Gina Gayed

Her Story

Dr. Gayed received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL. She completed a PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency at Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas, TX, and a PGY-2 medication-use safety residency at Hospital Corporation of America/University of Tennessee in Nashville, TN. Dr. Gayed is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS) and a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS). During her PGY-1 training, she assisted in the hospital relocation to a brand new state-of-the art facility and supported post-move optimization projects. In her PGY-2 year, she had the opportunity to support various clinical and operational medication safety and regulatory initiatives on a hospital, regional and enterprise (national) level.

Dr. Gayed has a passion for medication-use technology and system integration to support safe, efficient workflows, and she currently serves on the ASHP Section of Pharmacy Informatics and Technology’s Advisory Group on Operations and Automation.

Overview of Facility/Health System

Dr. Gayed is a Medication Safety Officer on the medication safety team at WellStar Health System, an integrated healthcare system in the metro Atlanta area. In her current role, she leads system-level medication-use safety initiatives and works directly with three hospitals (~ 600 beds total) and a nursing home.

Significant Projects

Some of the projects she has supported include electronic medical record integration of new acquisition facilities, implementing a "super panel" to drive standardized, safe and regulatory-compliant ordering and administration practices of titratable infusions, designing an infographic medication administration record to reduce inadvertent prandial insulin administrations to patients on nothing by mouth (NPO) diets, and implementing a computerized IV insulin titration workflow in the emergency departments and intensive care units across the system.

Initial Involvement in ASHP

I currently serve on the ASHP Section of Pharmacy Informatics and Technology’s Advisory Group on Operations and Automation. I always look forward to the group’s monthly calls and working in smaller teams on projects.

Advice for Someone New to Your Specialty Area

Do not make assumptions; do your homework in understanding root causes and researching best practices, but keep an open mind on how these best practices can be operationalized. Building strong relationships is foundational to leading change. Listen to your frontline as they are the experts on what works best for their workflows, and engage senior leaders for support and alignment. Listervs such as ASHP Connect can be a great resource to survey other experts in the field. If your organization has identified certain opportunities, chances are – other organizations are likely facing similar issues, so use these online forums to learn about and share countermeasures.

Why did you become involved in ASHP?

The resources and networking opportunities offered through ASHP are invaluable. Not only are the online resources very helpful, but the conferences are always refreshing to attend as well. There is always something new to learn, familiar faces to reconnect with, and new networks to build.

How would you explain the value of ASHP to a friend or colleague?

 As the voice of health system pharmacists, ASHP advocates for the advancement of the profession. Not only has ASHP helped the pharmacy profession find its place in the larger organization of health services, but it also continues to set the bar higher for how pharmacists should practice at the top of their licensure. Its commitment to improving medication use and enhancing patient safety is a value I most certainly identify with as a Medication Safety Officer.

What is the value of ASHP for the profession? 

Through advocacy, career services, continuing education, drug information, conferences, policies, practice standards, publications, and training accreditation, ASHP uses a multipronged approach to achieve its mission of advocating and supporting the professional practice of pharmacists across the continuum of care.