2015 - american pharmacists association...scholarship, first awarded in 2013. she has been...

2015VOTER’S GUIDEAPhA Board of Trustees ......................................................................2–5

APhA Honorary President ....................................................................... 6

APhA Academy of Pharmaceutical Research

and Science (APhA-APRS) ................................................................. 7–11

APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice

and Management (APhA-APPM) ....................................................12–16

ALL BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 12:00 NOON EDT, MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015.

SAVE TIME . . . CAST YOUR VOTE ONLINE

American Pharmacists Association

2215 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20037-2985

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All ballots must be received by 12 Noon, EDT, Monday, May 25, 2015

“Ask the Candidate!”Find out where the candidates stand on the issues that matter most to you and your area of practice. Contact the candidates at the email addresses provided to learn more about their campaign goals and professional interests.

Who is Entitled to Vote?Each ballot is customized according to the information found in the voting member’s online membership profile. APhA members and select Student Pharmacist members are entitled to vote for the candidates for the APhA Board of Trustees and for the leadership of their designated primary Academy and Section (if applicable). Technician members are only entitled to vote for the leadership of their designated primary Academy and Section (if applicable).

How to Vote

Voting OnlineEach eligible member will receive an individualized email from Election Services Corporation (ESC) with candidate and ballot information. Online voting is highly encouraged. If you prefer to receive a paper ballot at your home address, please contact ESC at [email protected], as paper ballots will only be sent upon request.

• Go to https://www.esc-vote.com/apha2015 to access the log-in page of the official 2015 APhA election.

• Log-in using your Election Validation Number (EVN) and your Member Number (MN) located on your ballot.

• Follow the online voting instructions.

• Do not mail the enclosed ballot if you plan to vote online.

• Your vote must be received by 12 Noon, EDT, Monday, May 25, 2015.

Voting by Mailing Paper Ballot

• Mark your selection by placing an “X” in the box to the left of the candidate’s name.

• Detach the bottom panel. Do not mail with ballot.

• Return ballot in the enclosed envelope.

• Fill in your return mailing address on the envelope. Affix appropriate postage (airmail, if foreign).

• Mail your ballot to Election Services Corp., P.O. Box 9022, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779-9022.

Please allow one week for delivery.

• Ballot must be received by 12 Noon, EDT, Monday, May 25, 2015.

ConfidentialityBallot confidentiality is provided through processing and tabulating by an independent firm.

Remember, your vote counts! Make your voice heard.

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AMERICAN PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION

Board of Trustees ElectionSpring 2015

Candidates for President-elect and Trustee were asked to respond to the following question. The candidates’ responses are italicized.

(See pages 3–5.)

What are the 3 most important issues to be addressed that would advance the profession of pharmacy?

APhA MissionThe American Pharmacists Association empowers its members

to improve medication use and advance patient care.

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Nancy A. Alvarez, PharmD, BCPS, FAPhA (Lake Forest, CA), is Assistant Dean, Experiential Education and Continuing Professional Development and Assistant Professor at Chapman University School of Pharmacy. She previously served as Senior Director, Medical Information at Endo Health Solutions and has held positions in hospice/palliative care and community practice. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy (UA COP). Alvarez is currently serving her second term on the APhA Board of Trustees and sits on the Board of the Pharmacy Leadership and

Education Institute (PLEI). She has held numerous elected and appointed positions, including APhA-ASP National Member-at-Large, Phi Lambda Sigma National President, Member of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Certification Council and Phi Delta Chi Grand Vice President for Collegiate Affairs. Alvarez is a member of the California Pharmacists Association and participates in leader development as a facilitator, content developer and pro-gram director. She also established an APhA Foundation Student Pharmacist Scholarship, first awarded in 2013. She has been recognized by the Arizona Pharmacy Association as the Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year and the Employee Pharmacist of the Year and has received the PLEI Prescott Leadership Award, the APhA Good Government Pharmacist-of-the-Year Award, and the APhA-APPM Distinguished Achievement Award in Administrative Practice. Alvarez has been recognized as an APhA Fellow, and she received the UA COP Jack R. Cole Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Email: [email protected]

1. Preparation and empowerment of pharmacists to assume expanded healthcare roles. This intends to describe the group of pharmacists that would comprise the greatest area under a bell shaped curve—not the inno-vators or the early adopters. Ensuring that patients have adequate access to healthcare means that pharmacists have to be ready to step into new and emerging roles consistently and across many settings and limits and barriers are addressed.

2. Development and wide-spread adoption of viable and sustainable patient care payment models to support pharmacist-delivered patient care. Replicable models to support the delivery of pharmacist-delivered care is the foundation upon which all other initiatives depend. Innovation has been largely limited to a few. For all pharmacists to assume expanded roles, support is needed to ensure the viability their services. The ques-tions of “why” pharmacists are essential health care providers and “what” they can do to deliver value are asked and answered. Now “how” phar-macists can consistently and optimally expand their roles in all settings is next in the queue to be addressed.

3. Transform consumer perceptions of pharmacists as essential and primary healthcare providers. In the broadest sense of the word, consumers must be aware of and demand pharmacist-provided patient care services. Consumers in this answer include policy makers and regulators. Consistent, sustainable messaging is necessary to influence and reshape the way consumers think about the role of pharmacists for health prevention, wellness and disease management. Pharmacists are an essential asset towards achieving the triple aim of improving health and care while reducing cost.

Tremendous momentum has been generated through the Patient Access to Pharmacists’ Care Coalition and the Pharmacists Provide Care campaign. Efforts of this kind must be sustained so as to rebrand pharmacy and pharma-cists to communicate the value of their vital roles in patients’ lives.

Michael Pavlovich, PharmD, FAPhA (Long Beach, CA), is co-owner of Westcliff Compounding Pharmacy in Newport Beach, CA. He is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Group for Chapman University School of Pharmacy, an Associate Clinical Professor for Western University of Health Sciences, and an adjunct faculty mem-ber for several universities. Pavlovich has practice experience in long term care, hospice, mail-service, and commu-nity pharmacy, and he served as the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Team Pharmacist for the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing. A cum

laude graduate of the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy, he has advised clients from the major U.S. sports leagues, Europe, the Middle East and the NCAA for over 14 years. Pavlovich completed two terms on the APhA Board of Trustees, represented APhA on a joint task force with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), was a contributing author for the NATA Position Statement on Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids, and served on a working group charged with reforming California’s prescrip-tion drug monitoring system. Pavlovich is Past President of the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA), has chaired the APhA House of Delegates Policy and Nominating Committees, and has served numerous commit-tees of APhA and CPhA. He has been recognized by CPhA as Student of the Year and Distinguished Young Pharmacist, and he received the APhA-APPM Distinguished Achievement Award in Specialized Pharmacy Practice. Pavlovich has been recognized as an APhA Fellow.


I believe the highest priority will continue to be federal recognition of pharmacist services in the Social Security Act until H.R. 592 and S. 314 are ultimately passed by Congress. For several years now, the Board has devoted significant resources toward the attainment of this goal. I see no other issue as important as this one, but several that will complement it.

The fact we CAN be paid for our efforts is only part of the battle. Payers will demand a standardized process, consistent levels of care and some form of credentialing to gain assurance that their money is well spent. A proposed Care Process for pharmacists has been the subject of discussion, but must be adopted as the industry standard, just as medicine has utilized the SOAP pro-cess. Technology will be applied in many ways to streamline this process, but the core idea must be sound and well understood.

Finally, a continued and substantive consensus must be embraced by a considerable majority of organized pharmacy to assure that our first goal is achieved. In my career I have never seen such a commitment by so many dif-ferent entities for a common purpose. We must be prepared for any changes in the political landscape by building on the relationships we have devel-oped over the years that have brought us to this point. It is important that pharmacists in greater numbers become involved in the law-making process by reaching out to their representatives and/or contributing to our common cause.

I believe our coalition, foundation and plan are sound to accomplish these goals. We must relentlessly pursue this agenda to its completion.

APhA President-elect (2016–2017)

Alex C. Varkey, PharmD, MS (Sugar Land, TX), is Pharmacy Operations Manager and Director of the PGY1/PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency at Houston Methodist Hospital. A graduate of the University of Houston College of Pharmacy, he completed a two-year pharmacy administration residency at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and received a Master of Science degree in Health-System Pharmacy Administration from The Ohio State University. Varkey has prioritized involvement in APhA throughout his career, having served in

various offices, including APhA-ASP National President, APhA Trustee, and various elected positions in both APhA-APPM and APhA-APRS. He has served as a Delegate for ten years, with experience representing the Board of Trustees, the Texas delegation, and all three academies. He was also appointed as Chair of both the APhA House of Delegates Committee of Canvassers and Committee on Nominations. Varkey is an accomplished writer and public speaker, having authored or co-authored several articles in national publications and served as a keynote speaker at numerous local and national meetings. He is a member of APhA’s Media Advisory Group and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Leadership Speakers Bureau. Varkey places high priority in mentoring student pharmacists and pharmacy residents and is passionate about his role in developing future pharmacy leaders.


I believe the most important issue to be addressed is attaining provider status. A great amount of progress has been made with this regard with over 50 co-sponsors of federal legislation and strong efforts from many pharmacy organizations, especially APhA. This leads me to believe that we are very close to seeing this come to fruition.

A second issue to be addressed is transitions of care. We have had several debates in the APhA House regarding various facets of this, but I would like to see us engage thought leaders in other health care professions to establish models for how organizations can achieve the best outcomes. More specifi-cally - ensure patients are consistently capable of making the best use of their medications without regard to where they are in the health care system, and ensure that pharmacists are involved in all steps. I’m excited to see interoper-ability of communications between health care providers as a topic in this year’s House of Delegates.

Finally, as an advocate for residency training, I believe a third important issue to be addressed is ensuring that federal support for pharmacy residency training is maintained. In 2004, PGY2 pharmacy residencies became ineligi-ble for federal support through CMS Pass Through Funding—just one year after the passing of the Medicare Modernization Act in 2003. Given the current and anticipated impacts of the Affordable Care Act, I believe we should remain cognizant of the potential for losing support of advanced training programs for pharmacists.

D a n i e l Z l o t t , P h a r m D , B C O P (Lovettsville, VA), is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist working with the National Cancer Institute’s Surgery, Endocrine Oncology, and Thoracic/GI Malignancy Branches at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is also the Director of the NIH PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency Program and a clinical investigator on 35 NCI-sponsored clinical trials, exam-ining new and innovative ways to treat cancer. He is a graduate of the University of California San Francisco and completed his PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency

there before moving to the NIH, where he completed his PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency. Zlott has been highly active within APhA since he was a student, having served in a number of positions within APhA-ASP, includ-ing National President. He has previous experience on the APhA Board of Trustees, the Strategic Directions Committee, the House Rules Review Committee, and as Chair of the Policy Review Committee. Zlott currently serves as a Member-at-large for the APhA-APPM Executive Committee. In addition to his work with APhA, he has also held several committee positions with the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association. Zlott is passionate about educating student pharmacists and residents, and his major goals are to increase awareness of oncology across the pharmacy profession and to contribute, in some small way, to the incredible work that continues to advance the profession of pharmacy.


The top three issues that should be addressed to advance the profession of pharmacy are: 1) To continue work towards provider status for pharmacists; 2) To continue to define the role of pharmacists in various evolving care models; and 3) To continue to demonstrate the benefit and value of pharma-cist-provided MTM services.

These are very exciting times for pharmacy. Largely as a result of APhA’s effort, the last several years has seen increasing recognition of the value pharmacists bring to the healthcare team. Through demonstrations such as the various iterations of Project IMPACT, and the Diabetes 10 City Challenge we have shown that pharmacists positively impact both patient outcomes and healthcare costs whenever they are included as part of the healthcare team. We are approaching the finish line—provider status is a tangible reality, but there is still much work to be done to ensure that the push for provider status is successful. This includes engaging and mobilizing members, patients, and even other members of the healthcare team to engage in grassroots activity to advance our cause with lawmakers.

As new models of care are developed to meet the challenges of an extremely complex and ever-changing healthcare landscape, it is important that pharmacists be included at the tables where these discussions are taking place. Many healthcare systems, payors, and even other providers still don’t understand the value that pharmacists bring to the healthcare team. We are one of the few members of the healthcare team who have been asked to be ‘cost-savers’, and we have successfully and repeatedly shown that we are. The challenge before our profession now is to help others better understand how to make use of pharmacist-delivered care and to ensure that we continue to be increasingly integrated into various care models and settings.

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APhA Board of Trustees (2016–2019), Pair I

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Daniel E. Buffington, PharmD, MBA, FAPhA (Tampa, FL), is President and Founder of Clinical Pharmacology Services, an ambulatory care practice. He is on fac-ulty with the University of South Florida Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy and serves as a Fellow with the U.S. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), focusing on initiatives related to Medication Safety and Medication Therapy Management. He currently serves on the APhA Board of Trustees and the Florida Pharmacy Foundation’s Board, and he previous served as President of both

the Florida Society of Health-System Pharmacists (FSHP) and the American Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He represents APhA on the Pharmacy HIT Collaborative Advisory Work Group and serves on the American Medical Association Current Procedural Terminology Panel, the national medical billing coding panel. Buffington has practice experience in ambulatory care, drug information, hospital, managed care, clinical research, health informa-tion technology and forensic pharmacology and toxicology. He received his PharmD and MBA degrees from Mercer University and completed a residency and clinical pharmacology fellowship at Emory University. Buffington has been recognized as an APhA Fellow and has received the APhA Foundation Pinnacle Award, the APhA Daniel B. Smith Practice Excellence Award, the ASHP Award of Excellence and the FSHP Pharmacist of the Year Award.


1. Provider Status (National): Inclusion in Medicare Part B Eligible Provider Status within the Medicare Law

2. Expanded medical billing training for the profession and code utilization including the following:

a. Expanding definitions and guidelines surrounding “incident-to” billing

b. New multidisciplinary CPT codes for chronic care and transitional care

c. Integrated billing models within Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) and Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMH)

d. Medicare Part D—Innovation Demonstration Projects

3. Expanded scope of practice (State) & EHR access: Evaluate state level definitions of scope of practice and a) encourage the expansion where necessary of delineated professional practice activities to ensure that pharmacists are fully utilized across the health care continuum; b) strive for greater uniformity of state scope of practice definitions to reduce confu-sion from a payer perspective; and c) ensure that pharmacists have direct access to the evolving national electronic health record (EHR) systems.

John D. Grabenstein, BSPharm, PhD, FAPhA, FASHP (West Point, PA), is Executive Director for Global Health and Medical Affairs for Merck Vaccines. He received his BSPharm from Duquesne University and his PhD in pharmacoepi-demiology from the University of North Carolina. During his 27-year career in the U.S. Army, he led multiple out- patient pharmacies, inpatient pharmacies and research programs and achieved the rank of Colonel. Grabenstein previously directed the Military Vaccine Agency, where he trained clinicians and oversaw

the immunization programs for 9 million individuals. He also developed the Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery curriculum currently coordinated by APhA. Grabenstein has been elected or appointed to a number of scien-tific committees, editorial boards, and leadership positions within various organizations, including the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Council of Experts, the National Academy of Sciences National Research Council, and the National Biodefense Science Board. He previously served as Phi Delta Chi Grand President and is the current Director of the Pharmacy Leadership and Education Institute. Grabenstein was recognized as the inaugural APhA Pinnacle Award recipient and has received the APhA Gloria Niemeyer Francke Leadership Mentor Award, the ASHP Foundation Award for Sustained Contributions to the Literature, the Association of Surgeons of the United States Andrew Craigie Award and the Phi Lambda Sigma National Leadership Award. He has been recognized as a Fellow of both APhA and ASHP.


First, providing care. The single most important goal for the next five years will be for pharmacists to become care-givers to an even greater degree than today. This means more and more pharmacists being viewed as caregivers, more and more patient-centered services provided by pharmacists, more and more pharmacies being viewed as care-giving places, where neighbors improve their health. It is that care-giving that inevitably must lead others to recognize pharmacists as mainstream healthcare providers.

Second, consistency. A patient in need should expect high-quality medi-cations and advice wherever that patient is. Via APhA, we must help each pharmacist be a proactive care-giver, not satisfied with simply fulfilling trans-actions. Pharmacy’s advances in patient care must become routine, available in most (eventually, all) pharmacies. Pharmacy will always have its pioneers, who test assumptions and limits; APhA helps enable them (e.g., via APhA Foundation). But breakthrough approaches must be widely implemented to achieve their full value. APhA has a clear role (directly and indirectly) to help empower individual pharmacists to reach their full potential.

Third, how others view us. APhA is the most important vehicle for helping people outside of pharmacy to understand American pharmacy’s capabilities and potential. The primary audiences for this messaging include key federal and state government officials, the state and national societies of the other health professions, and the network of payers and plans that influence the healthcare ecosystem. Attention to this networking is essential if we want excellent medication services disseminated uniformly across America.

APhA Board of Trustees (2016–2019), Pair II

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Jean Paul Gagnon

Jean Paul Gagnon, PhD, retired as Senior Director of U.S. Policy and Strategic Advocacy for Sanofi US, after 22 years of

service. He previously served as Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and Professor/Division

Head of Pharmacy Administration at the University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy. Gagnon was also a Robert

Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow and Committee Staffer for Representative Edward Madigan, the Minority Chairman

of the House Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health. He received his BSPharm and MS from the University

of Connecticut and his PhD in Pharmacy Administration from The Ohio State University. Gagnon served in a number

of elected positions including Board Member and President of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy;

Treasurer of APhA; Treasurer and Board of Trust Member for USP; and Founder, Board Member, President and Treasurer

of the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research. He received the APhA-APRS Research

Achievement Award in Economic, Social and Administrative Sciences, the APhA Hugo H. Schaefer Award, and the

Sanofi-Aventis Pinnacle Award.

APhA Honorary President (2016–2017)

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Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APhA-APRS) Election

Spring 2015

Candidates for APhA–APRS office were asked to respond to the following question. The candidates’ responses are italicized.

(See pages 8–11.)

What are the top three priorities of the Academy and what experiences and expertise can you contribute to meeting these priorities?

APhA-APRS Mission StatementThe APhA Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science stimulates the

discovery, dissemination and application of research to improve patient health.

Who is Entitled to Vote?All members of the American Pharmacists Association who have designated a Primary Academy and Section (if applicable) are entitled to vote for the leadership of that Academy and Section.

Members who have not designated a Primary Academy and/or Section (if applicable) are encouraged to follow the steps below to fully participate in the 2016 APhA Election:

1. Log-in to your member profile at www.pharmacist.com.2. Select “My Account” in the top right corner.3. Select “Academy, Sections, and SIGs” in the menu bar on the left side.4. Click on “Edit” in the top right corner to be able to choose your Primary Academy and/or Section

(if applicable).5. Designate your Primary Academy and Section (if applicable).6. Designate your Secondary Academy, Section, and/or Special Interest Group preferences (if desired). 7. When your selection(s) are complete, click on the purple “Save” button in the top right corner or the

bottom left corner.

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Eric J. Jarvi, PhD (Bangor, ME), is Associate Dean of the Husson University School of Pharmacy. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Services from Southern Illinois University, a Masters in Forensic Science from George Washington University, and a PhD in Pharmacology/Toxicology from Oregon State University. His career in phar-macy education has spanned the last 30 years, with positions at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy; the Idaho State

University College of Pharmacy; and the Ferris State University College of Pharmacy. Over the course of his professional career in pharmacy educa-tion he has generated in excess of $3 million in extramural funding and has authored or co-authored 33 abstracts, seven invited presentations, and 24 publications. In addition to being a member of the Maine Pharmacy Association, he holds membership and has held committee positions in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) and the American Pharmacists Association. He is a past member of the Michigan Pharmacists Association.

No email address provided

(1) Improve participation in nominations for the APhA-APRS Research Achievement Award through direct contact with schools and professional pharmacy organizations.

(2) Increase the number of APhA-APRS volunteers through email and mail-ings to membership.

(3) Enhance the recruitment and membership of basic science pharmacy faculty members into APhA-APRS by emailing and direct mailing to AACP membership roster.

Basic Sciences Section Chair-elect

APhA-APRS Executive Council

What is the APhA-APRS Section on Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences?

This Section serves academic and industrial scientists with wide-ranging basic science research programs. The research interests of Section members span chemical structure/biological

activity and chemical structure/physicochemical property relationships, concepts in pharmaceutical technology and drug delivery, and the basic physical chemistry upon which these are based.

2015 VOTE

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Adriane Irwin, MS, PharmD, BCACP (Corvallis, OR), is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy. Irwin main-tains a practice site focused on rural primary care within the Community Health Centers of Benton & Linn Counties and teaches both didactically and experientially in the professional program. Prior to joining the faculty, she completed a fellowship in Ambulatory Care & Practice-Based Research with Kaiser Permanente Colorado. Her scholarship is

primarily focused on developing strategies to justify clinical pharmacy services by demonstrating how pharmacy services can improve patient outcomes. Irwin has a long history of involvement with APhA. Within the APhA Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APhA-APRS), she has served on multiple committees including the Awards Standing Committee, Education Standing Committee, and Clinical Research Paper Award Screening Committee. Additionally, Irwin is former APhA Academy of Student Pharmacists National and Regional Officer.


I believe that the biggest challenge facing the APhA-APRS Clinical Sciences Section is membership. As a result, my focus for this position would be to engage new and existing members with a focus on developing col-laborative opportunities between researchers and between researchers and clinicians. With the provider status initiative and increased focused on how pharmacy can improve patient outcomes, these collaborations will be essen-tial to our advancement. I plan to address this focus in three ways:

1. Promote the research conducted by the Clinical Sciences Section: The Section currently encompasses a wide range of researchers. Understanding the research encompassed within the Section is critical to meeting the membership’s needs, developing collaborations, and recog-nizing member accomplishments.

2. Develop a stronger relationship with the APhA New Practitioners Network: The Section should work to increase its visibility with new practitioners. This can occur by increasing attendance at their social held at the annual meeting, developing a webinar or other programming focused on the research challenges facing new practitioners, and fostering engagement in APhA research opportunities such as the contributed papers program and/or the APhA Foundation’s incentive grant program.

3. Increase the percentage of members engaged in activities: The Section has numerous ways for members to be involved. As a result, a priority would be to evaluate both existing and new communication strategies to ensure members are aware of opportunities and encourage their engagement.

Over the past several years, I have been engaged with APhA-APRS by serving on multiple committees and as a Delegate in the House of Delegates. These experiences have provided significant experience with the Association, Academy, and Clinical Sciences Section. I would be honored to serve as your chair.

Kimberly Scarsi, PharmD, MS, BCPS-ID (Omaha, NE), is an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy and an HIV pharmacotherapy specialist. Scarsi received her PharmD from Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and earned her Master of Science degree in Clinical Investigation from Northwestern University. After completing a PGY1 residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH), she served as an infectious diseases clinical

pharmacist. After 5 years of HIV-focused practice at NMH, Scarsi joined the faculty at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and began working with the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program in Nigeria. Through her role with PEPFAR and other international collaborations, Scarsi provides training and education to healthcare provid-ers, thus building capacity of HIV treatment programs in sub-Saharan Africa. She emphasizes the role of the clinical pharmacist, evidenced by the devel-opment of didactic and self-learning Clinical Pharmacy Training Programs for pharmacists in low- and middle-income countries. Scarsi has 15 years of experience in conducting infectious diseases and HIV pharmacotherapy research. Highlights from her diverse research portfolio include pharmacoki-netic evaluations of antiretroviral drug-drug interactions with hormone con-traception, virologic outcomes in HIV treatment programs, and novel roles of pharmacists in HIV care, including implementation of HIV testing programs in community pharmacies and a pharmacist-provider patient-centered care model. In addition to her academic responsibilities, Dr. Scarsi remains clini-cally active in her institution’s HIV Clinic and served on the Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents.


In my view, the top three priorities of the APhA Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science are:

(1) To expand the active membership of the Academy by building the rec-ognition of the Academy’s role in bridging pharmaceutical sciences and clinical practice.

(2) To provide a forum for collaboration between pharmaceutical scientists and practitioners to share their unique expertise to bring clinical research from bench to bedside.

(3) To advocate for, and facilitate the broad dissemination of both pharmaceutical science and practice-based information related to new drugs and drug delivery systems that will become important to the APhA membership.

I believe these priorities can be achieved through the engagement of cur-rent and new members by publicly highlighting the research or practice activi-ties of the APhA-APRS members. Not only will this facilitate dissemination of information, I believe it will enhance loyalty to, and excitement surrounding the APhA-APRS. A particular emphasis should be placed on promoting the APhA-APRS member activities to student pharmacist members, highlighting the role of APhA in bridging research and practice. This early engagement will promote the long-term professional commitment to APhA and the Academy, once they leave their professional education.

Clinical Sciences Section Chair-elect

APhA-APRS Executive Council

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2015 VOTE

What is the APhA-APRS Section on Clinical Sciences?

This Section provides unique multidisciplinary interaction between clinical scientists and practitioners committed to expanding knowledge of the safe and effective use of drug

products. A particular interest of members is how the application of pharmaceutical sciences in organized healthcare settings and controlled research environments relates to evaluation

and development of drugs and drug delivery systems.

What is the APhA-APRS Section on Economic, Social and Administrative Sciences (ESAS)?

This Section is home to those interested in health services research, policy and administration with application to pharmaceutical treatments and pharmaceutical care. Membership is multidisciplinary, including the fields of public health, epidemiology, economics, health

services research, biostatistics, medical sociology, law, healthcare administration and management, operations research, pharmaceutical marketing, marketing research, technology assessment and applications, and public and private reimbursement programs. Membership

affords the opportunity for interaction among scientists, educators and practitioners, government managers, and other healthcare system representatives.

Barry A. Bleidt, PhD, PharmD, RPh (Fort Lau-derdale, FL), is a Professor of Sociobehavioral and Administrative Pharmacy at Nova Southeastern University. Bleidt received his BSPharm from the University of Kentucky, his PharmD from Xavier University of Louisiana, and his PhD in Pharmacy Healthcare Administration from the University of Florida. His professional interests include the prevention of substance abuse and misuse and tobacco cessation. Bleidt served as Chair of the

Program Committee for the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Section of the American Public Health Association for 14 years. He also served as the Parliamentarian of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy for 23 years and as the Director of Continuing Pharmacy Education for the National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA) for 17 years. He currently serves as the Secretary for the NPhA Foundation and as the NPhA Delegate to the United States Pharmacopeial Convention. Bleidt has been recognized by a number of awards and honors, including the NPhA Chauncey I. Cooper Award, the Award for Innovative and Exemplary Contributions to the NPhA Founda-tion, the Virginia Pharmacists Association Ilene B. Stiff Local Association President’s Award, the NPhA James M. Tyson Award, and the American Public Health Association Leadership Award from the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Section.


Moving Pharmacy into the Future—Three key areas are growing exponen-tially in their importance to healthcare provision and, therefore, to our profes-sion. These topics are health informatics, translational pharmacogenomics, and leadership. How can we as an Academy help our members grasp the future of Pharmacy? How can we as the premiere organization of pharmacists prepare our members to become more skilled in these themes? I would like to see APhA-APRS involved with moving the profession forward by providing educational materials and opportunities for knowledge and skill development for all members of APhA.

By embracing change and preparing pharmacists and scientists for the future, we can increase the visibility of our profession; we can serve our patients better; we educate our student pharmacists for what will be. My contributions have always been looking at what lies ahead. I would bring together experts in these areas from within our Academy to accomplish what I have proposed - transforming pharmacy’s role in the healthcare arena. In my 35 plus years as an APhA member, I have been involved in developing pro-grams and materials for pharmacists to use. I have also served APhA and other professional societies in leadership roles.

As an Academy we must address these issues or be left behind as the healthcare system moves forward. The Medicare-eligible population will grow exponentially (~70,000/week for the next 1.5 decades), we, as APhA-APRS and APhA members, must develop healthcare leaders for the future, must make our pharmacists comfortable with the evolving health informatics tech-nologies (for patient use and in large systems), and must provide the knowl-edge base and skillset needed to engage in individualized medicine. I would like to serve as a leader for these changes.

Salisa C. Westrick, PhD (Auburn, AL), is Associate Professor of Health Outcomes Research and Policy at Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy, where her primary teaching responsibilities include the U.S. health care system, pharmacy manage-ment, research methods, and program evaluation. Westrick received her BSPharm from Chulalongkorn University (Thailand), her MS in Industrial Technol-ogy from Illinois State University, and her PhD in Social and Administrative Sciences in Pharmacy

from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research expertise includes organizational change and program evaluation, with significant work related to the adoption, sustainability, and abandonment of pharmacy-based immu-nization services. She has served as the lead researcher for the RxVaccinate project provided by APhA, and she partners with the Alabama Department of Senior Services to offer Medicare insurance plan selection assistance for beneficiaries. As a member of APhA and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), she has served as the Chair of the APhA Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science Economic, Social, and Administrative Sciences (APhA-APRS ESAS) Research Roundtable Committee for 2014–2015 and the Chair of the AACP Social and Administrative Sciences Graduate Pro-gram Committee for 2011–2013. In addition, she has served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (JAPhA) since January 2014.


The strength of APhA is rooted in the collaboration among its diverse membership which includes pharmacy practitioners, researchers, educators and student pharmacists. As ESAS Chair Elect, my top three priorities reside in three non-mutually exclusive areas – practice, research and education.

1. I will collaborate with the APhA leadership team and continue to advocate for building and maintaining a supportive healthcare infrastructure for pharmacists. This supportive environment will allow pharmacists to imple-ment patient care services, be reimbursed for these services and be recog-nized as part of the healthcare team with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.

2. My second priority is to promote the value pharmacists add as part of the integrated healthcare team to key stakeholders within and outside the pharmacy profession through dissemination of research findings and program outcomes.

3. Third, through formal and informal education, we must continue to edu-cate and mentor young pharmacists and researchers who will be our suc-cessors and continue to advance pharmacy practice and improve the U.S. health care system.

I am honored to run for the APhA-APRS ESAS Chair-elect. This opportunity would allow me to give back to the organization that has helped me grow both professionally and as a person. I promise to utilize my experience and skills to effectively serve the members of the Section and further strengthen its mission.

APhA-APRS Economic, Social, and Administrative (ESAS) Section

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Chair-elect (2016–2017)

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Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA-APPM) Elections

Spring 2015

Candidates for APhA–APPM offices were asked to respond to the following question. The candidates’ responses are italicized.

(See pages 13–16.)

What are the top three priorities of the Academy and what experiences and expertise can you contribute to meeting these priorities?

APhA-APPM Mission StatementThe APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management

is dedicated to assisting members in enhancing the profession of pharmacy, improving medication use, and advancing patient care.

Who is Entitled to Vote?All members of the American Pharmacists Association who have designated a Primary Academy and Section (if applicable) are entitled to vote for the leadership of that Academy and Section.

Members who have not designated a Primary Academy and/or Section (if applicable) are encouraged to follow the steps below to fully participate in the 2016 APhA Election:

1. Log-in to your member profile at www.pharmacist.com.2. Select “My Account” in the top right corner.3. Select “Academy, Sections, and SIGs” in the menu bar on the left side.4. Click on “Edit” in the top right corner to be able to choose your Primary Academy and/or Section

(if applicable).5. Designate your Primary Academy and Section (if applicable).6. Designate your Secondary Academy, Section, and/or Special Interest Group preferences (if desired). 7. When your selection(s) are complete, click on the purple “Save” button in the top right corner or the

bottom left corner.

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Sarah Ray, PharmD, BCPS (Mequon, WI), is Assis-tant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Concordia University Wisconsin School of Pharmacy (CUWSOP), where she coordinates a semester-long course in the Applied Patient Care lab series, precepts an aca-demic APPE, co-precepts a PGY1 pharmacy practice resident, co-precepts an ambulatory care APPE, and teaches in the pharmacogenomics and ambulatory care electives. She also serves as a clinical phar-macist at Milwaukee Health Services, a Federally

Qualified Health Center. Prior to joining CUWSOP, Ray was the Ambula-tory Clinical Coordinator at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center, where she served as the PGY1 Community Pharmacy Residency Director. She is a graduate of Creighton University and completed a PGY1 pharmacy practice residency at Aurora Health Care. Her past service to APhA includes a term as Member-at-large of the APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Manage-ment (APhA-APPM) Executive Committee, where she chaired the Education Standing Committee. She also previously chaired the APhA-APPM Clinical/Pharmacotherapeutic Section and the Community Pharmacy Residency Pro-gram Advisory Panel. She is the anticoagulation section editor for the APhA DrugInfoLine. Ray is a member of several organizations, including the Inter-national Pharmaceutical Federation, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, and the Greater Milwaukee College of Clinical Pharmacy, where she was a founding member and currently serves as President.


The top 3 priorities of the Academy are to: 1) mobilize and support pharmacists to provide medication therapy management services (MTMS); 2) harness the talent of our members to advance the role of the pharmacist as a health care provider and to improve patient care; and 3) promote collabora-tion between pharmacists and other health care providers. My previous expe-rience as a Member-at-large within the APhA-APPM Executive Committee has shown me how valuable and talented our APhA members are. They have lent their expertise to APhA’s educational and advocacy efforts, all in the name of advancing patient care. I have been involved with the implementation of the Academy’s Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and know that the key to our success is growing both the number of SIGs and the number of active pharmacist members of each SIG. When pharmacists feel that they have a home and a voice within APhA, they will network and work together to improve patient care at many levels. At the individual level, the engaged pharmacist learns new skills that can directly benefit patients. In addition, the engaged pharma-cist within the SIGs helps influence future APhA policy, educational program-ming, and advocacy efforts. In my current role as a clinical pharmacist and pharmacy school faculty, I have many opportunities to support the provision of MTMS. My clinical practice allows me the opportunity to directly impact the care of urban, underserved patients. I am also able to model the role of the pharmacist to my students and residents, both in the classroom and in practice. I can also share my experience with developing and implementing collaborative practice agreements and pharmacist-managed clinics with our members to encourage the expansion of these practice models and collabora-tion with other health care providers. I welcome the opportunity to represent you within the Academy.

Duann V. Thistlethwaite, BSPharm, BCNP, FAPhA (Jefferson, PA), is a Surveyor/Consultant with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), where she coordinates pharmacy audits; trains consultants and state pharmacy inspectors; provides quality assurance reviews; and educates interested stakeholders on sterile and nonster-ile compounding and various practice standards. Thistlethwaite received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Purdue University and has practiced

in a variety of nuclear pharmacy settings including centralized, corporate, and Positron Emission Tomography (PET). She is a Board Certified Nuclear Pharmacist (BCNP) and is licensed in nine states. Thistlethwaite is Six Sigma Green Belt Certified and has been an active APhA Member throughout her entire professional career. She has served the APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA-APPM) in a variety of positions, including Delegate, Chair-elect and Chair of the Nuclear Pharmacy Practice Section, and numerous Special Interest Group (SIG) committees. Thistlethwaite is also a past member, Co-Chair, and Chair of the Board of Pharmacy Special-ties Nuclear Pharmacy Specialty Council. She currently serves as an editorial board member of the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy’s Con-tinuing Education for Nuclear Pharmacists and Nuclear Medicine Profession-als program. Thistlethwaite has been recognized as an APhA Fellow and was selected as the recipient of the 2015 APhA-APPM Distinguished Achievement in Service Award.


The regulatory, safety and quality arena have been major areas of focus for my entire career, and understanding these is what I see as the first of three priorities for the Academy. I have learned the ropes from the ground up in each of these areas. From my days as a pharmacy radiation safety officer to being a corporate RSO and PASO, I have learned that it is not enough to create a good procedure but to create one that is understandable and that is a key factor in it being followed. Further, that quality is something that must be built into a process from its initiation. From my training in Six Sigma and LEAN, I have gained a unique perspective how to look at things as a process. I have learned that regulations are a necessary part of each practice setting that first must be understood by the practitioners in order for successful implementation and management. I have been a liaison to regulators throughout my career and most recently the FDA. I will strive to assure that safety and quality are built into our pharmacy systems and enable pharmacists to compound sterile and nonsterile medications to meet individual patient needs. Further, that regulations enable us to practice productively with provider status. Next, in order to remain viable, APhA must continue to grow. We must attract new members from all practice areas and retain current members. Viability also means involvement. Another area of focus would be to increase involvement of members on committees and subcommittees to assure all voices are heard. Finally, we must assure that our place in the community is sound. Pharmacists must remain involved in community organizations and volunteer groups. I strive to lead by example in this area and encourage others.

APhA-APPMPresident-elect (2016–2017)

Nicole M. Gattas, PharmD, BCPS (Saint Charles, MO), is Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Coordinator of Community Pharmaceutical Care Programs at St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP). In this role, she serves as the Community Pharmacy Residency Program Director and teaches on a number of topics related to community practice, including self-care, patient education, and immu-nizations. She has a research interest in health lit-eracy and coordinates the community pharmacy

lab, Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences, and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences. Gattas previously developed and implemented various patient care programs as the Clinical Pharmacy Coordinator for Schnucks Pharmacy. She is the advisor for the STLCOP Student Pharmacists Association (umbrella organization) and previously advised the STLCOP chapter of APhA Academy of Student Pharmacists. She is an active member of the APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA-APPM) and par-ticipates in a number of APhA-APPM Special Interest Groups (SIGs). She was elected as the APhA-APPM New Practitioner Officer for the Community and Ambulatory Practice Section and has served APhA in a number of roles, including the Immunizing Pharmacists SIG Education Committee and as a Delegate and APhA Media Advisor. Gattas is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, and she completed a community pharmacy residency with the University of Illinois at Chicago and Dominicks Pharmacy. A Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist, Gattas is also an active mem-ber of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the Missouri Pharmacy Association, and the Illinois Pharmacists Association.


My StrengthsFinder results are right on: futuristic, ideation, WOO, activa-tor, and achiever. I consider myself an “idea person” that can get things done while including others in an engaging way. Though the priorities suggested below are not new ideas, put me at a table and I will engage in the available processes and conversations to assist APhA-APPM in achieving our collective goals.

1. Continue to support #advocacy efforts for access and coverage for pharma-cist services.

APhA has been a driving force in many collaborative efforts having a posi-tive influence on our profession, including BPS, PQA, and JCPP. Each of these advocates for an important issue in our profession, and specifically for APhA-APPM members. Provider status will continue to be important on a federal level, and APhA’s influence and collaboration at the state level will get us to the tipping point faster. Change starts with each one of us, and with each success the hills become smaller. Collaborations on multiple levels will move us all.

2. Provide the highest quality #pharmacisteducation.

As new opportunities for patient care services arise, such as various mod-els of transitions of care, pharmacists need quick access to high level edu-cation. We should continue to expand the reach of high-quality programs seen at annual meetings to a broader audience through technology.

3. Show off our success to increase #membership.

Are non-member pharmacists aware of the efforts the organization is tak-ing to ensure their future access and coverage for services? Social network-ing can be harnessed to exhibit our partnerships and successes. Diverse membership drives the ability for the organization to expand advocacy.

Karl Hess, PharmD, CTH, FCPhA (Pomona, CA), is Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administration at Western University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy (WesternU), where he serves as the Director of Community Practice Experiences and the PGY1 Community Pharmacy Residency Program Director. Hess oversees a travel health clinic within an independent community pharmacy and also provides patient care services within a Federally Qualified Health Care clinic

(FQHC). He currently teaches a variety of subjects on self-care therapeutics, immunizations, and travel health and medicine and precepts experiential students regularly. Hess is interested in the implementation of and prac-tice in collaborative practice-based disease state management services within the community setting. His areas of academic and research interests include community pharmacy, travel health and medicine, vaccines, self-care therapeutics, and the safe and effective use of nonprescription medications and dietary supplements. Hess has served APhA in a variety of positions, including APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA-APPM) Immunizing Pharmacists Special Interest Group co-coordinator, Delegate, Policy Review Committee Member, Pharmacy Today Editorial Advisory Board Member, and reviewer for the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. Hess previously served as Speaker of the House for the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) and received fellowship status from this organization in 2011. Hess earned his PharmD from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and completed a PGY1 community pharmacy practice residency at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy.


As an academic and practicing pharmacist in a FQHC clinic in a medi-cally underserved area in Southern California, I believe that the top priority of APhA-APPM should be to work with APhA to ensure passage of H.R. 592 and S. 314. These specific bills would amend the Social Security Act to allow patient access to and coverage for pharmacist provided Medicare Part B services in medically underserved communities. Further, these bills would recognize pharmacists as healthcare providers. Provider status is vitally important in placing our profession “at the table” on an equal setting with other providers rather than being “on the menu” for others. I believe that my experiences serving as Speaker of the House of Delegates and subsequently as Chairperson for the House of Delegates Task Force for the California Pharmacists Association in particular have given me keen insights into the policy making process and politics of legislation and would be an asset to the Academy. I believe that APhA-APPM should work with APhA to further demonstrate the many positive roles that individual pharmacists play in the healthcare system to key external stakeholders and groups. Through the Academy’s various Special Interest Groups (SIGs), individual pharmacists could be showcased to highlight the quantitative and qualitative aspects of including pharmacists as equal members of the care team, which could also assist in the passage of H.R. 592 and S. 314. As the current co-coordinator for the Immunizing Pharmacists SIG, I believe that APhA-APPM should further work with the SIGs to promote and grow these groups, showcase individual member efforts through APhA publications, and help create business tem-plates that new practitioners could use to start their own practices. It would be an honor to serve the Academy. Thank you for your consideration, and I appreciate your vote.

APhA-APPM Executive CommitteeMember-at-Large (2016–2018) Pair I

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Sandra Bollinger, PharmD, FASCP, CGP, CDE, CPT, CFts (Sikeston, MO), received her BSPharm from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy (UMKC) and her PharmD from Creighton University (CU). She holds adjunct faculty posi-tions for UMKC, CU, and the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Bollinger serves as the Provider Outreach Coordinator for the State of Missouri’s CyberAccess web-based provider program. In 2000, Bollinger established a non-dispensing pharmacy that focuses

on the prevention and management of the complications of chronic dis-eases. She has held various positions in retail, hospital, and long-term care pharmacy, is a Certified Diabetes Educator, and is a Certified Geriatric Pharmacist. Her major practice and research interests are in the areas of preventive health, disease management, and diabetes. Bollinger has received a number of professional recognitions and awards, including the Missouri Pharmacy Association (MPA) President’s Award, the MPA Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award, the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Pharmacy Leadership Award, and the UMKC Alumni Outstanding Service to the Profession of Pharmacy Award. She previously served as Past President of MPA and is the current President of the Cape Girardeau County Pharmacy Association. She has also served on Missouri’s Drug Utilization Review Board since 2000. Bollinger is an active member of a number of pro-fessional organizations and has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.


The top three priorities of APhA-APPM are assisting members in enhanc-ing the profession of pharmacy, improving medication use, and advanc-ing patient care. These priorities align with my vision of the future—one in which patients are empowered to prevent and/or manage complications of chronic conditions. Medication use can be improved and patient care can be advanced by pharmacists through a standardized approach across the continuum of patient care. A standardized approach across the continuum of patient care is not in existence today, but it could be accomplished by think-ing outside of the box. One entrepreneurial experience that I could apply to achieve this vision includes licensing the first consulting (non-dispensing) pharmacy in Missouri. In order to accomplish that goal in a predictable and consistent fashion, innovative thinking and planning to produce an environ-ment that was sustainable had to be designed. I followed the path of Milton Berle- “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” I built the door. I would use the same approach to establish practice standards for pharmacists across the continuum of patient care. Throughout the course of my career, I have practiced in multiple pharmacy settings: retail, hospital, long term care, government healthcare, and as a clinical pharmacist in a non-traditional pharmacy. I recognize the challenges that pharmacists face in each of those practice settings. Having the ability to recognize and address those challenges puts me in a good position to enhance the profession of pharmacy. A quote By Joel A. Barker, Independent Scholar and Futurist sums up my thoughts: “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without Vision merely passes time. Vision with Action can change the world.” I’ve got a vision, so with your action to help execute it, we can change the world.

Wendy Galbraith, PharmD, BCNP (Norman, OK), received her BSPharm and PharmD from the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy (OU). She completed her authorized user training from Purdue and is Board Certified in Nuclear Pharmacy. She worked in hospital and nuclear pharmacy for ten years before returning to the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center to serve as the Director of Nuclear Pharmacy, where she remained for seven years. Currently, Galbraith is the Director

of the OU Nuclear Pharmacy Track and is active in the investigational devel-opment of both PET and SPECT radiopharmaceuticals and quality control assays. Galbraith has held positions of national leadership in nuclear phar-macy, including serving as a member and Chair of the Board of Pharmacy Specialties Nuclear Pharmacy Specialty Council and Education Chair of APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA-APPM) Nuclear Pharmacy Practice Special Interest Group.


As an APhA-APPM Member-at-Large, I will serve our profession by focus-ing on what I believe are the Academy’s top three priorities: 1) Support efforts for pharmacists to be recognized with provider status, including sponsoring sustainable models for MTM; 2) Expand communication on issues in which APhA takes a firm stand, including partnering with other organizations in dif-ferent settings for a timely, unified purpose. This includes involvement down to the local level and using the new Academy structure efficiently for commu-nication; and 3) Provide continuing education that enhances competencies of pharmacists regardless of practice setting in order to be a pivotal member of the healthcare team. My experience in nuclear pharmacy has given me a unique perspective and opportunities in leadership positions. I would like the opportunity to use my experience, knowledge, and drive to work with the leadership at APhA.

APhA-APPM Executive CommitteeMember-at-Large (2016–2018) Pair II

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APhA–APPM Executive Committee

James A. Kirby, PharmD, BCPS, CDE (Cincinnati, OH), is the Clinical Services Coordinator for the Kroger Company. In this position, his main responsibilities include: establishing and implementing a com-prehensive clinical pharmacy strategy; overseeing Kroger’s vaccination, medication therapy manage-ment, health screening, and disease management/education programs; training and developing phar-macy staff in core clinical content areas and emerging therapies; driving innovation in patient care through

the creation and/or support of pilot programs that improve the medication use process and integrate pharmacists into team based care environments; measuring and developing interventions that will improve clinical quality metrics in pharmacy practice; and leads and supports Kroger advocacy efforts for the advancement and diversification of the profession of pharmacy. Kirby received his BSPharm from The Ohio State University and his PharmD from the University of Cincinnati. He has worked as a pharmacist in a variety of settings, including retail, mail-order, hospital, and managed care/specialty pharmacy. He is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist, a Certified Diabetes Educator, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Cincinnati.


Our nation is attempting to reengineer the healthcare system to increase access to care, improve quality, and lower costs. With an expected shortage of primary care providers, pharmacy is well-positioned to serve these emerging needs. But in order to transform our profession, we still have work to do. First we need to be recognized as providers at the federal, state and/or individual plan level. Provider status means our services can be accessible to those who need it and we are recognized as an equal, trusted member of the healthcare team. Second, we need to integrate the new patient care process into the medication distribution system and gain widespread adoption by individual pharmacists and pharmacies as well as the large chains. This will result in a consistent patient experience, standard service delivery model, a common set of measurable outcomes, and an elevated uniform perception of the role of the pharmacist. Third, we need to establish how pharmacists’ services can be integrated into ACOs and PCMH practices. Aside from the cultural hurdles that must be overcome in this endeavor, there is also the matter of viewing and contributing to a patient’s electronic medical record as well as reimbursement for the services rendered.

I believe I can help the Academy with these three top priorities. I am very involved with Kroger’s advocacy efforts and represent our company on the Patient Access to Pharmacists’ Care Coalition. I work diligently with our divi-sions to incorporate vaccines, screenings, and MTM as part of our pharmacists’ everyday practices. We have also conducted successful pilots in transitions of care and are currently expanding our electronic connectivity. My hope is that my background and experiences can be of some assistance in the continued work to transform the profession. In the words of APhA Past President, Jenelle Sobotka, “Put me in, Coach!”

Larry Selkow, BSPharm (La Quinta, CA), is a Pharmacy Manager with Vons Pharmacy (a division of Safeway, Inc.). Selkow received his BSPharm from the Long Island University Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and has served as a retail community pharmacist throughout his career. He previously served as a Supervising Pharmacist for Pathmark Stores, Inc., in PA and NJ. Selkow serves on the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) Academy of Employee Pharmacists

Board of Directors and is Co-Chair of the APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA-APPM) Diabetes Management Special Interest Group.


(1) To Promote Provider Status. I am a member of CPhA. California was the first state to recognize pharmacists as providers. I am an active member of CPhA and on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Employee Pharmacists.

(2) Promote the practice of Pharmacy. I have been a pharmacist for over 30 years and my experience would help in the promotion of pharmacy. I am very active in pharmacy organizations, and I feel I can contribute to the profession.

(3) Reach out to other pharmacists. I know many pharmacists who are not involved in any pharmacy organizations. I can reach out to them with my experience and help them understand the importance of joining a phar-macy organization.

Member-at-Large (2016–2018) Pair III

American Pharmacists Association

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2015 - american pharmacists association...scholarship, first awarded in 2013. she has been...

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