DISRxUPT – Details, episodes & analysis

Innovative leaders set a clear vision and empower others to bring necessary changes and new ideas to life. The profession of pharmacy needs these types of leaders, and Dr. Kimber Boothe is stepping up to fill this void. She is the founder and CEO of The Kimber Boothe Group, LLC and Pharmovation Consulting which focus on career development, strategy, and innovation within pharmacy.

In this episode of DISRxUPT, Kimber joins us to discuss how "Pharmacy can do more with more." She is an expert in leadership development, justification of clinical pharmacy services, and advancement of the profession. She is also the author of two books: Pharmovation and Pharmfluencers. Kimber also serves as the liaison between the Ohio Society of Health-System Pharmacy and the Cedarville University School of Pharmacy. Listen to be inspired by her vision, passion, and expertise in advancing pharmacy practice through innovation, leadership, and advocacy!

In today's healthcare system, we constantly aim to enhance quality, decrease cost, improve the patient experience, optimize the provider experience, and implement effective population health initiatives. But how do we know if these goals are met? In short, we need data, and the electronic health records used today are filled with such data. Thus, the intersection of technology with clinical experience is invaluable in today's healthcare environment. However, few clinicians are comfortable collecting and analyzing this data on their own. While the learning curve may seem daunting, even simple computing skills can provide great value in healthcare today.

In this episode of DISRxUPT, Dr. Adam Berstein brings us up to speed on the importance of data analytics in pharmacy and beyond. In addition to working in health systems, health tech, and managed care environments as a pharmacist, Adam is the founder and CEO of Sparx Analytics, which exists to empower clinicians to analyze data effectively. Listen to discover how data analytics can be leveraged to optimize clinical and operational outcomes in healthcare today!

Have you ever come up with a helpful idea for yourself that also could provide value to others? That's the story of Pyrls, a new player in the drug information space. Derek Borkowski identified a personal need for a streamlined resource to identify appropriate counseling points for patients in the community pharmacy. With a lot of grit, the acquisition of new skills, and the right teammates, Derek's idea of "drug information made easy" transformed into a web-based and mobile app solution trusted by pharmacists, physicians, physician associates, nurse practitioners, nurses, dentists, and professional students.

Listen as we hear Derek tell the story of Pyrls, the lessons he has learned along the way, and his thoughts about how technological innovation will continue to transform drug information and the practice of pharmacy in the future.

Pharmacists are typically known for providing medication and clinical services. Kim Newlove breaks this mold, however, demonstrating that a career as a pharmacist can take on many different forms! Kim is not only a pharmacist, but a voice actor, podcast host, volunteer, wife, and the mother of two young men. She founded The Pharmacist's Voice®, LLC in 2017 and launched The Pharmacist’s Voice® Podcast in 2019. Through this work, she has become a go-to pharmacist in audio production. Kim believes in the transformative power of well-communicated messages, and her mission is to connect with her audience to develop trust. She narrates audiobooks for pharmacist authors, helps pharmacy professionals plan podcasts, teaches drug name pronunciations, provides medical narration to clients in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and CME industries, and narrates content for explainer videos and eLearning projects, among other things.

Kim and her family live in Northwest Ohio. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, playing Ticket to Ride Switzerland, swimming, and riding her BMW C400X motorbike. Listen in as we hear the inspiring story of The Pharmacist's Voice and learn from Kim's journey as a pharmacy entrepreneur!

Since we last talked about artificial intelligence (AI) in pharmacy on Episode 9 of the podcast back in May of 2021, a lot has changed. OpenAI's ChatGPT has opened AI technology to the masses and this technology is poised to change many aspects of modern life, including healthcare. Dr. Andrew Straw, Vice Chair and Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Cedarville University, and Luke O'Brien, one of our student innovators in the Cedarville University Center for Pharmacy Innovation, join us in the studio to discuss how AI is changing pharmacy practice and education, now and into the future. 

If you ask today's pharmacists and students pharmacists why they chose to pursue a pharmacy career, nearly all of these individuals express a heartfelt desire to serve others. While this can be done in many different pharmacy settings, free medical clinics provide a unique opportunity for pharmacists to assist underserved populations with their medication and healthcare needs. Alex Hintz, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the Cedarville University School of Pharmacy and volunteer pharmacist at Hardin Clinic, and Joshua Pearson, an alumnus of Cedarville University and Director of Pharmacy Services at Health Partners Free Clinic in Troy, Ohio, sit down to discuss their experiences in two very different free medical clinics. Listen as Alex and Josh discuss the creative and impactful ways they have improved the lives of others while serving as pharmacists in free medical clinics within Ohio.

When most people think of medical complexity, they often think of our aging population. However, a significant number of children also have multiple medical conditions, complex medication regimens, and myriad providers involved in their care. This leads to the risk of medication errors, drug interactions, therapeutic duplications, and many other concerns with their medications. Unfortunately, many of these kids do not have access to a pharmacist specializing in pediatric care. Jena Quinn, PharmD, BCPPS, founder and owner of Perfecting Peds, is on a quest to solve these issues through a number of services, including comprehensive medication management, pharmacogenomic testing, and consultation services tailored specifically to the unique medical needs of children. Listen as Jena describes her journey as a pediatric pharmacist and entrepreneur pursuing her vision to ensure optimal medication therapy outcomes for pediatric patients around the nation.

On rare occasions, great ideas come to our minds like lightning bolts. More often than not, though, true innovation requires hard work, dedication, and persistence. Additionally, the most innovative people embrace particular mindsets, skill sets, and processes for developing these ideas. One such approach to transformational innovation is a process called design thinking. Jim O’Donnell, Executive Director of Pharmacy Services for Kettering Health in the Greater Dayton Area, joins us in the studio to discuss the power of design thinking. Listen as Jim describes his mindset as an innovator, his journey of implementing design thinking in healthcare, and ways in which pharmacists can foster meaningful innovation in healthcare today.

Pharmacists have long desired to practice at the "top of their license," and this ideal is becoming more of a reality in the United States. A number of states have granted pharmacists the ability to provide chronic disease state management and test-to-treat services, which can both include prescribing. However, practicing according to this status as a provider requires a demonstration of expertise and competency that is new to many pharmacists. So, what are credentialing and privileging, and what do these ideas mean for pharmacy practice advancement today? Dr. Ryan Steadman, Senior Vice President of Pharmacy at CareSource, and Shannon Steele, Pharmacy Community Program Manager at CareSource, join us in the studio to discuss pharmacy practice advancement and the roles that credentialing and privileging play in these efforts. 

By nature of their training, pharmacists are uniquely qualified to serve as society's drug experts. This expertise translates well to roles within the pharmaceutical industry, including the position of medical science liaison (MSL). What is an MSL and what does this role entail? What additional training is needed for a pharmacist to serve in an MSL position? What other opportunities are there for pharmacists to leverage their unique skill sets and training within the pharmaceutical industry? Dr. Stephanie Wu, Medical Science Liaison in Allergy & Respiratory at Sanofi, joins us on the podcast to discuss these topics and more. Listen as she describes her role as an MSL and highlights the growing opportunity for pharmacists in the field.