DISRxUPT

Local community pharmacies and free clinics may not be the first places you think of when it comes to improving the healthcare system. In a day when customer service and care seem to be devalued, this might be the best place to start. We as people are created for connection, thus genuine care and innovation in healthcare start with a recognition of realities. In this episode of DISRxUPT, Dr. Justin Coby, Director of Cedar Care Village Pharmacy in Cedarville, Ohio, joins us to discuss these topics and many more. Listen as we discuss the impact that pharmacists can have on community health specifically through independent pharmacies and free medical clinics, along with where he sees pharmacy care going in the future.

Radiopharmaceuticals are used daily in medical care as both diagnostic and therapeutic agents. With the expertise of nuclear pharmacists, radiopharmaceuticals can be used to precisely diagnose and treat many conditions. Radiopharmaceuticals can act like "flashlights," illuminating certain organs or cells through advanced imaging techniques. They can also act as "hand grenades," delivering a focused and fatal blow to cancer cells. 

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Andrew Brown, Manager of Quality Assurance in the Pharmacy Practice Division of Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions at Cardinal Health. Listen as he discusses the practice of nuclear pharmacy, new regulatory standards for the field, and the future of radiopharmaceuticals.

The opioid epidemic, a three-phased crisis thus far in the United States, has ravaged American communities both small and large. Ohio has been a major intersection for drug trafficking and is often cited as one of the worst-hit states in the nation. Initially fueled by predatory pharmaceutical marketing, this crisis was worsened by illicit laboratory production and the rise of black-market synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Opioid medications are effective and useful in the correct medical setting and with the correct precautions, but what can we do to prevent the great harm they continue to cause?

In this episode we are joined by Dr. Jon Sprague, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) Eminent Scholar at Bowling Green State University and the Director of Science and Research for the Ohio Attorney General, as he discusses the background and current state of the opioid epidemic, as well as medical and community-based solutions for preventing opioid harm to communities. 

Pharmacists receive the most extensive medication experience out of any healthcare professional. Much of the profession’s recent growth has been in areas that allow this expertise to be leveraged alongside key communication skills. Pharmacists are increasingly involved in helping to influence medication prescribing to align with current medical literature and guidelines. One tool that can be utilized by pharmacists to promote these efforts is academic detailing, an educational outreach process that involves face-to-face interaction with and education of prescribers.

In this episode of DISRxUPT, we welcome Cedarville University alumna, Dr. Stephanie Tubb, who provides academic detailing as a clinical pharmacy specialist and works as an ambulatory care pharmacist in the women's primary care clinic at the Dayton VA Medical Center. She also serves as assistant professor of pharmacy practice for the Cedarville University School of Pharmacy. Tune in as she discusses the importance of academic detailing in her role as a pharmacist.

In this episode of DISRxUPT, we explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are changing the ways pharmacists work each day. We are joined by Luke Mennen, Health System Pharmacy Administration & Leadership Resident at the Cleveland Clinic and Cedarville alumnus. In this episode, we discuss how AI is transforming all aspects of pharmacy, from drug discovery to the bedside. Luke also explains various ways in which the medication use process is impacted by AI technology now and how it might be further implemented in the future to improve health outcomes of patients. 

In this episode of DISRxUPT, we explore the important role that 503B outsourcing facilities play in today's drug supply chain. We are joined by Jeff Hval, chief operating officer and chief pharmacist with STAQ Pharma, a 503B outsourcing facility based in Colorado. Jeff explains the history behind the creation of 503B outsourcing facilities, key differences from 503A pharmacies and drug manufacturers, the role of the FDA in oversight of 503B facilities, and the importance of current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) in this space. He also highlights the key role that pharmacists play in this growing sector. Listen in as we explore this unique and important facet of the drug supply chain!

In this episode of DISRxUPT, we continue our conversations about COVID-19 vaccines by diving into the topic of vaccine hesitancy. We are joined by Dr. Aleda Chen, interim dean and associate professor at the Cedarville University School of Pharmacy.  Listen in as Dr. Chen and Dr. Cole discuss the impact of vaccine hesitancy, common beliefs about the COVID-19 vaccines, and how the social determinants of health impact our health beliefs. We also discuss how healthcare providers can utilize patient-centered communication practices like motivational interviewing to engage patients with compassion and encourage vaccine confidence.

On this episode of DISRxUPT we discuss pharmacy advocacy with Dr. Thad Franz, Vice Chair of Experiential Programs with the Cedarville University School of Pharmacy and director of Cedar Care Village Pharmacy in Cedarville, Ohio, alongside Dr. Andrea Kowalski, Director of Clinical Services with Shrivers Pharmacy, a multi-store independent pharmacy is Southeast Ohio. 

Andrea this to say about pharmacy advocacy: “We can’t expect change or progress in our profession without showing the value of a pharmacist. And that means that we go beyond our traditional roles by finding new innovative ways to use our knowledge and unique position within the community to best serve our patients.”

Listen in as we discuss the basics of the pharmacist’s role in advocacy through patient and provider relationships.

In this episode of DISRxUPT, we discuss pharmacy advocacy with Dr. Melody Hartzler, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Cedarville University and founder of PharmToTable. Dr. Hartzler has worked closely alongside the Ohio Pharmacists Association for legislative efforts and has participated in providing testimony to the Ohio Legislature on the language of the law for consult agreements. She says this about pharmacy advocacy:

“Advocacy is speaking up about what our profession can do to influence change in laws and practice.”

These efforts and many others have culminated in important recent changes in Ohio pharmacy law, including provider status, payor recognition, and provider ID numbers. Listen in as we discuss the basics of the pharmacist’s role in advocacy through patient, provider, and legislature relationships.

In today’s episode, Cedarville alumnus, Dr. Ryley Uber, will be discussing the practice of pharmacogenomics, which is how an individual’s genetic code can affect the way different medications interact and are processed within the body. The implications of research in this field are enormous. From pharmacovigilance to personalized medication dosing, everyone involved in the medication process stands to benefit from pharmacogenomic data. Dr. Uber’s interest in pharmacogenomics began during his time at Cedarville, which led to an internship studying pharmacogenomics with the FDA. He then serves as the first Clinical Pharmacogenomics Fellow with the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy and Medical Center. He now serves as Pharmacogenomics Program Director for Geisinger Health. Listen in to hear Dr. Uber discuss how pharmacogenomics is being implemented in the medical world and how it may affect your medication use for the better.