February 2025

We are halfway through the academic year; it is the peak of winter; and projects are moving along, but never as fast as we would like. Planning for new projects and work is always upon us. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with tasks. However, taking inventory of our work provides an opportunity to connect our efforts to greater goals, including our impact on the ASHP mission. It's also crucial to reflect on the positive aspects of our lives, such as connecting with others, as many of us did at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition. In this chair message, I want to highlight the incredible work our Section Advisory Groups (SAGs) and Educational Steering Committee (ESC) have accomplished thus far and reflect on the inspiring insights from the recent ASHP Midyear meeting.

Our ESC has been instrumental in coordinating efforts across all SAGs by identifying experts who educate and support our Section members. Its achievements for 2024-2025 include developing conference proposals on new acute agitation guidelines in the ED, substance use disorder pharmacy services, and nebulized medications in the ED. The podcast workgroup is highlighting medication reconciliation services, student burnout, and the role of the pharmacist in combatting medication misinformation. Look for webinars on heparin and DOAC controversies in special populations and acute management of mushroom poisoning! The ESC is also dedicated to engaging with members on ASHP Connect and highlighting member spotlights to help us learn more about our fellow inpatient pharmacists.

The SAG on Small and Rural Hospitals (SRH) actively monitors ASHP Connect to address member concerns promptly. Did you catch the SRH virtual roundtable to address challenges of the emergency IV fluid shortages?  Sixty participants attended this past autumn and shared experiences and success stories with each other. The SAG is dedicated to meeting member needs on timely subjects including management topics and regulatory issues. By effectively using project co-leads, they ensure project completion despite busy work schedules and foster leadership development skills. I’m particularly excited to see outcomes from work geared towards raising the profile of small and rural hospitals. These hospitals serve as critical infrastructure to our collective health-system and seeing pharmacists lead is inspiring. 

Our Medication Management SAG is at the forefront of addressing off-label medication use and high-cost medication stewardship. They’ve produced podcasts on benchmarking journeys and perioperative medication stewardship. Their focus on high-cost medication stewardship aligns with ASHP’s emphasis on pharmacist leaders in health systems. They also worked on drafting an ASHP guideline on off-label medication use in the inpatient setting. Like other SAGs, they encourage member participation on ASHP Connect to foster engagement and highlight the leadership roles pharmacists play in pharmacy practice improvements.

The Compounding SAG has responded to calls from ASHP sections outside of SICP, promoting intradisciplinary collaboration. They’ve used webforms for timely information gathering and trialed an innovative roundtable format at the recent Midyear meeting, which received positive feedback on the rotation of topics. With six ongoing projects, including cyberattack preparedness, hazardous drug residue handling, practical guidance on handling and decontaminating viral vector and gene therapy drugs they are committed to addressing contemporary issues and spreading this valuable information to our broader membership. They also utilize members as liaisons to monitor and post updates to ASHP Connect. 

The Medication Safety SAG focused their work this year on six projects with high impact. Their projects include developing a Medication Safety Data and Dashboard, an Insulin Management initiative, a Psychological Safety Toolkit, a Medication Safety Rotation for learners, and more. The SAG is setting up future leaders with a revised Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations document to facilitate SAG leadership transitions. They start each meeting with a patient safety story to remind us of our work's direct impact on patients. They also continue to support the popular Medication Safety and Quality Pearls educational session at Midyear. 

Participating in SAGs is a great way to connect monthly with pharmacists facing the same challenges as you. Another opportunity to connect is at ASHP meetings, including the Midyear or the Pharmacy Futures meeting. If you can’t make the meetings or participate in advisory groups or committees, please engage on ASHP Connect. I’m positive you will find topics that help you solve problems and tackle daily tasks.

Reflecting on the Midyear, there was an undeniable excitement in seeing and reconnecting with my section colleagues. I attended many CE programs where I learned about cutting-edge technology and creative solutions to patient care challenges. The roundtable discussions covered a wide breadth of topics, from expanding access to pharmacy services in small and rural communities to adopting AI technology in investigative drug service programs. We had an impressive showing for medication safety, with roundtables filled with lively discussion and posters showcasing the latest solutions for medication safety.

One of the highlights of the meeting was celebrating Linda Spooner, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Award this year for her many years of dedicated service to our section. Her contributions have been invaluable, and it was wonderful to see her recognized.

As we look forward to the Pharmacy Futures 2025 meeting, let’s remember the Midyear motto: “There’s nothing like it.” There truly is nothing like connecting with our peers, rekindling our excitement for patient care, and advancing pharmacy practice together. Fellowship at meetings is critical to refilling our tanks and taking on the next tasks or challenges.

Finally, I want to encourage all ASHP members to consider joining the Section of Inpatient Care Practitioners and/or leading a SAG. Being part of SICP means being among similar people tackling similar challenges, fostering a strong sense of community and shared purpose. Leading a SAG offers numerous benefits, including the development of leadership skills—evident from the effective use of co-leads in the SRH SAG—and the opportunity to engage with other leaders addressing similar issues, as demonstrated in the compounding roundtable topics. Moreover, you will have the chance to influence the direction of ASHP, the nation’s largest organization representing pharmacists, and gain valuable presentation, publication, and podcast opportunities.

Thank you for your dedication and hard work. Together, we are making a difference!