Andrew Smith

Andrew's Story

Dr. Smith completed his undergraduate at University of Toledo and received his Pharm.D. degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University. He completed his PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center and his PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Residency at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Dr. Smith currently serves as a member of the ASHP Section of Clinical Specialists and Scientists' Advisory Group on Emergency Care.

Overview of Facility/Health System

Diatherix is a laboratory that provides molecular testing for rapid identification of infectious diseases and genes that confer antibiotic resistance. Diatherix’s mission is to provide individualized diagnostic services to physicians and the healthcare community through proprietary multiplex molecular diagnostic technology that links diagnostics to therapeutics.

Significant Projects

Dr. Smith has been working on the implementation of a naloxone dispensing program for patients at risk for opioid abuse and dependence. With this program, the hope is to ensure 60,000 Americans have this life saving treatment at their fingertips in the case of themselves or a loved one overdoses on opioid narcotics. Furthermore, he and his colleagues are working on studying EM providers’ perceptions of opioid prescribing and knowledge of opioid alternative pain management in the ED, with the implementation of the NYS law Governor Andrew Cuomo signed last year.

Initial Involvement in ASHP

"I initially became involved during pharmacy school as a way to give back to the community and to jump-start my research interests."

Advice for Someone New to Your Specialty Area

"Take time to learn from the other emergency department staff and consultant teams! I can't tell you how many times I've been asked for a butterfly, cordis, or an A-line setup in the resuscitation room. You're bound to find yourself in an all-hands on deck moment at one time or another, and as comfortable as we are at mixing drips, priming lines, programming pumps, and making recommendations, sometimes the team just needs an extra set of hands for a log-roll."

Value of ASHP

"ASHP is a professional organization of like-minded pharmacists that organize focused workgroups and meetings that allow pharmacists to develop and cultivate their interests in the field of hospital pharmacy."

"ASHP provides us an avenue to give back to the profession in a different way than most of us do through patient care and teaching IPPE, APPE, and residents. Professional advocacy and unity through a single voice through collaboration with other large organizations will allow us to move the profession in a direction that allows for a higher level of care for our patients."