This year’s poster session was striking due to the remarkable participation of 22 institutions who submitted a total of 58 posters. Based on scientific merit and poster content, the following posters were judged as winners:

1st Place: The impact of a pharmacist-run medication claims denial and revenue recovery program within an integrated healthcare system: a two-year review
Saint Barnabas Health Care System
Ellen Fan, RPh

2nd Place: The impact of a pharmacist educating inpatients on new medications
Hunterdon Medical Center
Jason Babby, PharmD; Rani Patel, PharmD; Ashmi A. Philips, PharmD

3rd Place: Implementation of an antibiotic stewardship program using a real-time patient surveillance system
Saint Barnabas Medical Center
Swarupa Pisupati, PharmD; Daryl Schiller, PharmD, BCPS-ID

Thank you to the judging time and talents of Drs. Deepali Dixit, Sudha Narayanaswami, Patricia O’Connor, Timothy Reilly, and Mary Wagner.

NJSHP wishes to congratulate the 2011 award recipients for their commitment to the profession and their exceptional service.

Gregory A. Santora – Pharmacist of the Year Leadership Award
Mitch G. Sobel, RPh, M.A.S., F.A.S.H.P. – Director of Pharmacy Services at the St. Joseph’s Healthcare System was the recipient of this distinguished award. Mitch was nominated by several of his colleagues. They all recognized Mitch as an outstanding leader in pharmacy who consistently sets high standards for himself and those around him; as a person who led the dramatic transformation of the pharmacy department from a stagnant, low profile, product-centered area within the hospital to a dynamic and proactive patient-focused department; and as a person continually seeking new ways to improve the delivery of patient care and to find innovative roles for the pharmacy team. Mitch was recently given the title “Fellow” by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) in recognition of the excellence he has achieved in pharmacy practice. Mitch actively participated in NJSHP for about 15 years in different leadership positions including president of NJSHP. He will serve again as NJSHP President starting in June 2011.

Pharmacist Practitioner Award
Arpi Kuyumjian, Pharm.D., is the Clinical Coordinator and Residency Program Director at Hackensack University Medical Center. She is an outstanding pharmacist with over 30 years of clinical expertise. Arpi was described by her colleagues as a person who sets excellent standards of practice for clinical pharmacists particularly in the infectious disease area, and who imparts a strong level of professionalism and excellence to all those around her. She is a practitioner who possesses an exemplary work ethic and one who performs above and beyond her normal responsibilities. Arpi has extensive teaching experience; she mentored many pharmacy students and won several “Preceptor of the Year awards” from different colleges of pharmacy for her dedication and commitment to student development. Arpi has also received numerous other awards and recognitions, some of which include the Tribute to Women and Industry (TWIN) Award, and the Outstanding Clinical Practice in Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy Award from the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists. Arpi is recognized as a great role model, who demonstrates the highest level of dignity and professionalism.

The Pharmacy Technician Award
The award was presented to Jovilyn Ballesteros, CPhT, Pharmacy Procurement Supervisor at The University Hospital-UMDNJ. Jovi is a technician who consistently performed above and beyond her normal responsibilities. At her institution, she exemplified leadership on numerous levels including recommendations with respect to inventory control, contract negotiation, formulary management, cost analysis, training new pharmacy technicians, creating the schedule, providing daily supervision of technical staff, fostering client relations, assisting with regulatory performance standards, and many others. Jovi has successfully implemented the indigent drug recovery program at UMDNJ assisting in the recovery of medications used for indigent-care or uninsured patients. She has also worked with Sentry Data Systems to address the complexities of maintaining compliance with programs such as 340B in a seamless, automated fashion. Jovi has been an active NJSHP member since 2004. She has been instrumental in recruiting pharmaceutical vendors to support and sponsor the NJSHP Annual and Chapter meetings for the NJSHP membership. Jovi has also been a key person in coordinating the New Jersey Pharmacy Leadership Group agendas and action items.

Dean Sciarrone Student Award Lauren Faust, Pharmacy student at Rutgers University was the recipient of the student award. Lauren is the President of the NJSHP Rutgers Chapter who organized numerous NJSHP’s student events, and helped expand the students’ scope of the profession. Lauren positively influenced other students’ perceptions of pharmacy careers. She became the ASHP Student Liaison this year and helped the NJSHP Rutgers Chapter receive national recognition for the first time for its achievements. Lauren is working with other student leaders across the nation to help promote ASHP and health-systems pharmacy. Her goal is to let other schools and pharmacists use our organization as an example so they can recreate our events at their schools to further educate students.

This year’s college bowl brought together contestants from the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University, and the Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy at Long Island University. After two hours of non-stop enthusiasm and several tied scores, the intense competition ended with the big win of Rutgers University who earned the applauds and cheers of a very impressed audience with the wealth of the students’ knowledge.

Congratulations to all the winners (Natasha Advani, Andrew Davidson, Lauren Faust, Julius Li, and Astrela Sison) for their triumph, and thank you to all moderators, judges, and volunteers for making this event such a success.

North Chapter
May 31, 2011
Topic: Pathogenesis and Treatment of HIV Infection
Location: St. Joseph’s Wayne Hospital – Mayer Conference Room
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Speaker: Nan Hong, PharmD, BCPS
Infectious Disease Clinical Pharmacist
St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center
Wayne, NJ

North Central Chapter
May 31, 2011 (Tentative)
Topic: PPI’s Drug Interactions: To Worry or Not to Worry
Location: Wallace Auditorium, Overlook Hospital
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Speaker: Corinne Chahine-Chakhtoura, MS, PharmD, BCPS
Director, Pharmacy Clinical Services and Residency Programs
Saint Michael’s Medical Center
Newark, NJ
Central Chapter

May 26, 2011
Topic: TBA
Location: Riverview Medical Center
Time: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Speaker: George Shehata, PharmD, CACP
Assistant Director/Clinical Coordinator
Residency Program Director
Clara Maass Medical Center
Belleville, NJ

June 29, 2011
Topic: Immunization
Location: Colts Neck Inn
Time: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Speaker: Mary Bridgeman, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist, Internal Medicine & Nephrology
Capital Health
Trenton, NJ

Southern Chapter
May 24, 2011
Topic: Anticoagulation in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
Location: Virtua Center for Learning (Located across from Sage Diner)
1200 Howard Blvd., Building 1200
Mount Laurel, NJ
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Speaker: Stephanie Polli, PharmD
Cardiology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
Camden, NJ

June 21, 2011
Topic: Pediatric Medication Safety
Location: TBA
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Speaker: Laura Bio, PharmD, BCPS
Assistant Professor Clinical Pharmacy
Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Technician Seminars
May 26, 2011 Bugs and Drugs (2 Credits)
Jersey Shore University Medical Center
1945 Corlies Avenue & Rt. 33 East
Neptune, NJ
6:30PM – 8:30PM – 2nd Floor, Ackerman Building, Room 3
Speaker: Anita Siu, PharmD
Neonatal/Pediatric Pharmacy Specialist
Clinical Assistant Professor
K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center
Neptune, NJ &
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Piscataway, NJ

June 15, 2011 Anaphalactic Shock and Allergies (2 Credits)
Jersey Shore University Medical Center
1945 Corlies Avenue & Rt. 33 East
Neptune, NJ
6:30PM – 8:30PM – 2nd Floor, Ackerman Building, Room 3
Speaker: Mary Bridgemen, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Assistant Professor
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Piscataway, NJ &
Internal Medicine Clinical Pharmacist
Capital Health Regional Medical Center
Trenton, NJ

June 21, 2011 Pain Management (2 Credits)
Kimball Medical Center
River Road & Rt. 9 South
Lakewood, NJ
6:30PM – 8:30PM
Speaker: Diana-Lee Zisa, PharmD
Staff Pharmacist
Kimball Medical Center

Upcoming Events
Rutgers Day Booth, April 30th
NJSHP is teaming up with APhA-ASP's Trooper Turtle committee to create a booth for the children visiting campus during Rutgers Day!
The booth will focus on teaching children the danger associated with everyday poisons, such as household cleaning products, and what to do if they come into contact with a poison.
NJSHP members will perform the skit from the poison prevention activity.
March of Dimes, May 1st
It will take place from 9AM - 12PM and start at the RAC on Livingston Campus. We will be walking about 6 miles around Rutgers University.
We are teaming up with PDC for this event.

Recent Events
Elections, March 30th
The positions of President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and PGC Representative were voted on by NJSHP members.
Jennifer Kostialik will be President, Nisha Bhide will be President-Elect, Diana You will be Treasurer, Danna Hamdan will be Secretary, and Anthony Johnson will be PGC Representative for NJSHP Rutgers Chapter in the 2011-2012 school year.
College Bowl, April 8th
It was an exciting competition against LIU. We’re proud of all the Rutgers students who participated.
Special congratulations to the Rutgers winning team.
NJSHP Poster Presentation at the Annual Meeting, April 8th
NJSHP members presented at the Poster Presentation at the Annual Meeting. We had fun talking to everyone who stopped at the table.
Careers Post Residency Event, April 14th
We provided students with the information about what opportunities one can have after completing a residency.
This was a collaboration event with ACCP.
Dining to Donate, April 14th
The Dining to Donate Day was arranged with TGI Fridays (1315 Centennial Avenue, Piscataway).
20% of each bill went to the March of Dimes cause.
Lexi-Comp Info Session, April 21st
A representative from Lexi-Comp provided information about clinical resources/technology and explained how to use them on different platforms.
Discounts on software will be offered to Rutgers students until May 31st.

Visit our website www.njshprutgers.weebly.com gallery for pictures of our past events!

Please feel free to contact me via e-mail, laurenfaust@comcast.net or cell: 856-261-1128 with any questions or comments.
– Lauren Faust, NJSHP Rutgers Chapter President

Our best efforts to provide for a vast and diverse group of participants in the March 17, 2011 Disney's Approach to Quality Service for Healthcare Professionals event have not been successful. A significant portion of the event's value stems from the guest's ability to interact with other attendees, immediately applying the lessons learned to a broad spectrum of work environments.

As a result, we have postponed Disney's Approach to Quality Service for Healthcare Professionals one-day event from March 17, 2011 to June 30, 2011. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Every hospital, clinic, group medical practice, dental practice, or freestanding medical care provider has the opportunity to distinguish themselves through the delivery of quality services.

A one-day local workshop, Disney's Approach to Quality Service for Healthcare Professionals program will show you the importance of attention to detail in everything Disney does -- from training its Cast Members (employees) to treating every Guest (patient) as a VIP. You will hear the stories and see how Disney best practices can be easily adapted to your healthcare delivery organization.

IMPORTANT: Please use promotional code SHPMNE to receive $35 OFF PER GUEST when registering. Additional group discounts are available.

TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER GO TO: www.PrincetonMouse.com No prerequisite training required.

4/13/2011 ASHP has joined the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and a group of leading hospital, provider, and patient groups in an effort to improve the quality, safety, and affordability of health care.

The Partnership for Patients aims to save more than 60,000 lives by stopping preventable injuries and complications. Prevention of adverse drug reactions is one of the areas targeted for attention. Research showing the benefits of involving pharmacists in patient care roles, including the recent study by ASHP member Marie Chisholm-Burns, is featured on the Partnership’s web site.

ASHP will be working to help our members understand how to participate and take advantage of the Partnership.

Read More

Cheryl A. Thompson BETHESDA, MD 14 April 2011 — FDA, after reviewing the results of placebo-controlled studies that found higher rates of cardiovascular-related death in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who received olmesartan, has concluded that the benefits of the drug in patients with hypertension "continue to outweigh its potential risks."

The agency announced its finding today in a "drug safety communication."

In June 2010 , FDA said it had undertaken a review of the data from the two Phase III studies, which focused on a medical use other than the treatment of hypertension.

The agency at the time emphasized that it had not concluded that olmesartan therapy increases the risk of death.

Results of the larger Phase III study, Randomized Olmesartan and Diabetes Microalbuminuria Prevention , appeared in the March 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Read More

Cheryl A. Thompson BETHESDA, MD 14 April 2011 — Ortho-McNeil Neurologics this morning announced a recall of lots 0KG110 and 0LG222 of Topamax 100-mg tablets because consumers have complained that the product has an uncharacteristic odor.

The company, a division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., said the odor may be caused by trace amounts of 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA), a byproduct of a chemical preservative sometimes applied to the wood of pallets.

Similar recalls of products from other Johnson & Johnson companies have been occurring for more than a year.

Read More

South College in Tennessee is scheduled to officially open a new campus today. The new South College campus will house a number of programs, including a new pharmacy school. The school is expected to create approximately 50 jobs within three years, and already employs 200 people. Thus far, campus is expected to have 280 students on campus as of fall 2010, out of a maximum capacity of 800 seats. South expects the remaining slots to be taken once programs reach full accreditation status, including the pharmacy school, which will admit 50 students initially, according to Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education standards. The pharmacy program has capacity for 300 students after three years. "Starting classes is contingent upon us being granted precandidate status by the ACPE. We will know that in June and are planning to start classes on July 25," South College Dean of Pharmacy Walter Fitzgerald said.

The Premier healthcare alliance surveyed 311 hospital pharmacy experts from 228 hospitals and other facilities and found that 90 percent experienced a prescription drug shortage in 2010. At least a half-dozen drug shortages were reported by more than 50 percent of respondents, and the study indicates that these drug shortages cost hospitals $200 million or more per year. The survey shows that 80 percent of those polled said drug shortages caused a delay or cancellation of patient care intervention; 42 percent said they were forced to purchase a higher-priced product from a "gray market" vendor; and 60 percent said pharmacists were forced to compound a drug that was either unavailable or priced too high.

The FDA has issued a notice regarding compounding of hydroxyprogesterone caproate (Makena). For many years, the FDA has permitted pharmacists to compound a version of the active ingredient in the drug, synthetic progestin, for physicians who requested it by exercising enforcement discretion. Because the drug is a sterile injectable, where there is a risk of contamination, greater assurance of safety is provided by an approved product. However, under certain conditions, a licensed pharmacist may compound a drug product using ingredients that are components of FDA approved drugs if the compounding is for an identified individual patient based on a valid prescription for a compounded product that is necessary for that patient. FDA prioritizes enforcement actions related to compounded drugs using a risk-based approach, giving the highest enforcement priority to pharmacies that compound products that are causing harm or that amount to health fraud. KV Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures hydroxyprogesterone caproate, recently sent letters to pharmacists indicating that the FDA will no longer exercise enforcement discretion with regard to compounded versions of their product, which is not the case. At this time, the FDA does not intend to change their policy regarding this product, and it does not intend to take enforcement action against pharmacies that compound hydroxyprogesterone caproate based on a valid prescription for an individually identified patient unless the compounded products are unsafe, of substandard quality, or are not being compounded in accordance with appropriate standards for compounding sterile products.

The World Health Organization (WHO) First Global Patient Safety Challenge first surveyed coordinated large-scale activities to improve healthcare hand hygiene in 2007. The investigators found that 20 nations and subnations had ongoing coordinated activities intended to promote hand hygiene in healthcare. In early 2009, when investigators repeated the survey, this number increased to 38 campaigns or program. Of these 38, 29 were active national/subnational-level initiatives and 22 had started after the launch of the WHO Challenge in October 2005. In both 2007 and 2009, larger hospitals--including general, district, and university hospitals--were in the main targets for these programs. According to the 2009 survey, only nine hand hygiene initiatives existed at the national/subnational level before the Challenge was launched. The researchers found that wider healthcare-associated infection prevention campaigns were more common than specific campaigns for hand hygiene, and more initiatives are addressing primary, long-term, and home care. The authors concluded that hand hygiene is being promoted in healthcare in many nations and subnations, though they note that "greater efforts are needed to encourage others to initiate and sustain such activities.

In a study published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Yale researchers examined characteristics of hospitals in the top 5 percent and the bottom 5 percent with regard to heart attack care and their 30-day mortality rates. In interviews with staffers at 11 hospitals across the country, researchers found major differences in hospital management and quality improvement approaches but few differences in heart attack treatment. Leslie Curry of Yale's Global Health Leadership Institute, the study's lead author, says, "It's not so much what they're doing but how they're doing it." Hospitals with higher 30-day mortality rates had higher nurse turnover rates, while those with lower mortality rates viewed mistakes as learning experiences and valued the input of nurses, pharmacists, technicians and housekeeping staff. Curry says human interaction appears to matter more than investments in high-cost technology.

Qualified patients rarely use the Medicare-paid diabetes self-management education (DSMT), which provides important information and skills training for diabetes patients. DSMT helps patients identify barriers to wellness and develop coping skills for disease management. This can prevent or delay complications and reduce the healthcare burden of diabetes. However, few people with diabetes know about the availability of DSMT. Recent research from the American Association of Diabetes Educators says that about 8.5 million Americans covered by Medicare have diabetes, but only 58,000 of these individuals--less than 1 percent of those eligible--have received the educational services available through Medicare. This education is provided by diabetes educators already licensed in a healthcare specialty, including registered nurses, registered dietitians, or pharmacists.

The federal healthcare reform law focuses on lowering medical costs and improving quality of care, implementing such innovations as accountable care organizations, robust electronic medical records and the medical home. Hospitals increasingly are enhancing quality by taking steps to lower readmission rates, shorten hospital stays, eliminate bloodstream infections, minimize medical errors and boost patient satisfaction. Hospital leaders have created leadership teams comprised of physicians, nurses, pharmacists and others to collaborate on efforts to achieve quality outcomes. "Coming to this new vision, it was very important that we engaged our medical staff in the process; our medical staff became partners in care," says William Mayer, MD, MPH, vice president and chief quality officer at Bronson Healthcare Group in Michigan. "We agreed that our primary customers were patients and families, and that was also an essential element of focusing our quality improvement efforts."

The FDA has issued a warning to patients taking dabigatran etexilate mesylate (Pradaxa). According to the warning, this product should be kept in its original bottle or blister pack rather than moving it to a separate storage container. Failure to do so may reduce the drug's potency. The product label and medication guide for the drug discuss proper storage and handling, but the agency is concerned that the requirements are not being followed by users or by pharmacies. The FDA also said patients taking the drug are instructed to discard any unused pills after 30 days, although new findings suggest the drug maintains its potency up to 60 days after bottle opening as long as it is stored in the original bottle and the handling requirements are met.

Some studies have shown, that although more than a quarter of U.S. adults have a diagnosable mental health problem, fewer than half of those diagnosed receive treatment. If they do receive care, often patients will obtain it through their primary-care physician rather than a mental health professional. "It’s a huge access issue," says Katherine Nordal, executive director for professional practice at the American Psychological Association. Psychologists have suggested that, in order to improve access to treatment, they should have more authority to prescribe psychotropic medications. New Mexico and Louisiana already allows them to do so, as well as in all branches of the military and the Indian Health Service. Several other states are considering measures that would give psychologists additional prescribing authority. While any medical doctor can prescribe psychotropic drugs, psychologists must complete work equivalent to an additional master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology.

Researchers at the University of Michigan report findings that most parents obtain their information about vaccines from their children's doctors, but other sources of information include friends, family members, and even celebrities. "Even if only a fraction of parents receive, believe and act on misinformation about vaccine safety provided by these different sources, individual children's health and the population's health may suffer because of vaccine-preventable illnesses," said Dr. Gary Freed, chief of general pediatrics at the University of Michigan's school of public health. This study is published in the journal Pediatrics. The researchers surveyed 1,552 parents of children aged 17 years and younger. When asked whom they trusted "a lot" for vaccine information, 76 percent of respondents said they trusted their child's doctor, 26 percent trusted other healthcare providers, and 23 percent trusted government vaccine experts. When asked who they put "some" trust in, 67 percent said family and friends.