:14-18:33] Biggest opportunities for enhancement or growth
 
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A big part of total national drug spend is the continuing growth of the specialty drug market. Health systems depend on specialty pharmacy to make up margin losses from other areas. Dr. Vinay Eapen, Senior Manager of Specialty Pharmacy at University of Texas Medical Branch, joins Gretchen Brummel, Pharmacy Executive Director in the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence and your program to share a bold approach to starting specialty pharmacy services at an academic medical center.
 
Guest speakers: 
Vinay Eapen, PharmD
UTMB Senior Specialty Pharmacy Manager
Lean Adjunct Faculty
UTMB Department of Pharmacy
 
Host: 
Gretchen Brummel, PharmD, BCPS 
Pharmacy Executive Director 
Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence 
  
Show Notes: 
[00:46-01:09] Dr. Eapen background information 
[01:10-01:52] History of the specialty drug market
[01:53-02:43] Categorizing specialty drugs
[02:44-03:26] When UTMB decided to start a specialty program
[03:27-04:18] Building the program
[04:19-05:25] Benefits of the program
[05:26-06:11] Unexpected issues
[06:12-06:54] Where specialty pharmacy is going
[06:55-07:37] Advice for other starting specialty pharmacy programs
[07:38-08:21] Reasons to start a specialty pharmacy
 
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Health system margins are shrinking making pharmacy spend a growing opportunity target. MultiCare Health System departs from historical methods with an exciting, multifaceted approach to the issue.  Dr. Tyson Frodin, Assistant Vice President Pharmacy Supply Chain, Rev Cycle, Technology MultiCare Health System-Pharmacy Services, joins Gretchen Brummel, Pharmacy Executive Director in the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence and your program host to give his thoughts on this issue.
 
Guest speakers: 
Tyson Frodin, PharmD, MHA, FACHE
Assistant Vice President
Pharmacy Supply Chain, Rev Cycle, Technology
MultiCare Health System-Pharmacy Services
 
Host: 
Gretchen Brummel, PharmD, BCPS 
Pharmacy Executive Director 
Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence 
  
Show Notes: 
[00:46-01:31] Dr. Tyson Frodin background information 
[01:32-02:39] What drove the need for MultiCare’s pharmacy spend initiative
[02:40-08:42] Multi-pronged plan for MultiCare’s pharmacy spend initiative
[08:43-10:20] What surprised MultiCare about the process
[10:21-11:25] Outcomes
[11:26-13:11] Advice they have for other pharmacies who may wanna attempt something like this
[13:12-15:06] What’s in the future for MultiCare
 
Links | Resources: 
Coming soon – New Pharmacy Portal and Pharmacy Analytics platform
We're excited to announce the launch of our new Pharmacy Portal on March 25th, alongside the rebranding of Vizient Savings Actualyzer – Pharmacy (VSAP) to Pharmacy Analytics.
The Pharmacy Portal is designed to be a comprehensive hub, offering a wide range of pharmacy tools and metrics, all accessible in one convenient location. With the rebranding to Pharmacy Analytics, we're introducing upgraded features and functionalities aimed at optimizing contract management, benchmarking spend, evaluating drug shortages and much more.
Join our webinar on March 27, Navigating Vizient Pharmacy Analytics with PMO projections and data, to learn more about the features and benefits of our new Pharmacy Portal and rebranded Pharmacy Analytics platform.
Plus, we will be hosting deeper dive sessions March 18 through April 5 where you can experience the new tools and ask questions of our pharmacy analytics experts. Learn more and sign up for one or multiple sessions.
 
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