LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
• Distinguish the roles and responsibilities of the pharmacy buyer
• List the hard and soft skills associated with the buyer role
• Discuss the growth opportunities both inside and outside of the pharmacy for the buyer
With more than 15 years of experience in the pharmacy field, Angela Nash, CPHT-ADV has proven to be a passionate, knowledgeable, and effective leader. Her diverse pharmacy background includes sterile compounding, project management, team development, and supply chain management. Angela has worked with pharmacy technicians from across the country to assist them in discovering their ideal career paths in pharmacy, assessing their career values and goals, and ultimately creating a strategic plan for obtaining their dream job and enjoying a rewarding and fulfilling career. Angela has successfully implemented numerous cost-saving initiatives, reduced inventory waste, developed medication management education for the nursing staff, and improved standards of practice to prevent diversion.
• Distinguish the roles and responsibilities of the pharmacy buyer
• List the hard and soft skills associated with the buyer role
• Discuss the growth opportunities both inside and outside of the pharmacy for the buyer
Anthony Curraro, the Director of Pharmacy Operations at Mount Sinai in New York City, shares his insights on the challenges and goals of the organization. He emphasizes the importance of addressing drug shortages and the need for effective plans and protocols to ensure drug availability. With a focus on the biosimilar landscape to reduce costs, Anthony also highlights the significance of mentorship and leadership development within the health system. As he manages direct contracting across multiple care sites, he is committed to improving compound production through automation projects.
Charlotte Dixon, the Chief Strategy Pharmacy Contracting Officer at Ochsner Health System, leads a centralized purchasing team in New Orleans with plans to expand into North Louisiana. Her focus is on modeling cost savings and building initiatives while addressing critical drug shortages, particularly in chemotherapy and IV fluids. Charlotte emphasizes the importance of mentorship, transparency, and strategic partnerships to foster growth among pharmacy leaders.
Michele Shaeffer, Associate Director of Pharmacy Operations at Jefferson Abington Hospital, shares insights on optimizing pharmacy workflows amidst staffing and medication shortages, highlighting automation and ADC cabinets for improved efficiency and safety. She also emphasizes cross-department collaboration and staff training as essential for addressing these challenges. Looking ahead, she sees innovations in legislation, technology, and industry-wide collaboration as key drivers of progress in tackling systemic issues like drug shortages.