April 14, 2026

Efficiency to Excellence: AI’s Role in Modern Pharmacy Practice

17 minutes

AI is rapidly reshaping pharmacy practice, raising both concern and opportunity for healthcare teams. Vizient host Kerry Schwarz is joined by Dr. Jason Chou, Vice President of the System Pharmacy Service Line, and Dr. Catherine Oliver, System AVP of Clinical Pharmacy Services at Ochsner Health, to explore how AI is improving efficiency while redefining how pharmacy teams spend their time. They discuss where technology is already making an impact and where its limits still require human expertise.

Guest Speakers:

Dr. Jason Chou, Pharm.D., MS

Vice President, System Pharmacy Service Line

Ochsner Health

Dr. Catherine Oliver, Pharm.D., BCPS, DPLA, CPGx

System AVP, Clinical Pharmacy Services

Ochsner Health

Host

Dr. Kerry Schwarz, Pharm.D., MPH

Senior Clinical Manager, Evidence-Based Medicine and Outcomes

Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence 

Shownotes:

00:05 — Introduction

Announcer welcomes listeners to VerifiedRx, produced by the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence.

00:14 — Episode Overview

Host Kerry introduces the topic: the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and pharmacy.

Key themes:

Addressing fears of job replacement

Identifying real-world use cases

Understanding limitations of AI

Practical strategies for adoption

Guests:

Dr. Jason Chou, VP, System Pharmacy Service Line, Ochsner Health

Dr. Catherine Oliver, System AVP, Clinical Pharmacy Services, Ochsner Health

01:04 — Will AI Replace Healthcare Jobs?

Concern exists, but largely driven by misunderstanding

AI is expected to:

Augment, not replace, pharmacy roles

Improve efficiency in daily workflows

AI is not capable of:

Independent clinical judgment

Meaningful patient interactions

Human elements—trust, empathy, and nuance—remain essential.

02:20 — Where AI Can Add Value Today

Focus should shift from fear to practical use cases

Ideal applications:

Reducing non-value-added tasks

Improving efficiency

Supporting clinical decision-making preparation (not replacing it)

02:39 — Early Use Cases: Operational Efficiency

AI can reduce administrative burden such as:

Prior authorizations

Insurance-related communications

Data gathering and documentation

Opportunity to eliminate “busy work” and improve staff satisfaction

03:31 — Clinical Workflow Support

AI can:

Summarize patient charts, labs, and notes

Organize large volumes of clinical data

Enables pharmacists to:

Spend less time preparing

Spend more time in patient care and provider interaction

04:08 — Additional Opportunities: Supply Chain & Operations

AI can support:

Inventory management

Purchasing optimization

Multi-site coordination

Benefits include:

Cost savings

Improved efficiency

Better resource utilization

05:00 — Where to Draw the Line

AI should not replace clinical decision-making

Limitations include:

Lack of experience and judgment

Inability to incorporate patient values and preferences

Final decisions must remain with clinicians.

05:42 — Preserving the Human Element

Patient care involves:

Trust

Empathy

Relationship-building

Over-reliance on AI risks eroding patient confidence.

06:11 — Patient Interaction & Transparency

Patients want to know:

When AI is used

How it impacts their care

Transparency and communication are critical

06:48 — AI in Direct Patient Care: Ambient Listening

AI tools can:

Capture conversations during patient visits

Reduce documentation burden

Important considerations:

Patient consent

Ability to opt out

Privacy concerns

07:31 — Risks of Poor Implementation

Poorly designed AI interactions can:

Frustrate patients

Reduce trust

Healthcare AI must avoid:

Impersonal experiences

Inefficient automation

08:21 — AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement

Comparable to tools like:

Search engines (e.g., Google)

Enhances efficiency without replacing professional roles.

09:12 — Early Success Stories

Prior Authorization Optimization

AI improves:

Data extraction

Documentation speed

Approval timelines

Benefits:

Faster patient access to therapy

Improved staff satisfaction

10:07 — Clinical Decision Support Enhancements

AI-driven rule systems:

Identify high-risk patients

Reduce unnecessary chart reviews

Example outcome:

Reduction in time spent reviewing charts without intervention

Frees pharmacists for:

Medication reconciliation

Patient counseling

11:11 — Impact on Workforce Engagement

Staff report:

Increased satisfaction

More time for meaningful work

AI seen as an enabler rather than a threat

12:03 — Vendor Landscape & Challenges

Rapid growth of AI vendors addressing niche problems

Key risks:

Data security concerns

Vendor quality variability

Overlapping or redundant solutions

12:51 — Integration & Workflow Considerations

Successful AI tools must:

Integrate with EHRs

Align with pharmacy workflows

Avoid siloed systems

Poor integration leads to inefficiency and adoption barriers

14:04 — Vendor Evaluation Considerations

Assess:

Clinical and operational expertise

Product maturity

Implementation effort

Risk vs benefit

Balance between:

Ready-made solutions

Custom-built tools requiring internal resources

14:56 — Practical Advice for Health System Leaders

Develop a system-wide AI strategy

Collaborate across departments (not siloed decisions)

Engage:

Legal

Ethics teams

Avoid duplicative solutions across service lines

15:31 — Building Organizational Readiness

Be open to learning and experimentation

Ask questions and maintain healthy skepticism

Focus on:

Improving workflows

Enhancing patient outcomes

Supporting workforce engagement

16:02 — Infrastructure & Speed of Innovation

AI vendors move quickly

Organizations must:

Be prepared to adapt rapidly

Avoid delays that hinder innovation

Balance speed with governance and safety

16:27 — Closing

Kerry thanks the guests for their insights

Encourages continued exploration of AI’s evolving role in healthcare

Reminder to subscribe and engage with VerifiedRx.

Subscribe Today!

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By Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence

4.6

99 ratings

April 14, 2026

Efficiency to Excellence: AI’s Role in Modern Pharmacy Practice

17 minutes

Guest Speakers:

Dr. Jason Chou, Pharm.D., MS

Vice President, System Pharmacy Service Line

Ochsner Health

Dr. Catherine Oliver, Pharm.D., BCPS, DPLA, CPGx

System AVP, Clinical Pharmacy Services

Ochsner Health

Host

Dr. Kerry Schwarz, Pharm.D., MPH

Senior Clinical Manager, Evidence-Based Medicine and Outcomes

Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence 

Shownotes:

00:05 — Introduction

Announcer welcomes listeners to VerifiedRx, produced by the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence.

00:14 — Episode Overview

Host Kerry introduces the topic: the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and pharmacy.

Key themes:

Addressing fears of job replacement

Identifying real-world use cases

Understanding limitations of AI

Practical strategies for adoption

Guests:

Dr. Jason Chou, VP, System Pharmacy Service Line, Ochsner Health

Dr. Catherine Oliver, System AVP, Clinical Pharmacy Services, Ochsner Health

01:04 — Will AI Replace Healthcare Jobs?

Concern exists, but largely driven by misunderstanding

AI is expected to:

Augment, not replace, pharmacy roles

Improve efficiency in daily workflows

AI is not capable of:

Independent clinical judgment

Meaningful patient interactions

Human elements—trust, empathy, and nuance—remain essential.

02:20 — Where AI Can Add Value Today

Focus should shift from fear to practical use cases

Ideal applications:

Reducing non-value-added tasks

Improving efficiency

Supporting clinical decision-making preparation (not replacing it)

02:39 — Early Use Cases: Operational Efficiency

AI can reduce administrative burden such as:

Prior authorizations

Insurance-related communications

Data gathering and documentation

Opportunity to eliminate “busy work” and improve staff satisfaction

03:31 — Clinical Workflow Support

AI can:

Summarize patient charts, labs, and notes

Organize large volumes of clinical data

Enables pharmacists to:

Spend less time preparing

Spend more time in patient care and provider interaction

04:08 — Additional Opportunities: Supply Chain & Operations

AI can support:

Inventory management

Purchasing optimization

Multi-site coordination

Benefits include:

Cost savings

Improved efficiency

Better resource utilization

05:00 — Where to Draw the Line

AI should not replace clinical decision-making

Limitations include:

Lack of experience and judgment

Inability to incorporate patient values and preferences

Final decisions must remain with clinicians.

05:42 — Preserving the Human Element

Patient care involves:

Trust

Empathy

Relationship-building

Over-reliance on AI risks eroding patient confidence.

06:11 — Patient Interaction & Transparency

Patients want to know:

When AI is used

How it impacts their care

Transparency and communication are critical

06:48 — AI in Direct Patient Care: Ambient Listening

AI tools can:

Capture conversations during patient visits

Reduce documentation burden

Important considerations:

Patient consent

Ability to opt out

Privacy concerns

07:31 — Risks of Poor Implementation

Poorly designed AI interactions can:

Frustrate patients

Reduce trust

Healthcare AI must avoid:

Impersonal experiences

Inefficient automation

08:21 — AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement

Comparable to tools like:

Search engines (e.g., Google)

Enhances efficiency without replacing professional roles.

09:12 — Early Success Stories

Prior Authorization Optimization

AI improves:

Data extraction

Documentation speed

Approval timelines

Benefits:

Faster patient access to therapy

Improved staff satisfaction

10:07 — Clinical Decision Support Enhancements

AI-driven rule systems:

Identify high-risk patients

Reduce unnecessary chart reviews

Example outcome:

Reduction in time spent reviewing charts without intervention

Frees pharmacists for:

Medication reconciliation

Patient counseling

11:11 — Impact on Workforce Engagement

Staff report:

Increased satisfaction

More time for meaningful work

AI seen as an enabler rather than a threat

12:03 — Vendor Landscape & Challenges

Rapid growth of AI vendors addressing niche problems

Key risks:

Data security concerns

Vendor quality variability

Overlapping or redundant solutions

12:51 — Integration & Workflow Considerations

Successful AI tools must:

Integrate with EHRs

Align with pharmacy workflows

Avoid siloed systems

Poor integration leads to inefficiency and adoption barriers

14:04 — Vendor Evaluation Considerations

Assess:

Clinical and operational expertise

Product maturity

Implementation effort

Risk vs benefit

Balance between:

Ready-made solutions

Custom-built tools requiring internal resources

14:56 — Practical Advice for Health System Leaders

Develop a system-wide AI strategy

Collaborate across departments (not siloed decisions)

Engage:

Legal

Ethics teams

Avoid duplicative solutions across service lines

15:31 — Building Organizational Readiness

Be open to learning and experimentation

Ask questions and maintain healthy skepticism

Focus on:

Improving workflows

Enhancing patient outcomes

Supporting workforce engagement

16:02 — Infrastructure & Speed of Innovation

AI vendors move quickly

Organizations must:

Be prepared to adapt rapidly

Avoid delays that hinder innovation

Balance speed with governance and safety

16:27 — Closing

Kerry thanks the guests for their insights

Encourages continued exploration of AI’s evolving role in healthcare

Reminder to subscribe and engage with VerifiedRx.

Subscribe Today!

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

RSS Feed

...more

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More shows like VerifiedRx

Freakonomics Radio

The Daily

340B Insight

The Headlines