September 2023
Greetings everyone,
As we begin our new year, I want to recognize our colleagues who have had a significant impact on the Section. I would like to thank Doug Slain, Past Section Executive Committee Chair, for his leadership over the past three years. Stephanie Weightman, recent Director at Large, for her commitment and input on Section issues and discussions. I would also like to welcome “the Megans”. Megan Musselman is joining us as Chair Elect and Megan Corrigan will serve as the new Director at Large. I am honored to serve as Section Chair this year alongside other executive committee members Christi Jen, Brian Potoski, and Andrew Mays. It is my honor to serve as Chair of the Section this year.
As the Section starts a new year, I suggest you reflect on your professional journey over the last few years. The COVID pandemic and drug shortages were hard on us. Many of us felt burnt out and it challenged our resilience. As I talk with some colleagues in our Section now, I feel that this is really a NEW year for many of us. We are looking for ways to continue being resilient and are focusing more than ever on pharmacy practice advancement. We are determined to work on expanding clinical and scientific knowledge to positively impact patient care and health disparities while demonstrate our value. It is as if we feel more invigorated now than in the past few years. I know this energy will translate into a very successful year for the Section. I look forward to seeing all the great things our Section accomplishes!
The Section Advisory Groups continue to provide education about important pharmacy topics through podcasts, webinars and presentations this year. Below are just a few of the upcoming webinars brought to you by the Section and be on the lookout for podcast episodes that provide continuing education. Redeeming continuing education for listening is FREE to all ASHP members.
- Another Year Wiser: Reducing Ageism
- New Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease
- SCSS Podcasts with Continuing Education
During Policy Week in September, ASHP and its members will discuss crucial topics impacting our practice such as artificial intelligence in pharmacy, the role of the pharmacy workforce in improving mental health, prehospital management of medications, stewardship programs, pharmacy technician education requirements, and non-prescription status of rescue and reversal agents. I am excited to attend this event as your representative and am excited to be a part of this important part of what ASHP does for us as members of the pharmacy workforce and for our patients. Additionally, we will be advocating on Capitol Hill to:
- Ensure patients have access to pharmacists’ services
- Protect the 340B drug pricing program
- Reject site-neutral payments for lower standards of infusion care
- Address the underlying causes of drug shortages
- Expand pharmacists’ ability to treat opioid use disorder
- Safeguard funding for pharmacy residency programs
Thank you for your leadership and dedication to the Section. I look forward to working with you this year!
Sincerely,
Nancy
Nancy C. MacDonald, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP
Chair, ASHP Section of Clinical Specialists and Scientists
[email protected]