Dr. Alfred L'altrelli, Senior Director of Pharmacy at the flagship hospital, Presbyterian Shadyside of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has spent his years since graduation doing a variety of functions within the pharmacy space, but has focused in on building teams, residency programs, building clinical services, and looking at operational efficiencies.
During the course of our visit with Al, he discussed how he believes the workforce is the biggest change and challenge facing professionals today, and what those entering the industry are looking for now as compared to when he graduated and what's contributed to that shift in focus. He believes that recruitment of professionals to pharmacy needs to start at a younger age and should help change stereotypes of what they may think the profession is. Additionally, we discuss other challenges such as tight margins, technology and the enhanced services it can provide to patients, and new roles pharmacist will likely start doing in the near future such as molecular and efficacy in radiopharmaceuticals.
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In this insightful interview, Alex Kardos, Corporate Director of Pharmacy Services at RX Holding Hospital, discusses his role overseeing pharmaceutical operations across 126 sites. He highlights the challenges of navigating regulatory pressures, drug shortages, and staffing issues while emphasizing the growing importance of driving revenue in outpatient settings. Kardos shares how his team balances these demands by leveraging peer insights and vendor partnerships to improve efficiency and compliance.
Dr. Rabiah Dys, Senior Vice President of Clinical Services and Program Development at CPS, shared insights at ASHP on her role and passion for advancing health equity. She emphasized the importance of improving health literacy by helping patients understand their diagnoses and care plans, starting at hospital admission. Dr. Dys also highlighted the need for better continuity of care between hospital discharge and community pharmacy settings to ensure patients can manage their health effectively.
Last fall, Jennifer Biar, Chief Pharmacy Officer at Prisma Health, sat down with Pharmacy Angle, sharing her journey in pharmacy leadership, which began unexpectedly during her 27-year tenure at the organization. She highlighted the evolution of healthcare, from single hospitals to large systems, and discussed how pharmacies are now focusing not only on reducing costs but also on generating revenue. Jennifer also emphasized the importance of advocacy for the pharmacy profession, especially for pharmacists to be recognized as providers.