Diana Gabelman

Her Story

Dr. Diana Gabelman, Pharm.D. received her Doctorate of Pharmacy and minor in Public Health from Ohio Northern University in 2010. Prior to assuming her current position with MetroHealth Specialty Pharmacy, Dr. Gabelman spent nearly a decade serving patients in retail pharmacy as a Staff Pharmacist and Pharmacy Manager. Dr. Gabelman holds certifications as a Certified Specialty Pharmacist (CSP) and HIV Pharmacist™ (AAHIVP) through the American Academy of HIV Medicine.

Dr Gabelman currently holds the position of Clinical Coordinator for MetroHealth Hospital’s Specialty Pharmacy division. In addition, she is APPE preceptor for a number of pharmacy schools throughout Ohio, and preceptor for MetroHealth’s PGY2 Residency Program in Ambulatory Care. Through her position as Specialty Pharmacy Clinical Coordinator, Dr. Gabelman oversees the Patient Management Program to meet all specialty pharmacy accreditation standards and requirements from payers and manufacturers.

Facility

MetroHealth is a large academic medical center located in Northeast Ohio serving as the primary safety net hospital for uninsured and under insured patients. Founde

in 1837, MetroHealth operates four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. The system serves more than 300,000 patients - two-thirds of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid. MetroHealth’s Specialty Pharmacy first opened in 2016, servicing one disease state but has since expanded to include 40 disease specific programs. Each specialty clinic serviced by the program has dedicated

pharmacists, patient care coordinators, and prior authorization specialists. The Specialty Pharmacy is accredited by Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC), National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and The Joint Commission HomeCare.

Recent Significant Projects

Dr. Gabelman helped lead and roll-out MetroHealth’s recent initiative to transition the hospital’s clinic administered medication preauthorization process to the Specialty Pharmacy division. This initiative transitions utilization of medical benefits to pharmacy benefits in response to shifting insurance reimbursement. Once a referral is placed by a provider, a specialty pharmacist reviews the patient’s EHR and creates a pharmacist referral note with all necessary information to be submitted to insurance for authorization. Prior authorization under pharmacy benefit is attempted first, in hopes of clear bagging the medication to the clinic for administration. If necessary, medical benefit authorization will be attempted. The specialty pharmacist completes any appeals, as necessary.

This new workflow has improved patient and provider satisfaction, as well as shortened time to administration. As a result of this initiative, we have seen higher margins for the pharmacy benefit billed medications.

Initial Involvement in ASHP

I serve as a member of the ASHP Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners Advisory Group on Outcomes and Value.

Why did you become involved in ASHP?

I became involved in ASHP to network and connect with other specialty pharmacists. I have been able to get answers to my questions on ASHP Connect and collaborate offline. The Health System Specialty Pharmacy Resource Center has been a go-to for information and tools.

Advice for Someone New to the Specialty Area 

Take the time to review medications and disease state(s) you are not familiar with and soak it all in. It can be overwhelming when you are starting out, but there are plenty of resources out there to help you learn and grow in this field. Seek out continuing education courses, get involved in ASHP, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You can also call or email me anytime if you need help!

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

ASHP is an influential organization that has a wealth of information to share about health system pharmacy. There are tons of resources, tools, policy and procedure standards, continuing education, and the list goes on. There are even opportunities to get involved, webinars, and meetings to attend.

What is the value of ASHP for the profession?

ASHP advocates to help open new doors for pharmacists so we can use our clinical knowledge and skills to care for patients. ASHP helps to propel our industry and careers forward, while giving a platform to network and share best practices.