Today, ASHP’s Pharmacy Executive Leadership Alliance (PELA®) is holding a virtual conference, Strategic Directions in System Formulary, Drug Policy, and High-Cost Drug Management, for pharmacy executives at multi-hospital health systems and large medical centers to discuss the complexities of managing system P&T committees and the growing issue of high-cost drugs, including new cell and gene therapies.

The event includes discussions on the drug pipeline, payer trends, committee and subcommittee structures, and patient access — exactly the kind of relevant topics we had in mind four years ago when we launched PELA.

ASHP has long been the home of clinical and executive pharmacy leaders. With a growing number of members in multi-hospital health system executive positions, we knew we needed to do even more to support them. PELA provides leaders with unique opportunities to collaborate on shared challenges.

Attendees at today’s event will hear from leading industry experts and a panel of pharmacy leaders at four health systems about their organizations’ approaches to system P&T committees and drug policy. The conference also gives leaders the chance to network with their peers and learn from other institutions.

Managing drug costs and patient access is critical for all ASHP members. Our recent report, National Trends in Prescription Drug Expenditures and Projections for 2024, found that hospital spending had slightly decreased but that drug expenditures in clinics grew 15% due to increased use of high-cost injectable medications for cancer, immunology, and neurology. The ASHP Pharmacy Forecast 2024 addresses new — and expensive — treatment innovations, providing strategic recommendations for practice leaders.

PELA members continue to tell us that they find these discussions insightful and leave with ideas for their organizations. Past virtual conferences have covered hospital-at-home care, telehealth, and post-COVID-19 innovations. PELA has also collaborated with ASHP’s membership sections to hold virtual events on population health, centralized shared service centers, and service line development. If you’re interested in learning more about PELA, please see our fact sheet.

ASHP has worked with clinical and executive leaders throughout our over 80-year history, and we understand, through their insights, the evolving challenges of leading pharmacy services in hospital and health-system settings. We also know our members can help one another find solutions through initiatives like PELA and events like this conference. ASHP is committed to helping drive innovations by leading these crucial conversations.

Thank you for all you do for your patients and our profession.

Sincerely,

Paul

Posted on May 23, 2024