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Official Newsjournal of the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists

Leadership Profile
Bryan McCarthy, PharmD, MS, BCPS

What is your current leadership position in ICHP?

This fall, I am excited and proud to have been selected to establish and co-chair the ICHP Ambulatory Care Network alongside Virginia (Ginny) Nash.

What benefits do you see in being active in a professional association such as ICHP?

ICHP shares timely, relevant pharmacy practice resources that make our professional lives easier, and also is a reliable sounding board of great, receptive, knowledgeable colleagues across the state.

What initially motivated you to get involved in ICHP?

As a new practitioner in the state, I was very interested in building a local professional network.

Where did you go to pharmacy school?

University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy ‘10

Where have you trained or worked?

Following graduation from the University of Rhode Island, I became the inaugural PGY1/PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration Resident at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, MN. This residency program was concurrent with M.S. degree coursework in Social and Administrative Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. At the conclusion of residency training, I joined the University of Chicago Medicine pharmacy team, and have since served in a variety of roles overseeing quality, outcomes, and ambulatory care.

What special accomplishments have you achieved?

During residency training, I created a limited liability corporation with the support of many advisors and colleagues, PharmD Press. Within this capacity, I served as the founding editor of Journal of Health-System Pharmacy Residents (JHPR) through product acquisition by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. JHPR continues on as AJHP Residents Edition, a quarterly online supplement to the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy.

Describe your current area of practice and practice setting.

As assistant director of ambulatory clinical and infusion services, I am responsible for strategic, fiscal, clinical, and operational oversight of our anticoagulation management services, specialty pharmacy services, and a number of outpatient oncology infusion center pharmacies both in existence and currently in development.

Is there an individual you admire or look up to, or a mentor that has influenced your career?

The positive influences of many, many people have impacted my ability to make successful contributions in team-based environments today. Dr. Raymond Mastriani, then regional clinical science manager for AstraZeneca, made it most-clear to me that future opportunities would be most robust after pursuit of residency training. Mr. Bruce Thompson, then director of pharmacy at Hennepin County Medical Center, believed in me and provided that incredible residency training opportunity. Lastly, Dr. Jennifer Tryon, then executive director of pharmacy at the University of Chicago Medicine, most inspired and accelerated my learning curve in leadership and service to the profession.

What advice would you give to student pharmacists?

I often pass on advice provided to me over breakfast in the South Loop of Chicago by Stan Kent, former vice president of pharmacy services for NorthShore Health System, “Work hard, and be nice to people.”

What pharmacy related issues keep you up at night?

To my knowledge and in my opinion, there are not enough accountable care organizations across the country that are successfully adapting to rapidly changing healthcare reimbursement environments with recognized, outside-the-box integration of pharmacists into newly developing multi-disciplinary transitions-in-care team processes. In the absence of widespread evolving knowledge and awareness of the pharmacist value equation in this environment among health system executive leadership teams, the profession may have narrowed opportunities in the future.

Do you have any special interests or hobbies outside of work?

Outside of work, I consider myself a basketball player, world traveler, and Chicago fun activity consumer.

Do you have a favorite restaurant or food?

Chicago has so much to offer when it comes to great food. The chicken wings are no exception, for which I jokingly consider myself a connoisseur. For can’t miss wings, check out the Fifty/50 and Crisp.

What is your favorite place to vacation?

Over the past few years, I consider myself incredibly lucky to have seen the cultures of western Europe, eastern Europe, and Japan. However, as my annual childhood summer vacation destination, Cape Cod will forever have a special place in my heart.

What is the most interesting/unique fact about yourself that few people know?

In my hometown of Albany, NY and among college friends, I am better known by the nickname of “Buddy.”

What 3 adjectives would people use to best describe you?

Honest, challenging, appreciative.