Official Newsjournal of the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists

ICHP KeePosted

November 2021

Volume 47 Issue 4

Print Entire Issue

Directly Speaking

Presidents Message

Features

2017 ICHP ELECTION RESULTS

Attention ASHP Pharmacist Members

Call for Posters - Deadline January 10, 2018

Columns

Leadership Profile

Government Affairs Report

Professional Affairs

Educational Affairs

New Practitioners Network

Marketing Affairs

ICHPeople

College Connection

Chicago State University

Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy

Roosevelt University School of Pharmacy

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

More

Officers and Board of Directors

Welcome New Members!

ICHP Pharmacy Action Fund (PAC) Contributors

Upcoming Events

2017 ASHP MIDYEAR

Directly Speaking
That’s All I Can Stands, I Can’t Stands No More!

by Scott A. Meyers, Executive Vice President

(Reprinted and slightly revised from the May/June 2012 issue of KeePosted) For our younger members, the quote above was used time and time again by Popeye, the Sailor in his film shorts (eventually called cartoons) that aired after school during the week and on Saturday morning television when I was a kid! (Back in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s and yes, there were televisions back then!) Popeye would put up with the bullying of characters like Bluto (arch nemesis), Abu Hassan (a cartoon takeoff from a villain in one of the short stories of One Thousand and One Nights) or any other episode nemesis for just so long and then he would stop, exclaim his famous quote and then down a can of spinach. The spinach would energize and strengthen him so that he could put an end to that episode’s troubles.

In 2012 my big concern was conference call etiquette which you will see in a sentence or two. But now, while more and more people understand the rules of conference calling, there are new issues on the nearby horizon that have my blood boiling. 

Well, when it comes to conference call etiquette it’s my turn to exclaim, “That’s All I Can Stands, I Can’t Stands No More!” Maybe you don’t do frequent conference calls so you’re not sure what I’m talking about, but if you participate in any, please read further. ICHP conducts at least 7 and often more than 10 conference calls each month with our different divisions, committees and networks. In addition, I personally participate on calls with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (DFPR), Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (IDHFS), the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), and on several other organizational or issue related calls at any given time during the year. These calls save countless hours of travel and the related expense. They help us conduct business at a faster pace than ever before and they make ICHP a more effective organization in general.

But, darn it, I’ve had it with the few nitwits that occasionally participate on some of these calls! There are an abundance of websites (most are conference call providers) that provide a wide range of etiquette recommendations. Unfortunately, these few offenders have never seen them, or if they have they forgotten them or worst case scenario, think these etiquette rules don’t apply to them. Etiquette, believe it or not applies to everyone, even you! 

So here are some suggested conference call etiquette rules that I have gleaned from the multitude of conference call providers and more importantly from my own experience over the past 10 years and thousands of calls.

  1. Always mute your phone when you have nothing to say or add to the conversation. We don’t want to hear you and a colleague discuss your patient’s lab values and what needs to be done next, nor hear your dog bark, or toilet flush! To our young Moms and a few of you Dads, this means making sure you mute your phone when home with a child. We appreciate your dedication and participation, we love baby and kid pictures and we even like to see them occasionally at our meetings but a temper tantrum during a conference call is a killer!
  2. Always assume your phone is not muted unless you have muted it yourself. Some of the same reasons apply as above, plus the last thing you want to do is say something rude or nasty about another participant on the call having assumed your phone is muted when it is not!
  3. A conference call is not your lunch hour. If it is, mute your phone for sure! Your chewing may not only be distracting but may also be disgusting and no one wants to hear you talk with your mouth full!
  4. Give the conference call your full attention. There’s nothing worse than asking a lengthy question of one of the participants only to hear, “Sorry I was distracted, what was the question?”  We know that computer solitaire is a tough addiction to break!
  5. Don’t print a document if the printer is near the phone and please don’t open a new program or video containing sound while on the call. Some conference call systems use the most continuous sound source to override the background noise of others, so often a printer or video will drown out the conversation.
  6. Please, don’t ever put a conference call on hold! Your intentions are good (you think you’re muting your phone) but often the other conference call participants get to hear about your health-system’s most recent national award or worse yet a crappy version of a once famous Beatles song or static-filled elevator music. The rest of us don’t care about the award and talking over it or the music is impossible. Putting the call on hold might mean no one will be there when you come back!
  7. The conference call is not a time to straighten your desk. Again, the sound of shuffling papers or moving furniture overwhelms, distracts and destroys what could be a productive call.
  8. Please, don’t use a speaker phone unless there are multiple folks at your sight and they all agree to abide by the previous 7 etiquette tips. Enough said? In addition, speaker phones often create an echo or feedback, so if you have to use it, mute it.
  9. Make sure you don’t monopolize the call. Each participant on the call may have an opinion or insight on an issue. Take turns, letting others speak too. And if someone begins speaking when you begin, stop and let them finish or defer to you. That is unless they are the call hog and you haven’t been able to get a word in yet. If that’s the case, ask the moderator if you may provide your input when they are finished. Or you can always add a sarcastic “Before I was interrupted,” when beginning the next time. You’re on your own though the next time you meet the call hog face-to-face.

And since I’m on my bully pulpit, how about a refresher on e-mail etiquette?

  1. E-mail is NOT the same as texting. Use full words and sentences with proper punctuation. Thx U dig
  2. With every e-mail you send, including replies, not just original messages, you should include a complete signature (name, title, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, fax if you have one, and any other information someone might need if there is a remote possibility that you are now or could ever be seeking any type of response through any other means than e-mail). I can’t tell you how many times someone will e-mail me, “Give me a call” only to find they haven’t provided the telephone number in their signature. If there is any signature at all! Sure, I probably have it somewhere, but the time it takes me to I return your call is directly proportional to the time it takes me to find your telephone number somewhere in my files. 
  3. E-mail shouldn’t be used for emotional issues. Typing something in ALLCAPS looks like you’re shouting at the other person. Even if you’re only trying to emphasize a point. Improper use of emphasis in e-mails leads to skirmishes that can turn into major battles requiring multiple telephone calls and conversations in order to disarm or deescalate. 
  4. Be judicious with the “Reply All” button on e-mails. Are you sure everyone wants to hear your response? Has someone volunteered to collect all the responses and distribute a summary later? If so, honor that! Peoples’ mailboxes are clogged enough with Medicare information, hair growth promos, sexual enhancement products and who knows what else. Don’t make the junk mail issue worse by telling everyone what only one person wanted to know!
  5. Check your e-mail before you send it. Make sure the addressee is correct, the attachments are attached, and you haven’t inadvertently copied someone (Usually with a similar name to an intended recipient) who shouldn’t see the contents of the e-mail. Once it is sent, you can’t get it back. I love those, “Mr. So and So would like to recall the previous e-mail message” e-mails. Sorry, too late, already read it and the cat’s out of the bag!
  6. And speaking of once it’s sent you can’t get it back, remember anything you put in e-mail is in writing and could surface at some other time and place to haunt you like a bad nightmare!

Finally, one other very important rule of etiquette that many people seem to miss or misunderstand is the meaning of RSVP. RSVP is an acronym for the French term “Réspondez s’il vous plaÎt”, the English translation being “Please respond”! When you receive something with an RSVP on it, the sender would like to know your response, even if it means you will not attend or will not participate. The sender wants to know so they don’t have to plan for some “pop-ins” that never responded like having to order a few extra meals just in case. Worst case scenario, so you don’t have to go without a meal or a handout because the sender didn’t know you were coming! When you see an RSVP, send an answer no matter what!

Well, I didn’t down a can of spinach before I went on this rant but I do feel better. I will admit too, that I do violate one or two of these etiquette rules from time to time but not nearly as often as I used to. Especially the “Ready, Fire, Aim” approach of sending out an e-mail without the attachments! But overall, I try to do my part to keep conference calls noise and call-hog free and I try to keep my e-mails formal, polite and complete. And I’m doing a much better job of sending regrets when I can’t make it to a function too!

If you’ve never given any thought to etiquette in general, I hope this has been helpful. If you’ve heard this before and thought, “Okay, but that’s for everybody else.” I hope you now realize that you’re part of the problem. If these tips are tips you’d like to share with those in your conference call and e-mail circles, feel free! If this makes one call a month quieter and more efficient for each of you and me, I’ve done my job and won’t need my spinach! 
KeePosted - Directly Speaking

Presidents Message
Elevate: Sky’s the Limit

by Travis Hunerdosse, PharmD, MBA President, ICHP

Friends and colleagues, I am humbled and honored to be serving you as the president of the Illinois Council of Health Systems Pharmacists. As I look out across the membership gathered here today, I see many faces that have helped shaped my professional journey. 

I would like to recognize and thank my friends and colleagues from Northwestern Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, past and present ICHP Board Members and the Division of Educational Affairs. Without you and your continued support, I would not be standing here today. I would also like to recognize a special guest here today, Dr. Gary Noskin, a physician mentor who during my residency and time as a new practitioner taught me the value of developing physician relationships in order to provide excellent patient care. I would like to extend a special thank you to the great pharmacy leaders I have had the honor to work with. Kevin Colgan for providing endless opportunities for learning and leadership guidance and ICHP’s Pharmacist of the year, Desi Kotis, who has served as my mentor and sponsor throughout my career.

Finally, I want to recognize, Mike Fotis, who introduced me to ICHP. When I was a new member of ICHP, Mike encouraged me to volunteer for the Annual Meeting Planning Committee. It was though that experience, that I got hooked on ICHP. By volunteering to serve on the planning committee, I understood the value that ICHP brings to its members and the profession. I also learned the importance of stepping up and getting involved in order to build relationships, strengthen our organization and advance our profession.
The only way we can advance ourselves, teams, and profession is to work outside of our comfort zones. For the 2017 baseball season, Chicago Cubs Manager Joe Maddon introduced new slogans to motivate his team. The one that stood out for me was “uncomfortable”. He told his championship team to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Stepping outside of your comfort zone allows you to grow and avoid becoming stagnant, complacent or set in your ways. As I have reflected on my professional journey, I realized that while it is hard work and sometimes scary, you learn a great deal by being uncomfortable. I have stepped up and volunteered to take on projects that required me to acquire new knowledge and skills, such as implementation of new technologies, management of critical drug shortages and development of a health system specialty pharmacy. All of these new experiences provided me with opportunities to learn and grow.

All of us in this room, technicians, students, residents and pharmacists, are striving to take the best care of our patients. We do this by ensuring that we are educated on new therapies, technologies, and practices. We work on teams that are responsible for implementing new ideas, training new colleagues, and developing future clinicians and leaders. We are members of a profession, and as such, are responsible for shaping its future and providing guidance and leadership. My challenge to you is to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. The only way we can elevate pharmacy practice is to work outside of our comfort zone.
This brings me to the theme of my presidential year, Elevate. Elevate yourself, your team, and your profession. In her Harvey A.K. Whitney Address, Sara White highlights the importance of leadership at all levels. She describes how whether you are a big L or little L leader; leadership is a passion for improving pharmacy services, mentoring new practitioners and trainees, and to giving back to the profession. All of you in this room have the ability to lead and elevate.
Elevate Yourself – Continual professional development is key to stay at the top of your game. This holds true for both technicians and pharmacists. Now more than ever, technicians are heavily relied upon to perform higher-level tasks that push them to practice at the top of their license. Technicians elevating themselves through training and certification allow pharmacists to practice at the top of their license in order to have a larger impact on patient care. Pharmacists must be ready to practice at the top of their clinical ability. Board certification provides an avenue for continual professional development and demonstrates that pharmacists are equipped with the knowledge to deliver quality patient care services. All of you, technicians and pharmacists, have demonstrated a commitment to elevate yourself by attending the educational programming offered at this Annual Meeting and will be able to take new knowledge and tools back to your practices. 
Elevate Your Team – Whether you are a big L leader or a little L leader, you have the opportunity to elevate your team. Everyone must recognize the importance of succession planning through mentorship and sponsorship. It is critical that those in formal leadership positions identify those future leaders on your teams and provide development opportunities. Those of you on the front line, technicians and pharmacists, have the responsibility to mentor and develop trainees and young practitioners. These students, residents, and new practitioners must be prepared to take on your role as the senior technician or expert clinician in order to continue to provide excellent patient care. 
Elevate Your Profession – We all must come together in order to elevate the profession of pharmacy. Member engagement and volunteerism is critical for ICHP to carry out its mission, Advancing Excellence in Pharmacy. Serving on a division or volunteering for a project is an opportunity for you to elevate the profession. This profession and its future is shaped by those who step up and volunteer to advance excellence in pharmacy practice.

In the coming year I would like to focus on three key areas, technician engagement, training and credentialing; succession planning; and provider status. ICHP has a long history of leading the way for technician training and certification. As an organization, we need to continue to elevate technician practice in our state and serve as a role model for the profession. Trained, competent, and credentialed pharmacy technicians free up pharmacists time in order to provide higher-level patient care services proven to decrease medication errors.

Succession planning is important for our health systems and it is equally as important for ICHP. Succession planning for ICHP executive leadership and board positions needs to be a top priority. Organizational leadership development is needed in order for ICHP to be successful and to continue to grow and enable all of us to advance pharmacy practice in our state.

Everyone in this room understands and can quantify the value pharmacists bring to the care teams as the medication experts. Our profession needs to ensure every patient has access to the excellent patient care that our technician and pharmacist teams provide. Achieving provider status in our state will ensure pharmacists gain legislative recognition as a health care provider.

My challenge to you is this, get comfortable with being uncomfortable, step up and volunteer. Take action to elevate yourself, your team and your profession. The sky’s the limit and it starts with you.
 
Presidents Message Elevate: Sky’s the Limit

Features

2017 ICHP ELECTION RESULTS

Feature Article

President-elect Noelle Chapman
Secretary-elect Ed Rainville
Director-elect, Educational Affairs David Martin
Director-elect, Marketing Affairs Bernice Man
Chair-elect, New Practitioners Network Bryan McCarthy
Technician Representative-elect Kristine VanKuiken

A very special thank you to the other candidates:

Carol Heunisch
Tara Vickery-Gorden
Kushal Shah
Jared Sheley
Antoinette Cintron


Attention ASHP Pharmacist Members
It’s That Time Again to Elect Delegate to ASHP’s House

Feature Article

by Scott A. Meyers, Executive Vice President

The ASHP Summer meeting for 2018 will be held in Denver and in 2019 it will be in Seattle!  ICHP needs to elect two delegates to join Jennifer Phillips, Travis Hunerdosse and Carrie Sincak as the Illinois delegation for 2018 and then continue on in 2019.  Delegate candidates must be ASHP pharmacist members, planning on attending the ASHP Summer Meetings for both 2018 and 2019 at their own expense, attend one of the Chicago-based Regional Delegate Conferences each late April or early May, and provide their own nomination via e-mail, fax or mail to the ICHP office by November 20, 2017.  

Nominees must provide nomination statements which include years of membership in ASHP, current employment position, pharmacy association memberships, volunteer experiences related to pharmacy associations and any other relevant information the potential candidate would like to include.  However, candidate statements must be limited to 250 words or less.  The ICHP Committee on Nominations will select up to six candidates for this year’s ballot.  The three candidates receiving the highest vote totals will be credentialed as delegates for 2018 and 2019 and the remaining three candidates will serve as alternate delegates for 2018 only.

The 2018 Summer Meeting is scheduled for June 3-6, 2018 in Denver.  No date has been set for the 2018 event but we know it should be in early June of that year.  Delegates and alternate delegates are reimbursed for expenses relating to attendance at the Regional Delegate Conferences only and all other expenses are the responsibility of the delegates and alternate delegates.  ASHP’s House of Delegates is the policy making body within ASHP and is responsible for and approving all ASHP position statements and practice guidelines.

This is a great opportunity for someone who has served at the State level for some time and wishes to move up within ASHP.  It is probably not a good match for someone with no pharmacy association volunteer experience.  

Elections will be held in late November with all ASHP pharmacist members eligible to vote via the internet.  Election results will be announced in the January KeePosted.  Interested individuals should send their letter of intent and candidates statement to Scott Meyers at the ICHP office via fax at (815) 227-9292 or e-mail to scottm@ichpnet.org .  
Attention ASHP Pharmacist Members It’s That Time Again to Elect Delegate to ASHP’s House  Feature Article  by Scott A. Meyers, Executive Vice President The ASHP Summer meeting for 2018 will be held in Denver and in 2019 it will be in Seattle!  ICHP needs to elect two delegates to join Jennifer Phillips, Travis Hunerdosse and Carrie Sincak as the Illinois delegation for 2018 and then continue on in 2019.  Delegate candidates must be ASHP pharmacist members, planning on attending the ASHP Summer Meetings for both 2018 and 2019 at their own expense, attend one of the Chicago-based Regional Delegate Conferences each late April or early May, and provide their own nomination via e-mail, fax or mail to the ICHP office by November 20, 2017.


Call for Posters - Deadline January 10, 2018
Educational Affairs

Feature Article

Are you working on a project that others could learn from?  Please consider sharing the outcomes with your colleagues at the poster session during the ICHP Spring Meeting April 13-14, 2018 in East Peoria, IL! This is a great opportunity to share innovative ideas with others and learn about trends in Illinois health-system pharmacies. All ICHP members are eligible to submit abstracts to be considered for presentation at the Spring Meeting.

Click here for all the details.

Categories for submission:

Original Research: To be considered for acceptance, papers must describe original research in pharmacotherapeutics, clinical pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, practice innovations in organized health-care settings, administrative practice or cost analysis of pharmaceutical services. Papers must not have been published in abstract or complete form or have been presented elsewhere prior to presentation at the ICHP Spring Meeting.

 

Research in progress: To be considered for acceptance, papers must describe original research in progress in pharmacotherapeutics, clinical pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics or practice innovations in organized health-care settings, administrative practice or cost analysis of pharmaceutical services. Papers must neither have been published in abstract or complete form nor have been presented elsewhere prior to presentation at the ICHP Spring Meeting. Those abstracts submitted as research in progress are expected to have results and conclusions available for poster presentation at the Spring Meeting. Those with no results and conclusions by the time of the meeting are disqualified.

 

Encore: Research may have been presented elsewhere or published in abstract or complete form only prior to presentation at the ICHP Spring Meeting.  To be considered for acceptance, papers must describe research in pharmacotherapeutics, clinical pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, practice innovations in organized health-care settings, administrative practice or cost analysis of pharmaceutical services. Posters or papers presented before January 1 of the previous year are not eligible. For example, posters or papers presented before January 1, 2017 are not eligible for 2018 submissions. Full results and conclusions must have been presented/published previously to qualify as an encore presentation. Those projects previously presented/published without results and conclusions should be submitted as an original poster.

 

Student: Only original material will be considered. Any material that has already been presented should be entered as an encore presentation. The person primarily responsible for the work must be a current student enrolled in an Illinois School of Pharmacy and must present the poster at the meeting.

 

Original research may be submitted as research in progress. Those abstracts submitted as research in progress are expected to have results and conclusions available for poster presentation at the Spring Meeting. Those with no results and conclusions by the time of the meeting are disqualified.

 

**Case reports and literature reviews are not eligible for poster submission. These types of research may be eligible for submission to ICHP's Newsjournal, KeePosted.

Platform Presentations
Abstracts submitted in the Original Research category will be eligible for a platform presentation, as decided by the ICHP Educational Affairs Division Poster Review Committee.  The two abstracts with the highest scores, submitted in the original research category with results and conclusions at the time for abstract submission, will be invited to participate in the platform presentation session at the Spring Meeting.  Each presentation will be 15 minutes in length.

Eligibility Criteria:

All Illinois health-system pharmacy practitioners, including pharmacists, pharmacy residents, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy students are invited to submit projects for consideration. The submitting author must be a current ICHP member. If a student is listed as the submitting author for an original presentation, the poster will be eligible for the student award.

The submitting author should present the poster; however, if legitimate circumstances do not permit attendance at the meeting; another pharmacy professional author for that poster may present at the poster during the poster exhibit session at the Spring Meeting. All poster presenters must be registered for the Spring Meeting and complete ACPE required documents as requested, if the posters are accredited for continuing pharmacy education.

Submission:

Members wishing to submit a poster should use the online submission formBe sure to click "Submit" after completing your form. The deadline for submissions is January 10, 2018. Please direct any questions to Trish Wegner at TrishW@ichpnet.org.

Deadlines:

Submission deadline is January 10, 2018. Authors will be notified of acceptance of their poster via email in February, 2018.
http://www.ichpnet.org/publications_resources/keeposted/articles/2017/Vol_43-09/43-09-ed_affairsPOSTERS.pdf

Columns

Leadership Profile
Meet Tran H. Tran, PharmD, BCPS

What is your current leadership position in ICHP?
I recently joined ICHP after I moved from NYC to Chicago a year and half ago. I am a member of the Marketing Affairs Committee and am taking over the Champions subcommittee. 

What benefits do you see in being active in a professional association such as ICHP?
ICHP supports a network of like-minded, ambitious individuals seeking to improve the pharmacy profession and ultimately patient care. We can do much more working as a group than in isolation and ICHP allows for these connections to occur. Group work is supported by evidence. The journal Science featured a study by a Johns Hopkins behavioral neuroscientist that demonstrates that our brains might actually be built to make us stronger together than alone. 

What initially motivated you to get involved in ICHP?
I was highly active in the the New York City Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (NYCSHP). The members started out as my colleagues and very quickly became my friends. We supported one another, opened up doors for one another (figuratively and I guess literally too), provided opportunities that would have otherwise not been attainable. It was a fulfilling and gratifying experience that made me a stronger pharmacists, academic, and person and I was looking for a similar experience in IL. 


Where did you go to pharmacy school?
I’m a Tarheel! I earned my BS in public health and my PharmD at UNC-Chapel Hill aka Blue Heaven. 


Where have you trained or worked? 
Duke University, UIC, Evanston Northwestern Hospital (now Northshore), St. John’s University with an affiliated site at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and now Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy with an affiliated site at Loyola University Medical Center. 


Is there an individual you admire or look up to, or a mentor that has influenced your career?
There are so many but they all share a “can do” attitude that’s contagious and inspiring. I’m pragmatic enough to be well aware of the obstacles and hurdles that come with any meaningful pursuit but it’s the encouragement and support from visionaries and leaders I surround myself with that keep me motivated and driven. They have a passion and a humility that I appreciate and emulate and it’s important to find people like this in your life and profession.  


What pharmacy related issues keep you up at night?
The opioid epidemic. How can we be part of the solution? How do we augment practices, mindsets, and the way we communicate to prevent from contributing to the problem? It’s an ideal niche for us and we can be leaders in this effort by eliminating the stigma and being proactive. We will save lives. 


Do you have any special interests or hobbies outside of work?
I love to dance! I love to travel and I love to go dancing where I travel. 


Do you have a favorite restaurant or food?
Nothing is more fresh, healthy, or delicious than Vietnamese food. A good bowl of pho is exceptional for the Chicago winter. Banh Mi is perfect for picnics and music festivals around the city. Banh Xeo is so unique and mouth wateringly good. It’s has just enough French influence to make it differ from many other Asian cuisines. 


What is your favorite place to vacation?
So far Reykjavik, Iceland but I’m on a continual search to have as many favorites as possible.
 

What is the most interesting/unique fact about yourself that few people know?
I love to laugh and I strive to find as many opportunities as humanly possible to do so with my friends and family. I hope my son inherits this trait as well. 
http://www.ichpnet.org/publications_resources/keeposted/articles/2017/Vol_43-09/43-09-leadership_profile.pdf


Government Affairs Report
Proposed Chicago City Ordinance Gets Pharmacies Fired Up!

by Jim Owen and Scott Meyers

A proposed Chicago City ordinance has the pharmacy world in a dither and for good reason! The ordinance, proposed by Finance Chairman and long-time City Council Member, Ed Burke, would limit the number of prescriptions a pharmacist could fill to ten per hour. It would also limit the pharmacist’s work-day to an eight hour shift that would include two mandatory 15-minute breaks and a 30-minute uninterrupted lunch period. Now the breaks and lunch seem reasonable enough, but a pharmacist with any experience knows that 10 prescriptions an hour is a very low limit, except for those real winners that can take an hour all by themselves! And an eight-hour work day is fairly restrictive as many pharmacists prefer the four 10-hour days a week or even the three 12-hour shifts. And pharmacists working the night shift at the 24-hour stores would probably rather quit than give up their 7-on/7-off schedules! 

And we say the pharmacists at the stores because the ordinance exempts these restrictions for hospital, health-system and nursing home operated pharmacies. We’re not sure what that means for a pharmacy operated in a hospital, health-system or nursing home by an outside contractor, but we’re guessing it wouldn’t necessarily be good!

So the chains and the independent pharmacy owners are doing all they can to fight this regulatory burden, and to be honest, ICHP is right there with them. Here are the reasons why:

  1. The ordinance is unconstitutional, at least in our opinion and those of our attorneys. The Illinois Pharmacy Practice Act expressly prohibits local governments from exercising any type of regulatory power. A rarely read section of the Act states this clearly:
    (225 ILCS 85/38) (from Ch. 111, par. 4158)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2020)
    Sec. 38. It is declared to be the public policy of this State, pursuant to paragraphs (h) and (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, that any power or function set forth in this Act to be exercised by the State is an exclusive State power or function. Such power or function shall not be exercised concurrently, either directly or indirectly, by any unit of local government, including home rule units, except as otherwise provided in this Act. (Source: P.A. 85-796.)

  2. The Illinois General Assembly has extended the Pharmacy Practice Act for two-short years, rather than the usual ten-years and has established the Collaborative Pharmaceutical Task Force with a charge of discussing and establishing solutions to the current pharmacist work load issues first described by the Chicago Tribune in December of last year and then frequently thereafter whenever any pharmacy regulatory activity has occurred. The Task Force will represent all facets of pharmacist practice including organized labor, the Illinois State Medical Society and the Illinois Hospital Association. The Task Force has two-years to come up with proposals to ensure patient safety and reduce work load and stress for the practicing pharmacists of the State.

  3. The proposed limits are extremely unreasonable. As mentioned before, most pharmacists will have no problem filling a larger number of prescriptions per hour than the 10 per hour limit proposed. The problem is that there will be times when one prescription is too many in an hour. So regulating workload in this fashion just doesn’t make sense.

  4. The ordinance is opposed on another constitutional level. If the City of Chicago is allowed to begin this type of regulation, what will prevent every home-rule and even non-home-rule municipalities from creating their own pharmacy regulations in the future? It is bad enough that we have 50 different State Pharmacy Practice Acts, can you imagine what it would be like to have multiple municipalities in multiple State, each with their very own rules and regs? If that happens, my response will be “I’m glad I don’t have to take the MPJE now!”

While some of our members have questioned our loyalty to the frontline pharmacist, our response has always been what makes the most sense. This ordinance is far from that. We need and will look at ways to decrease the workload to a safe level. We will work on solutions that are reasonable for both the pharmacist and the pharmacy, but most importantly for the patient. We will make sure that pharmacy practice is not further restricted by cumbersome rules that don’t improve patient care but rather bog down the pharmacist as he or she tries to make sure the patient makes the best use of their medications.

We have asked our members with Chicago addresses to call or e-mail their aldermen and women to urge them to vote “No” on this ordinance. We suggested that the City Council let the Collaborative Pharmaceutical Task Force do its job over the next two years to create comprehensive and Statewide regulations that will benefit all parties involved. We believe that implementation of this type of ordinance will restrict access to medications for patients around the City which could result in additional illness and health care costs.

This is just another example of why pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy students need to belong to a statewide pharmacy organization. One like ICHP! And this is why these same individuals need to stay informed and establish active relationships with their City and State elected officials. The more colleagues that follow these suggestions, the more informed our State and local government officials will be and the less vulnerable our profession and our patients will be.
http://www.ichpnet.org/publications_resources/keeposted/articles/2017/Vol_43-09/43-09-gov_affairs.pdf


Professional Affairs
ICHP American Heart Association (AHA) 2017 Metro Heart Walk

by Tom Westerkamp, MS, RPh on behalf of the ICHP Community Service Sub-Committee

It was early on a sunny, hot Saturday morning when several sleepy student pharmacists and pharmacists gathered around an “ICHP” sign in an Oakbrook parking lot to join hundreds of other walkers on a 1-3 mile walk to raise funds and awareness for the American Heart Association's Heart Walk.  Networking and mentoring started amongst the ICHP team as students talked to others from different schools and pharmacists about career opportunities and post-graduation plans for residencies.  

The walk was successful and we were able to raise a total $550 combined for the several walks around Illinois to help fight heart disease.
 
Before the walk started, the ICHP team spoke with a 59 year old man with an LVAD waiting for a heart transplant.  He was out of breath at rest, and unable to walk, but felt the need to be at the walk for support.  He thanked us for being there and for our efforts.  This was a real life example of how pharmacists and pharmacy students care, and a reminder of how we are all part of a profession that makes a real impact on others and helps to save lives. ICHP has been committed to the profession and the community for over 50 years and we hope to continue to provide opportunities to impact our community and advance our profession. 
 
http://www.ichpnet.org/publications_resources/keeposted/articles/2017/Vol_43-09/43-09-prof_affairs.pdf


Educational Affairs
The Effectiveness and Safety of Various Abuse Deterrent Formulations of Oxycodone: A Systematic Review

by Alexander Heinz, PharmD Candidate, Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy; Julia Gilbert, PharmD Candidate, Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy; Gerald Cavanagh, PharmD Candidate, Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy; Abby A. Kahaleh, BPharm, MS, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor, Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy

Abstract 

Introduction:  Oxycodone is an opioid analgesic medication with a high risk for abuse.  This systematic review examined and compared the effect of various opioid-deterrent formulations of oxycodone on their ability to reduce opioid abuse.  Three types of abuse deterrent formulations (ADF) were studied: Technology-Based ADF’s, Opioid Antagonist ADF’s, and Aversive Excipient ADF’s. 

Methods:  Twelve randomized controlled trials that were published in English, conducted in North America within the past 5 years, and studied abuse deterrent formulations of oxycodone were included. Search methods for identification of studies were conducted through Pubmed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). The primary outcome was the effect of ADFs on oxycodone formulation manipulation and opioid abuse trends in  patients prescribed ADFs. The secondary outcomes were adverse events, quality of life, adherence (primarily being used as prescribed), and patient experience of euphoria. All reviewers performed all data abstraction and quality assessment individually. 

Results: Technology- based formulations were shown to be both effective in preventing opioid abuse and had a much lower incidence of adverse effects. 

Conclusion:  Although educating patients remains the most important step in reducing the epidemic of opioid abuse and overdose, studying additional ways to deter and reduce abuse can be extremely helpful in furthering the abuse potential.
  
Background 

Description of the problem 
Abuse of opioid analgesics is a major problem that has increased substantially in the United States throughout the past decade. In 2015, the total opiate-related overdose deaths was 33,091, which is nearly four-times the death rate in 1999.1 Opioid abuse is contributed to a reduced quality of life and an increased risk of death from overdose. Opioids are primarily prescribed for pain management.  However, they are easily accessible without a prescription. 
 
Patient experience, resources, education, access, and drug properties are among the factors that influence substance abuse.1 Opioid analgesics are a treatment option for moderate to severe pain that are prescribed to millions of patients annually. Although opioids can be abused through oral ingestion, the frequency of abuse by injection or inhalation increases as the duration and severity of abuse increases.2  Figure 1 illustrates the contributing factors to opioid abuse.

There is a critical need to reduce the abuse potential of opioid medications. Studies indicate that abuse with prescription opioids is a strong risk factor for heroin use.3,4 The incidence of heroin users is 19 times higher among those who use opioids for nonmedical reasons than those who report medical use.3 Another study found that 50% of persons ages 18 to 33 years who had recently began using heroin reported having abused opioids in the past.4
Figure 1: Contributing Factors to Opioid Abuse (2)




Description of the intervention
Research over the past decade has extensively examined drug structures to address the emerging opioid pandemic. Opioid analgesics with abuse-deterrent properties can help prevent abuse via various routes of administration that require cutting, crushing, or other ways of manipulating the formulations. There are three methods utilized to create abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) are described below: 
  1. Technology-Based ADF’s: One category of abuse deterrent formulations is technology-based. These formulations use proprietary manufacturing that utilizes unique polymers, inactive beads, and excipients to maintain the original pharmacokinetic properties or “gel” upon crushing or dissolving, which prevents abuse in all routes of administration except the oral route.1

  2. Opioid Antagonist ADF’s Another category utilized is the addition of opioid antagonists, either naloxone or naltrexone to the formulation. Opioid antagonists compete and displace opioids at opioid receptor sites and can be formulated in dosage forms to release when a medication in inappropriately utilized, such as crushing, or with a route of administration that favors the opioid over the antagonist.2

  3. Aversive Excipients ADF’s The third category of abuse deterrent formulations consists of opioids with a particular aversive excipient, such as niacin.3 This excipient gives the medication an unpleasant, unwanted side effect when used in excess and therefore, helps prevent abuse with the formulation.
Objectives
The primary objective of this study was to review the evidence for the safety and effectiveness of abuse deterrent formulations (ADF) of oxycodone. The secondary objective was to evaluate the potential of the ADF to prevent opioid abuse in American adults.

Methods
A systematic review method was utilized to conduct this research. The studies included in the systematic review were randomized controlled trials in adult participants who have a history of prescription and/or nonprescription opioid use. The interventions included the administration of various abuse deterrent oxycodone formulations compared to placebo and current non-abuse deterrent formulations. 

The primary outcome was the effect of ADFs on oxycodone formulation manipulation and opioid abuse trends in patients prescribed ADFs. The secondary outcomes were adverse events, quality of life, adherence (primarily being used as prescribed), and patient experience of euphoria. Search methods for identification of studies were conducted through Pubmed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). All reviewers performed all data abstraction and quality assessment individually.

The inclusion criteria for the systematic review was inclusion of the terms “oxycodone,” “abuse deterrent,” “opioid,” “abuse resistant,” and “randomized.” The studies were all published in English and conducted in North America. Exclusion criteria were studies not published in English, conducted outside of North America, not relevant to the safety and efficacy of abuse deterrent formulations, and not evaluating oxycodone.

Data Collection
Three review authors independently assessed all the titles and abstracts identified as a result of the search strategy. Twenty-seven articles were collected on the search, 12 fit inclusion/exclusion criteria. Thirteen articles were not relevant to the study subject, as they were found to later fit the exclusion criteria and 2 publications were found to be published presentations. Three types of ADFs were evaluated in the data collected: opioid antagonist formulations, technology-based formulations, and aversive excipient-based formulations.

The three abuse deterrent formulation categories were ranked on an efficacy scale of 1-to-3, with 1 meaning highly effective and 3 meaning least effective. The efficacy was evaluated based on patient reported feeling, adverse events, and potential adherence. Of the studies included, nine were categorized as technology-based formulations, two as opioid antagonist formulations, and one as aversive excipient-based formulations. The previous drug effects were compared with adverse events to indicate how effective treatments were. In the rare occasions that the researchers disagreed on the ranking of the articles, they discussed the discrepancies until a consensus was reached.

Results
The following three tables describe the articles that were included in the systematic review. All three categories had similar efficacy results and were shown to prevent abuse. However, their safety profiles and types of abuse they prevented differed slightly.
Table 1. Technology-Based ADFs (5-13) (view PDF)
Technology-based formulations such as DETERx (Table 1) are both safe and effective. These formulations have been found to statistically significantly prevent opioid abuse. When these medications are crushed, they have been found to maintain similar pharmacokinetics as when intact, thus lowering the likelihood of illicit use by crushing. This formulation also allows these medications to be available for patients who have trouble swallowing or require a G-tube for medication administration. These medications were also not found to have significantly different adverse effects than immediate release or extended release oxycodone.
Table 2. Opioid Antagonist ADFs (14,15) (view PDF)
Medications formulated with opioid antagonists such as naloxone or naltrexone (Table 2) have been found to be relatively effective in preventing abuse, particularly by non-oral routes such as intravenous injection and insufflation. These formulations have similar safety effects as current FDA-approved opioid analgesics.  However, adverse effects are common when they are crushed or chewed. This limits the use of these medications in patients who have trouble swallowing or require the use of a feeding tube for medication administration.   

Table 3. Aversive Excipient-Based ADFs (16) (view PDF)
Aversive excipient formulations such as the use of niacin (Table 3) are effective in preventing opioid abuse.  However, they have a high incidence of adverse effects in all patients. Studies showed that 98-100% of patients experienced treatment emergent adverse effects.  

Authors’ Conclusions, Discussion and Future Research 
In summary, technology-based formulations of oxycodone were shown to be effective in preventing opioid abuse and they have a much lower incidence of adverse effects compared to aversive excipient formulations of oxycodone. Opioid antagonists are effective in preventing abuse.  However, these formulations are more successful in preventing abuse via non-oral routes, such as intravenous or insufflation. Formulation technology prevents opioid abuse by oral route and non-oral routes of administration and offer a safety profile similar to currently approved opioid analgesics. These medications can also be given to patients who have difficulty swallowing or require medication administration via G-tube routes. 

By reducing the abuse potential from non-medical routes of administration, especially those seen with heroin use, rates of abuse may be reduced. Although educating patients remains the most important step in reducing the epidemic of opioid abuse and overdose, studying additional ways to deter and reduce abuse can be extremely helpful in furthering reducing the abuse potential.4  Figure 2 illustrates the efficacy ranking of the three categories of ADFs.
Figure 2: ADF Category Efficacy Ranking

  1. Technology-based formulations had the highest efficacy, safety, and overall ability to be used by patients. It can prevent opioid abuse by oral route and non-oral routes of administration and has a safety profile similar to currently approved opioid analgesics.
  2. Opioid antagonists are effective in preventing abuse, however, these are more successful in preventing abuse via non-oral routes such as intravenous or insufflation.
  3. Although oxycodone and niacin produced significant reduction in drug liking, the adverse event profile is a barrier to adherence.
At the time the study was conducted, the authors searched several national association websites to identify recommendations on ADFs and found that there was no consensus on the use of abuse deterrent formulations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not currently have recommendations on abuse-deterrent formulations.17 The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) supported formulation development of abuse deterrent narcotics as one of a collection of strategies to address opioid abuse.18 The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) indicated that ADFs are a potential strategy to complement education programs.19  APhA encourages research into ADFs and encourages manufacturers to develop ADFs to combat opioid misuse and abuse.20  Future studies should focus on current recommendations and guidelines offered by national associations on opioid deterrent formulations.

References
  1. Wide-ranging online data for epidemiologic research (WONDER). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wonder.cdc.gov. Accessed July 2, 2016.
  2. Facts & Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc; 2016. https://fco.factsandcomparisons.com/lco/action/doc/retrieve/docid/fc_dfc/5545901. Accessed July 2, 2016.
  3. Kosten TR, Haile CN. Opioid-related disorders. In: Kasper D, Fauci A, Hauser S, Longo D, Jameson JL, Loscalzo J, eds. Harrison's principles of internal medicine, 19e. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education; 2015. accesspharmacy.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1120820647.
  4. Siegal HA, Carlson RG, Kenne DR, Swora MG. Probable relationship between opioid abuse and heroin use. Am Fam Physician. 2003;67(5):942. 
  5. Gudin J, Levy-Cooperman N, Kopecky EA, Fleming AB. Comparing the effect of tampering on the oral pharmacokinetic profiles of two extended-release oxycodone formulations with abuse-deterrent properties. Pain Med. 2015;16(11):2142-2151. 
  6. Webster LR, Kopecky EA, Smith MD, Fleming AB. A randomized, double-blind, double-dummy study to evaluate the intranasal human abuse potential and pharmacokinetics of a novel extended-release abuse-deterrent formulation of oxycodone. Pain Med. 2016;17(6):1112-1130.
  7. Kopecky EA, Fleming AB, O’Connor M, Varanasi RK. Oral human abuse potential of oxycodone DETERx: An abuse-deterrent, extended-release formulation in recreational opioid users.  J Clin Pharmacol. 2017;57(4):500-12.
  8. Friedmann N, Klutzaritz V, Webster L. Long-term safety of Remoxy®. Pain Med. 2011;12(5):755-760. 
  9. Friedmann N, Klutzaritz V, Webster L. Efficacy and safety of an extended-release oxycodone (remoxy) formulation in patients with moderate to severe osteoarthritic pain. J Opioid Manag. 2011;7(3):193-202.
  10. Roland CL, Setnik B, Cleveland JM, Brown DA. Clinical outcomes during opioid titration following initiation with or conversion to Remoxy®, an extended-release formulation of oxycodone. Postgrad Med. 2011;123(4):148-159. 
  11. Morton TL, Devarakonda K, Kostenbader K, Montgomery J, Barrett T, Webster L. Correlation of subjective effects with systemic opioid exposure from fixed-dose combinations of oxycodone/acetaminophen in recreational users of prescription drugs. Pain Med. 2015;17(3):539-550.
  12. Cicero TJ, Ellis MS, Kasper ZA. A tale of 2 ADFs: Differences in the effectiveness of abuse-deterrent formulations of oxymorphone and oxycodone extended-release drugs. Pain. 2016;157(6):1232-1238.
  13. Katz N, Kopecky EA, O'Connor M, Brown RH, Fleming AB. A phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, safety, tolerability, and efficacy study of Xtampza ER in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic low back pain. Pain. 2015;156(12):2458-2467. 
  14. Colucci SV, Perrino PJ, Shram M, Bartlett C, Wang Y, Harris SC. Abuse potential of intravenous oxycodone/naloxone solution in nondependent recreational drug users. Clin Drug Investig. 2014;34(6):421-429. 
  15. Setnik B, Bramson C, Bass A, et al. Intranasal administration of crushed ALO-02 (extended-release oxycodone with sequestered naltrexone): A randomized, controlled abuse-potential study in nondependent recreational opioid users. J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;55(12):1351-1361. 
  16. Webster LR, Rolleri RL, Pixton GC, Sommerville KW. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and active-controlled study to assess the relative abuse potential of oxycodone HCl-niacin tablets compared with oxycodone alone in nondependent, recreational opioid users. Subst Abuse and Rehabil. 2012;3:101-113. 
  17. Dowell D, Haegerich TM, Chou R. CDC guideline for prescribing opioids for chronic pain—United States, 2016. JAMA. 2016;315(15):1624-1645. 
  18. Topoleski CJ. RE: FDA-2014-N-1359; Development and regulation of abuse-deterrent formulations of opioid medications; public meeting. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. 2015. https://www.ashp.org/-/media/assets/advocacy-issues/docs/ashp-comments-on-fda-development-and-regulation-of-abuse-deterrent-formulations-of-opioids.ashx?la=en.  Accessed July 2. 2016.  
  19. FDA issues draft guidelines for generic abuse-deterrent opioids. American Pharmacists Association Web site. https://www.pharmacist.com/fda-issues-draft-guidelines-generic-abuse-deterrent-opioids. Updated 2016. Accessed July 2, 2016.
  20. Prevention and intervention strategies to decrease misuse of prescription pain medication. American Public Health Association Web site. https://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2015/12/08/15/11/prevention-and-intervention-strategies-to-decrease-misuse-of-prescription-pain-medication. Accessed July 2, 2016.  
  
http://www.ichpnet.org/publications_resources/keeposted/articles/2017/Vol_43-09/43-09-ed_affairs.pdf

New Practitioners Network
Work-Life Balance – Have You Mastered This Skill Yet?

by Manali Soni-Talsania, Pharm.D., BCPS

You leave work at 6pm today even though you were scheduled to work until 5pm. You were busy with meetings, your floor was busy with critically ill patients, rounds went on for too long, and the student you were precepting needed help. It was too busy to take lunch so you grabbed a few cups of coffee and ate something quick – chips, cookies, or doughnuts brought in by a patient’s family. Since it is likely too late to make a home-cooked meal, you consider picking up fast food for dinner on your way home.

How many of you find yourself in this kind of lifestyle? Once in a while? Sometimes? Or perhaps more frequently? 

At a very young age, I decided to become a pharmacist. I was always very passionate about this profession where I can help patients, work with providers, and create a difference in patients’ lives. Pharmacy seemed like a great profession, especially for women, because there is always an option to work more or less depending on life circumstances.

I have now been a pharmacist for seven years. I have a successful career at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Illinois, a great family life, and two wonderful five-year-old children. When you look at my life from an outside perspective, it looks complete and just perfect. However, one thing I still struggle with daily is managing balance between my work and personal life. 

Work is very important for most of us. However, some of the tasks I do as a mom and wife are solely dependent upon me. How can you accomplish these tasks when you have late meetings, live continuing education dinner programs, and assignment deadlines all while needing to take the kids to swimming classes, gymnastics, Kumon or soccer practice? And when is there time to cook dinner? How does a person handle these things?

Expectations of clinical pharmacists have changed tremendously over the years. Clinical pharmacists have a crucial role in patients’ lives, arguably more than ever before. We have the  responsibilities of patient care, preparing for presentations or meetings, mentoring students, and involvement in process improvement projects. Balancing all of these tasks can be particularly difficult for new parents, dual-career couples, or single parents.

Here are nine tips for balancing work and life that have helped me tremendously. 
  1. Separate work from home
    • Do not check your work e-mail from home. Once you leave work, focus on life outside of work.
  2. Set realistic goals
    • Frustrations usually result from unrealistic goals or expectations. It is extremely important to set small achievable goals to create a sense of satisfaction.
  3. Look after your health
    • What you do outside of work also has a great effect on your health. Maintaining your health will increase your productivity.
  4. Take regular breaks
    • This helps us re-focus on our work and enhances safety for our patients.
  5. Learn to say no
    • This is easier said than done. When your plate is full, it is very important to say no to more assignments to maintain the quality of your work.
  6. Ask for help
    • Do not wait until you feel overwhelmed with responsibilities. Ask for help sooner than later.
  7. Does it have to be perfect?
    • Most non-pharmacy related activities do not have to be perfect. Sometimes, the extra time spent on perfection might be better spent on other additional activities.
  8. Be open to constructive criticism
    • It may be wise to talk to other seasoned pharmacists to see how they manage their lives. Remember to remain open to feedback.
  9. Find a hobby and leave work at work!
    • Try to find free time to enjoy what you like or do activities that you could not otherwise do because of a lack of time.
Pharmacy careers generally last about 30 to 40 years. Realistically, you cannot achieve everything in one day or even one year. You may be very involved when you first graduate, but you may find yourself taking a step back after starting a family. You can always become more involved as your family circumstances change. Do the best that works for you based on your current life circumstances. I would encourage you to always remember to enjoy each phase of life.

References:
  1. Mahaney L, Sanborn M, Alexander E. Nontraditional work schedules for pharmacists. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2008 Nov 15;65(22):2144-9. doi: 10.2146/ajhp080177.
  2. White SJ. Integrating your personal life and career. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2007 Feb 15;64(4):358-60. doi: 10.2146/ajhp060485.
  3. McKinney KC, Hillebrand K. A careful balancing act. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2015 Dec 1;72(23 Suppl 3):S168-70. doi: 10.2146/sp150026. 
  4. Storey P. Top tips to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance. The Pharmaceutical Journal. 2010 Jan 1.
  5. Seston L, Hassell K. Work/life balance in the pharmacist workforce: report for pharmacist support. 2010 Jan. 
    http://www.ichpnet.org/publications_resources/keeposted/articles/2017/Vol_43-09/43-09-NPN.pdf


Marketing Affairs
#ICHPWhyPharmacy

by Leann Nelson, Communications Manager

ICHP MEMBERS!

#ICHPWhyPharmacy
We need YOU to help us!
Let's raise awareness throughout our state for our profession by using social media.


Post NOW through Thanksgiving 11/23/2017

 

ICHPwhypharmacy.jpg 
Post your story with a photo or video (no patient specifics please).

  • Tell us who a Health-system Pharmacist is!

  • What does a Pharmacy Technician do in a Health System?

  • Tell us what made you choose pharmacy as a career!

  • Have fun and be creative telling the story of why you chose this career path!

    Use the hashtag #ICHPWhyPharmacy and tag us @ICHPnet - Post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. 


    For Facebook: If you are set to post to friends only on your own page, change that setting to public or just post directly to the ICHP Facebook Page

    Here are 2 examples of your colleagues' posts active right now for inspiration:

    Capture.JPG
    (see it live)  

    And a student post here:
    Capture3.JPG
    (see it live)  
     

    Pharmacists and technicians, please help spread the word about what we do and how we impact patient care through individual patient stories (no specifics please). We can encourage our student members to get involved in the #ICHPWhyPharmacy contest with our participation!! 

    Have fun and don't forget the hashtag!! #ICHPWhyPharmacy

    Not sure what to do? Email your photo and story to ICHP Communications or call for help! lnelson@ichpnet.org (815) 227-9292 

     
    facebook_2x.png
     
    twitter_2x.png
     
    linkedin_2x.png
     
    instagram_2x.png
     





    ICHPWhyPharmacy

    ICHPeople

    ICHP Leadership Retreat
    10/27 & 28, 2017 - View the Photos
        


    In the News...
    ICHP Member Abby Kahaleh, PhD,MPH was featured here in this Chicago Daily Herald article for her recent recognition as the 2017 Outstanding Volunteer of the Year by the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists.
       
    Read the article
    http://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20171102/two-roosevelt-pharmacy-professors-earn-state-recognition
    ICHPeople

    College Connection

    Chicago State University
    Summer Research Internship with Northwestern University

    College Connection

    by Jessica Ortiz, P-3

    The summer before my third year of pharmacy school, I completed a pre-doctoral research fellowship offered through Northwestern University’s Clinical and Translational Sciences program.   Upon acceptance, I was granted the ability to “shop” around for a mentor.  I chose to work alongside Dr. Robert Garofalo, a pediatrician and Director of the Center for Gender, Sexuality and HIV Prevention (the Center) at Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.  The summer internship allowed me to work with a research team that specializes in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS as well as other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

    I have always been interested in the management of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and preventative medicine, and I knew the research Dr. Garofalo conducted would be the perfect fit for me. After learning more about Dr. Garofalo’s background through an interview published by the Chicago Tribune in April 2014, I became inspired by his story.  The article discusses how he became a national advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and an advocate for HIV prevention.  Dr. Garofalo took it upon himself to make a difference and motivate people to destigmatize HIV. He started a non-profit organization named after his yorkie, called “Fred Says”, which raises money to provide care and treatment for patients living with HIV and for those at risk of being infected.  Working under him has influenced me to educate and encourage others to promote awareness.

    Working at the Center was an eye-opening experience.  I realized the importance of advocating for a population that endures judgement, social stigma, and neglect. On site, I assisted with the HIV and STI testing team as well as a few of the research studies.  I received certification training through both the Chicago Department of Public Health and Alere Diagnostics. This training was important because it taught me how to counsel patients and about point-of-care HIV testing.   On the testing team, I administered HIV tests and testing materials for self-collected STI tests, screened patients for their eligibility to enroll in research studies, conducted surveys and assisted with counseling sessions.  If an individual’s results were positive, I was to notify them and link them to care for a confirmatory diagnosis as well as provide resources for the patient to receive treatment. Additionally, I would follow up with them after a few weeks to ensure they were receiving adequate care.  

    Of course, being a pharmacy student, I became interested in a research project related to medication adherence and was able to assist with an intervention study called Positive STEPS (Strategies to Enhance Problem-solving Skills).  The study was designed to test the efficacy of stepped-care in antiretroviral therapy adherence in HIV positive adolescents.  The first step/intervention of the study implements a text message reminder aimed to have the participant take the HIV medication as prescribed.  It isn’t until the text message reminder intervention fails that a more intensive intervention occurs (five, 50 minute face-to-face counseling sessions) to address adherence barriers. During my 10-week experience, I helped record participant data and aided the on-site counselor to prepare for the counseling sessions. The study had just completed the enrollment phase, and I didn’t assist a great deal during this process. However, I definitely plan to work with the investigators next summer.

    Despite the fact that the tests offered were free of charge, a huge challenge for the facility is encouraging patients to actually get tested.  People often attach shame to getting tested.  At the Center, we educated the public not only on the importance of finding out one’s status, but also supporting those who contracted the disease.  One of the most valuable lessons I learned is the importance of promoting awareness on HIV and STI care. Being a pharmacy student, I had the opportunity to speak with patients and my peers to promote awareness and educate others on overcoming stigmas. 

    The management of patients with HIV/AIDS is complex, but the advances in modern treatment have been nothing short of amazing. Pharmacists are needed more now than ever before to assist with managing complicated medication regimens.  Advocating for improved awareness, reduced stigmatization, and human justice is extremely important, and I am very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to meet the amazing staff at Lurie’s Hospital and to have been able to educate myself and others on promoting awareness. 

    Chicago State University Summer Research Internship with Northwestern University

    Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy
    Outside My Comfort Zone: ASHP Summer Internship Experience

    College Connection

    by Maggie Lau, PS-3, ICHP Student Chapter President

    As I prepared for my last summer prior to rotations, I had the strong urge to seek something unique and meaningful, yet outside of my comfort zone. It is no secret that ASHP is one of the largest national pharmacy organizations, consisting of health-system pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and student pharmacists. After being involved on the state level and with the ICHP student chapter on campus for two years, I wanted to expand my experiences and learn from influential pharmacy leaders across the nation. From personal skills development to constant networking, the ASHP Summer Internship provided me with so much more than I had ever expected.

    During my internship in the Office of Members Relations, my day-to-day responsibilities varied greatly. I was heavily involved in the student recruitment campaign and marketing, where I was able to provide my input from a student’s perspective on the design and content of the promotional material. I created various student resources for SSHPs to utilize. This included a presentation on all that ASHP has to offer students such as resource documents, residency application timelines, and more. Although I enjoyed all of the projects that I worked on, I particularly loved the SSHP Advocacy Toolkit. Policy was never my forte, but this toolkit really motivated me to work outside of my comfort zone and learn from the Government Affairs staff and other SSHP leaders. I am hopeful that the toolkit will help the pilot group this year in their advocacy efforts, and that it will be open to all SSHPs next year to unify our voices as student pharmacists.

    Outside of my projects, I had the opportunity to engage in a variety of exceptional opportunities. I attended staff meetings for different divisions, discussing topics such as policies for the House of Delegates, programming for the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting, and the A3 Collaborative. Along with Government Affairs staff, I attended a meeting at Capitol Hill to discuss the H.R. 2889 on Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act and H.R. 2871 on Preserving Patient Access to Compounded Medications Act of 2017. I also had the incredible opportunity to meet the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum Executive Committee members and also participate in several of their conference calls. I visited numerous national pharmacy associations in the area, including APhA, NACDS, AMCP, FDA, USP, NCPA, and PTCB. It was definitely an eye-opening experience, as I learned about the different niche that each organization caters to, as well as the initiatives that they have in advancing the profession. 

    As the summer intern, I had the incredible opportunity to attend and serve as a session moderator at the 2017 ASHP Summer Meetings & Exhibitions in beautiful Minneapolis, MN. Experiencing the complex operations “behind the scenes” of a conference allowed me to further appreciate the staff for their time and commitment to creating a unique experience every year. The Strategies for Personal and Professional Success Workshop was offered for the first time this year, and it turned out to be my personal favorite. Distinguished pharmacy leaders spoke about emotional intelligence, mentor-coach-sponsor relationships, work-life integration, and self-assessment. It encouraged me to take a step back from my student role and dedicate time for self-reflection to pinpoint my own areas for improvement.

    My favorite part of the internship was working with the ASHP staff. It was truly inspiring to see how the wide variety of divisions come together and work towards the advancement of the pharmacy profession. The passion that each staff has for their work is apparent and it creates an amazing work environment that is both empowering and uplifting. I felt so privileged to be able to meet them one-on-one, learn more about their journey to their position at ASHP, and their memorable patient stories that have shaped them into the leaders that they are today. 

    My ASHP Summer Internship was completely outside of my comfort zone. The location,  assigned projects, and the individuals that I met made it nothing short of amazing. As a bonus, I was also the first intern to step foot in the new modern ASHP headquarters in the Joseph A. Oddis building that I personally think is absolutely beautiful.
    Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy Outside My Comfort Zone: ASHP Summer Internship Experience

    Roosevelt University School of Pharmacy
    Roosevelt University’s Fall Term Update

    College Connection

    by Kimberly Zaleski, PS-2, President and Patrick Tednes, PS-2, Vice President

    Since our previous KeePosted update in the summer, we have been focusing on increasing chapter membership, communication, and preparing for the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition. We are also very excited to have elected a first-year pharmacy student (P1) as our liaison to provide a leadership opportunity early in her pharmacy education career and also to bridge communication between the first and second year classes. At our membership drive meeting this past September, we explained to the P1 class the qualifications for a liaison and how to apply. Within our chapter, the P1 Liaison is responsible for attending our executive board meetings, maintaining our bulletin board, and emailing and posting all SSHP general body meetings and events on the P1 social media pages. We hope that this new position encourages more involvement with the RUCOP SSHP from the P1 class. 

    Our first general body event that took place following our membership drive was the first annual “Dirt Dip Social”. The purpose of the social was bring attention to National Health Systems Pharmacists Week and to have members and non-members join us during lunch while making their own Halloween desserts. We want to implement more events that allow students to get together to take a small break from studying while communicating at a less “formal” event (e.g., a journal club). The final event that we will be planning for this term is our quarterly journal club. We will be hosting a journal club on the article, “Effect of Intensive Blood-Pressure Treatment on Patient-Reported Outcomes”. We will be providing students with the article and encourage participation, even for those students that may not know how to present a journal article. 

    Finally, the classes of 2018 and 2019 are preparing for the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition. Many of the P4 students are going to the ASHP Midyear in preparation for application to residencies and fellowships. We are also excited for several students who will be attending to present research posters! From our executive board, three members will be attending to present research during the Student Society poster session on a professional development analysis that was conducted between the P1 and P2 classes. For this year’s project, we wanted to assess the knowledge of obtaining a residency following graduation in an accelerated program between the P1 and P2 classes. Based on the results, we are going to plan our future events to provide more information on residencies and to encourage students to pursue post-graduate education. 
    http://www.ichpnet.org/publications_resources/keeposted/articles/2017/Vol_43-09/43-09-RU.pdf


    Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
    Opening Doors: How the ICHP Annual Meeting unlocked my future

    College Connection

    by Kristina Laurente, PS-2, ICHP Fundraising Chairperson

    Throughout my graduate school career, I have been unsure of what I want to do after I graduate from Rosalind Franklin University in 2020. I am interested in doing a residency; however, I was unfamiliar with the process. As a second-year pharmacy student there is still a lot for me to learn and attending the ICHP Annual Meeting and Residency Showcase was a great opportunity for me. 

    My first day of the ICHP Annual Meeting was Friday. I listened to the sessions that covered transitions of care, HIV, PCSK9 inhibitors, and biosimilars. It was very interesting to see how the topics that we learn in class are applied to the duties of pharmacists. Later that day, I was able to attend the President’s Dinner with students from other chapters and pharmacists from all around Illinois. It was nice to get to know the other ICHP members on a more personal level. 

    Saturday consisted of the student session followed by the Residency Showcase. The student session was very interesting and beneficial for a student wanting to learn more about residency opportunities. All of the students were able to break into smaller groups and have the opportunity to listen to residents and pharmacists talk about their experiences after pharmacy school. The breakout sessions that had the greatest impact on me where how to prepare for residency, the process and tips on how to write letters of recommendation, what content to include on a CV, how to write a proper letter of intent, how to conduct myself during Midyear, and PhORCAS. Being able to listen to each speaker talk about their unique experiences through residency or fellowship was eye-opening. The speakers were all very insightful and were open to answering all of our questions. 

    I did not know what to expect at the Residency Showcase as I had never attended one. I was in shock as I walked through the doors. My eyes opened wide as I looked around at all of the booths and the program representatives waiting for students to ask questions. I spoke with a few PGY1s from the University of Illinois at Chicago. They explained what they do as a resident and different options for rotations. It was a great way for me to practice asking questions and prepare for when I attend Midyear.

    The whole weekend impacted my view on what I plan on doing during pharmacy school and helped motivate me to pursue post-graduate opportunities. Now that I had the experience of the ICHP Annual Meeting and Residency Showcase, I will know what to expect at next year’s meeting. After speaking to my peers about their experiences at the ICHP Annual Meeting, I learned that they were also grateful for the opportunity to attend and will come back next year. I would encourage other students to attend the ICHP Annual Meeting, especially those early in their graduate careers. Hopefully, all students will have the same rewarding experience that I did.
    http://www.ichpnet.org/publications_resources/keeposted/articles/2017/Vol_43-09/43-09-RFU.pdf


    More

    Officers and Board of Directors

    Executive Officers

     

    Travis Hunerdosse
    President
    (312) 926-6124
    thunerdo@nm.org

     

    Charlene Hope
    Immediate Past President
    (708) 783-5933
    chope@macneal.com

     

    NoelleChapman120.jpgNoelle Chapman
    President-Elect

     

    Kathryn Schultz
    Treasurer
    (312) 926-6961
    kathryn_schultz@rush.edu

     

    Jennifer Arnoldi
    Secretary

    jearnol@gmail.com

     

    Scott Meyers
    Executive Vice President

    ICHP Office
    (815) 227-9292

    scottm@ichpnet.org

     
     



    Regional Directors

     

    Amy Boblitt
    Regional Director Central
    (217) 788-3015
    boblitt.amy@mhsil.com

     

    Elise Wozniak
    Regional Director Northern
    elise.m.wozniak@gmail.com

     

    Lynn Fromm
    Regional Director

    Southern
    (618) 391-5539
    fromml@andersonhospital.org

     


    Division Directors

     

    Mary Lee
    Organizational Affairs Director
    (630) 515-7311
    mleexx@midwestern.edu

     

    Karin Terry
    Professional Affairs Director
    (309) 655-3390
    Karin.l.terry@osfhealthcare.org

     

    Lara Ellinger
    Educational Affairs Director
    (312) 926-3571
    laelling@nm.org

     

    Carrie Vogler
    Marketing Affairs Director
    (217) 545-5394
    cvogler@siue.edu

     

    Christopher Crank
    Government Affairs Director
    (630) 978-4853
    ccrank@gmail.com

     
     
     

    Technician Representative

     

    Clara Gary
    Technician Representative
    (312) 996-8525
    cgary1@uic.edu

     
     
     

    Network and Committee Chairs - non-voting

     

    Bernice Man
    Chairman, New Practitioners Network
    (773) 702-9641
    bernice.man.pharmd@gmail.com

     

    abbyK120.jpgAbby Kahaleh
    Ambulatory Care Network Chair
     
    akahaleh@roosevelt.edu

     


     

    David Tjhio
    Chairman, Committee on Technology
    (816) 885-4649
    david.tjhio@cerner.com

     

    Jennifer Phillips
    Editor & Chairman KeePosted 
    Committee Chair, 
    Nominations Committee
    (630) 515-7167
    jphillips@midwestern.edu

     

    Milena McLaughlin
    Assistant Editor, KeePosted News Journal
    (312) 926-4454
    mmclau@midwestern.edu

     
     



    Student Chapter Presidents

    Ashley Shinnick - Chicago State University College of Pharmacy

    Ashinnic@csu.edu

    Maggie Lau - Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy

    wlau17@midwestern.edu

    Kimberly Zaleski - Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy

    kzaleski@mail.roosevelt.edu

    Aprille Banchoencharoensuk - Rosalind Franklin University 
    College of Pharmacy

    aprille.banchoencharoensuk@my.rfums.org

    Kaylee Poole - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy

    kapoole@siue.edu

    David Silva - University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy

    dsilva8@uic.edu


    ICHP Affiliates

    Northern Illinois Society (NISHP)

    Erika Hellenbart
    President

    ehellen@uic.edu

    Denise Kolanczyk
    President-elect

    Kathryn Schultz
    Immediate Past President

    kathryn_schultz@rush.edu

    David Martin
    Treasurer

    dwmartin0713@gmail.com

    Milena McLaughin
    Secretary

    (312) 926-4454 

    mmclau@midwestern.edu

    Vera Kalin
    Technician Representative


    West Central Society of Health-System Pharmacists (WSHP

    Ed Rainville
    President

    ed.c.rainville@osfhealthcare.org


    Metro East Society (MESHP)

    Jared Sheley
    President

    jpsheley@gmail.com


    Sangamiss Society of Heath-System Pharmacists

    Julie Downen
    President

    217) 788-3953

    downen.julie@mhsil.com

    Billee Samples
    President-elect


    Katelyn Conklen
    Immediate Past President

    Conklen.Katelyn@mhsil.com


    Vacant Roles at Affiliates; President, Rock Valley Society; Southern IL Society; Sugar Creek Society
    http://www.ichpnet.org/publications_resources/keeposted/articles/2017/Vol_43-09/43-09-BOD.pdf


    Welcome New Members!

    New Member Recruiter
    Crissel Marie Arban
    Mira Assaf
    Keti Berberi
    Brisilda Bylykbashi
    Jami Cain
    Frank Caruso Esma Bebo
    Lucia Choe Kimberly Zaleski
    Blake Cornwell
    Crystal Dedes
    Austin Dillon
    Anita Emerson
    Jennifer Froomkin Hailey Soni
    Angelina Garcia
    Tesfay Gebrekidan Ashley Shinnick
    Thomas Gintjee
    Nikolina Golob
    Aaron Graham
    Edgar Guzman
    Annah Haltman
    Susan Harrington Rachel Terry
    Sean Hudson
    Dakota Huene
    Tuong Van Huynh Kimberly Zaleski
    Alifiya Hyderi Kathryn Schultz
    Mark Jao
    Lixia Jia
    Alec Kuhn
    Daniel Lim Kimberly Zaleski
    Davaajargal Luvsantseren
    Sally Mei
    Sarah Michienzi
    Anna Najem Shivek Kashyap
    Rian Neuzil
    Michael Olexia Deanna Olexia
    Diane Pedigo Danielle Rahman
    Serene Philip
    Martina Powell Travis Hunerdosse
    Ashley Riley
    Myrna Rivas
    Esteban Rodriguez
    Annah Sansone Natalie Tucker
    Sara Shakhwar Ashley Shinnick
    Sam Somo
    Haley Stoller
    Ernestas Sutas Kimberly Zaleski
    Fong Tam
    Kelsey Vahling
    Benito Valdepenas
    Traci Worrell

    ICHP Pharmacy Action Fund (PAC) Contributors

    ADVOCACY ALLIANCE - $2500-$10000
    Kevin Colgan
    Edward Donnelly
    James Owen Consulting Inc.
    Frank Kokaisl
    Scott Meyers
    Michael Novario
    Michael Weaver
    Thomas Westerkamp
    LINCOLN LEAGUE - $1000-$2499
    Sheila Allen
    Andrew Donnelly
    Ginger Ertel
    Ann Jankiewicz
    Jan Keresztes
    Kathy Komperda
    William McEvoy
    Michael Rajski
    Christina Rivers-Quillian
    Michael Short
    Carrie Sincak
    Avery Spunt
    JoAnn Stubbings
    Patricia Wegner
    CAPITOL CLUB - $500-$999
    Margaret Allen
    Tom Allen
    Peggy Bickham
    Drury Lane Theater
    Travis Hunerdosse
    Leonard Kosiba
    Mary Lee
    Janette Mark
    Jennifer Phillips
    Edward Rainville
    Kathryn Schultz
    Heidi Sunday
    Tara Vickery-Gorden
    Jill Warszalek
    Cathy Weaver
    Alan Weinstein
    GENERAL ASSEMBLY GUILD - $250-$499
    Jen Arnoldi
    Jaime Borkowski
    Donna Clay
    Scott Drabant
    Brad Dunck
    Sandra Durley
    Michael Fotis
    Joann Haley
    Joan Hardman
    Charlene Hope
    Kim Janicek
    Zahra Khudeira
    Ann Kuchta
    Ronald Miller
    Kenneth Miller
    Peggy Reed
    Carrie Vogler
    Marie Williams
    SPRINGFIELD SOCIETY - $100-$249
    Rebecca Castner
    Noelle Chapman
    Kathy Cimakasky
    Lara Ellinger
    Jennifer Ellison
    Nora Flint
    Linda Grider
    Glenna Hargreaves
    Heather Harper
    Carol Heunisch
    Lois Honan
    Richard Kruzynski
    Kati Kwasiborski
    Bella Maningat
    Milena McLaughlin
    Kit Moy
    Danielle Rahman
    Amanda Wolff
    GRASSROOTS GANG - $50-$99
    Marc Abel
    Antoinette Cintron
    Jeanne Durley
    Veronica Flores
    Erika Hellenbart
    Ina Henderson
    Leslie Junkins
    Connie Larson
    Barbara Limburg-Mancini
    Nan Lundquist
    Michelle Martin 
    John McBride
    Rebecca Ohrmund
    Gary Peksa
    Daphne Smith-Marsh
    Jennifer Splawski
    Kathryn Wdowiarz
    Thomas Yu
    CONTRIBUTOR - $1-$49
    Tamkeen Abreu
    Gabriel Ahiamadi
    Aprille Banchoencharoensuk
    Trisha Blassage
    Coleen Bohnenkamp
    Erick Borckowski
    Josh DeMott
    Janina Dionnio
    Angelia Dreher
    Tim Dunphy
    Kathy Eakright
    Kimberly Gibson
    Janet Hinkes
    Frank Hughes
    Dawn Hunsberger
    Lori Huske
    Abby Kahaleh
    Vera Kalin
    David Martin
    Claudia Muldoon
    Jose  Ortiz
    Lupe Paulino
    Amanda Penland
    Zach Rosenfeldt
    Kevin Rynn
    Cheryl Scantlen
    Joellyn Schefke
    Amanda Seddon
    Kushal Shah
    Beth Shields
    Southern Il University Edwardsville
    Karin Terry
    Karen Trenkler
    University Of IL COP
    Marcella Wheatley
    Tom Wheeler
    Izabela Wozniak
    Junyu (Matt) Zhang

    Upcoming Events
    ICHP Calendar

    Visit the ICHP Calendar for the most up-to-date events!             

    Tuesday, November 14, 2017  
    How low should we go: Evaluating Targeted Temperature Management and Its Use in Clinical Practice
    Dalena Vo, PharmD
    Sangamiss LIVE Program

    Thursday, November 16, 2017  
    From Cure to Complication: Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiomyopathy
    Stephanie Dwyer, PharmD
    NISHP CPE Program

    December 4, 2017
    Illinois Reception at Midyear
    Orlando Hilton - Orange Ballroom A (lower level)

    Wednesday, January 10, 2018
    Spring Meeting Posters Due!

    Wednesday, January 17, 2018  
    NSAIDs and MI
    Elizabeth Van Dril, PharmD
    Champions LIVE Webinar

    Watch for more information in upcoming news briefs.

    March 7, 2018
    ICHP Legislative Day
    Illinois State Capitol

    April 13 - 14, 2018

    2017 NOV - KeePosted Standard Ads

    Print Entire Issue