NJSHP Spring Bulletin

Even though the Pharmacy Practice Act was passed a few years ago, there has been some confusion both in and outside New Jersey about the CDTM and Immunization programs.

Both the collaborative drug therapy management (NJSA 45:14-62) and the administration of drugs in immunization programs (NJSA 45:14-63b) require the adoption of regulations that have been promulgated by both the Board of Pharmacy and the Board of Medical Examiners. These regulations have been written and approved by both Boards but are in the review stage in both Newark and Trenton. Once these regulations clear this stage, they will be published for a 60 day comment period, followed by a review of the comments and, hopefully, publication for adoption.

1. S1195 Establishes pharmacy’s duty to fill prescriptions for in-stock drugs or devices

without delay, notwithstanding sincerely held moral, philosophical or religious beliefs of pharmacist.

6/11/2007 Passed Assembly (Passed Both Houses) (55-19-4)


a.	Pharmacist must obtain the product by the most expedited manner or

b.	Refer the patient to the nearest pharmacy, that is reasonably accessible, to obtain the product or device.

c.	Violations of this act may be reported to the Board of Pharmacy.

2. A1624 Establishes Prescription Monitoring Program in Division of Consumer Affairs and provides division with authority over registration and control of controlled dangerous substances


a.	Encompasses adding, deleting, or rescheduling substances as seen fit;

b. Registration requirements;

c. Appears to contain information that should be familiar to practitioners regarding dispensing, refill allowances, etc. but has provisions for additional monitoring parameters for uses and dispensing activities.

3. A1025 “Pharmacy Quality Improvement and Error Prevention Act” Commerce


a.	Development of the New Jersey Task Force On the Prevention of Medication Errors. 1) Purpose of the Task Force is to advise the Board of Pharmacy on education, reporting and recommendations to decrease medication related errors

b.	Establishment of Pharmacy Continuous Quality Improvement Programs.

c.	Describes appropriateness of filing reports on medications errors and protections from liability when performed per regulations.


With all of the new pressures and commitments associated with any new position, involvement in a professional organization probably doesn’t resonate high on the to-do list. But it should. What turns out to be a small investment in time, can transform into a valuable investment throughout the years. According to David R. Witmer, Pharm.D. and Vice President of Member Services for ASHP, “you can derive the greatest benefit by not just joining a community, but by becoming actively involved in its activities.” Pharmacy organizations exist to serve the profession. Any organization’s success depends on the commitment of its members to serve and be change-agents vital to its continued success. As an example, ASHP changed its membership structure in response to the needs and requests of its members. Our own NJSHP exists to serve health-system pharmacy practitioners on the state and local level.	It’s here where the individual can have the fastest and most impact. It’s also here, the state and local level, where issues related to the profession will have the most impact on YOU! Where’s the right opportunity for you? In my experience, and without stepping upon the proverbial “soapbox,” I’ve found that there are many ways to start. Through participation at regional meetings, educational sessions, quarterly student meetings, as a mentor, or among the valuable network of pharmacists, students, and technicians, you can easily bring a new idea, process or experience to the forefront. NJSHP has enjoyed solid leadership throughout the years and these leaders are always available to help and guide. Even the simple words “Can I help out with this…” will quickly put you on the road to greater involvement. From a personal perspective, I can absolutely assure that getting and staying involved with NJSHP has been invaluable to me.	I’ve been fortunate to be the President-Elect and President of the Student chapter. I’ve had many chances to contribute directly including assisting in the development of the 2004 Annual Meeting, planning and participating in the annual Student chapter Halloween visit to the Children’s Hospital at St. Peter’s University Hospital, and serving as a judge for the 2007 NJSHP College Bowl. In addition to having had many opportunities I’ve been a recipient of good advice and friendships from both current and past NJSHP presidents and board members. John A. Gans, Pharm.D. APhA, Executive Vice President and CEO in Pharmacy Today,(March 2007) states “We must take it upon ourselves to raise society’s awareness of pharmacists’ capabilities. To succeed, pharmacists must be leaders in their practices, the classroom, and our communities.” Maximize your NJSHP experience and really get involved…no effort is too little!




GREGORY A. SANTORA PHARMACIST OF THE YEAR LEADERSHIP AWARD Carlo P. Lupano, R.Ph. Carlo Lupano is this year’s recipient for this distinguished award. Carlo possesses key competencies in the areas of leadership, strategic planning, patient care and pharmacy process management that are cornerstones for this prestigious award. As a former NJSHP President and three year north Chapter President, Carlo was integrally involved with presenting NJSHP’s voice in the passage of the Pharmacy Practice Act. Currently he serves as an Alternate New Jersey Delegate for ASHP. At The Valley Hospital, Carlo is recognized as a Team Leader for the Hospital’s Leadership Institute and has been key in helping his hospital increase its annual studies to an impressive number of 120. Carlo’s many contributions to his hospital also include his participation in its Review Board where new investigational protocols for stroke, cardiac and cancer are explored. He is also credited, along with a dedicated management team, for helping The Valley Hospital achieve 55,535 interventions which produced $3.5 million dollars of cost savings in one year.	Pharmacist Practitioner Award Jennifer Costello, Pharm.D. With a vibrant personality and extremely approachable manner, Jennifer has the gift of being able to work productively with all staff and affect positive results that can only serve to advance the profession of pharmacy. Jennifer is the first pharmacy professional in New Jersey to develop the protocol and order sets for keeping organs viable that are going to be harvested for PICU patients that are brain dead. These order sets are going to be used by the Sharing Network of New Jersey. She has served on the team of the International Children’s Heart Foundation along with nursing and physician professionals from her current organization, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. She had a positive impact on a length of stay initiative that enabled patients to be sent home before the weekend and saved her hospital an estimated $63,000. Because of her outstanding contributions to Newark Beth Israel, Jennifer has also been recognized as Employee of the Month and is also a Core Value Award Recipient	Dean Sciarrone Student Award Gregory G. Abendroth Greg lives by a philosophy that progress in pharmacy is driven by visionaries, those few who see an unmet need and strive to improve the quality of life for patients. He works parttime in a compoundingonly pharmacy that focuses on helping patients who have been unaided by traditional treatment. Whether Greg is preparing treatments for refractory pain, pediatric dosage forms, or dye-free medications for patients with severe allergies, he’s learned that helping patients doesn’t stop when they receive their medication. He often has to reformulate compounds after follow up to improve efficacy or tolerability and frequently calls pharmaceutical companies to request additional study information, combing the literature for case reports and brainstorming how to best address a patient’s unmet needs. It’s an opportunity to lead in uncharted waters. Greg too has led in charted waters as Student Chapter Officer for two years. Greg sees countless opportunities to lead pharmacy in new directions and is willing to provide his unique perspectives.

Beverly Wilt Pharmacy Service Award Helen LoSasso, Pharm.D. Helen is the first recipient of this award. She notes that it is bittersweet for having lost a friend/mentor while at the same time it is such a humbling experience to be honored for upholding the values for whom this award was created. Fittingly, Helen is clinical manager at Kennedy Health System where she is charged to develop the organization’s clinical programs. She is the NJSHP State Treasurer and has served NJSHP in various positions as Secretary for the State Chapter and Treasurer for the Southern Chapter. She comments that her service to NJSHP has been very rewarding because she’s had the opportunity to work with so many talented people.	Pharmacy Technician Award Janet DeCeglie, CPhT Certified as a chemotherapy technician, Janet was quickly able to step up to the changing staffing needs at Holy Name Hospital when promoted to a full time senior technician. She is highly efficient as she carefully plans her prep to accommodate the many aspects of the hospital’s infusion schedule. Janet took the lead to upgrade 20 year-old stationary carts to mobile workstations. To accomplish this transition, Janet had to garner cooperation between the pharmacy and nursing workflow and be consistent with a clear vision about the upgrade. She is intricately involved with chemoembolization, a new procedure at Holy Name, where she works with the Interventional Radiology Department. Janet applied her expertise and determination to compound the product safely and efficiently despite loose manufacturer guidelines.

April 11, 2007
Strong traditions continue to endure at NJSHP’s premier event….the Annual Meeting, Exhibition and Installation Dinner. These traditions have guaranteed that members get to meet newly installed officers, network with peers and vendors, exchange information and earn continuing education credits. As traditional as some of major meeting components like the Officer Installation, the NJSHP devotes much time and energy to make sure that the meeting is engaging and well worth its members’ time and commuting expenses. It’s a once-a-year event that is hugely successful due to proper planning and commitment to bring what’s current, and what’s the future. This theme of this year’s meeting was Optimum Care. After a warm welcome from Immediate Past President Mitch Sobel, a little friendly competition ensued with the College Bowl, a “jeopardystyle” format that never disappoints. Check out Marsha Durniak’s separate contribution about	this challenging competition that seems to intensify over the years. Next on the slate for continuing education credits were the Significant Papers in Pharmacotherapy. Six very knowledgeable Pharm.D.’s presented their papers on these topics: oncology, cardiology, nephrology, infectious diseases and critical care. Many thanks to the talents of Mary M. Barna, Corrine Chahine-Chakhtoura, Susan Goodin, Michelle Kohute and Matthew Piskun. The Exhibit Hall opened shortly after where members got to network with 40 vendors and learn what’s the newest and greatest in the manufacturing world of pharmacy. No time for snoozing, just a little time for schmoozing. At the same time slot, members also could pop into the Poster Session and review twenty-five thorough representations that reflect the initiatives NJSHP members developed throughout the year. The Cocktail Reception opened at this time slot for	some serious networking and a little more relaxing before dinner. NBC medical reporter and keynote speaker Kevin Soden, MD, MPH received high praises for his uplifting presentation entitled Keeping your Sense of Humor While Caring for Others. Following, NJSHP distributed its Annual Awards. Read the separate column to learn more about your NJSHP award recipients and their contributions. Don’t hesitate to give them a call and extend your congratulations. One day they may just be calling you to extend their congratulations on your award at the Annual Meeting." In the most traditional part of the meeting, the 2007-2008 NJSHP Officers and Directors were officially installed by pledging their oaths. NJSHP thanks this talented group for their commitment and dedication and wishes all the best in the upcoming year!



College Bowl Continues Its Success At the Annual Meeting! By Marsha Durniak
Thirty pharmacy students from Temple University College of Pharmacy and The Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University participated in this year’s College Bowl. The audience was filled with enthusiastic NJSHP members who immensely enjoyed the competition between the students. Six student groups competed for three rounds. The winning group of the first three rounds went into a semi-final round. The semi-finalists went headto- head during the final round for the championship. Competition was tense and challenging with over 300 questions for teams to show their proficiency. These questions were submitted for verification and then reviewed by the three judges: Daniel Abazia, Jennifer Ash and Yvonne Terceros. Indu Lew formatted the questions so that if one group missed it, it was up for stealing by the second group. Both Indu Lew and Nancy Siekmann did a remarkable job as moderators in	asking the questions with clarity and objectivity. Temple School of Pharmacy students were new additions to the challenge and fun of this competition. Temple’s Eileen Lichtenstein, director of Student and Alumni Services, worked very diligently in helping arrange for the students to participate around their busy schedule. Although both winning teams were from Rutgers, Eileen noted that the Temple students are looking forward to next year’s competition. Whether you’re a participant or part of the audience, it’s guaranteed that you’ll enjoy this popular format. Even better, you can earn CE credits. This year one of the CE credits was worth a 0.1 Law credit. See you next year when you sign up for the fun!