The National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP) Congratulates Award Winners at its ...

Washington, DC, Oct. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NASP announced a total of eight Industry Award winners, four Poster Award winners, and four Scholarship recipients during its 2024 Annual Meeting & Expo. The peer-nominated and reviewed awards go to the individuals and organizations that have helped to advance patient care and the practice of specialty pharmacy, as well as upheld the values of NASP over the past year. 

NASP congratulated the winners of the Specialty Pharmacy of the Year Award, Amber Specialty Pharmacy; Distinguished Service Award, David Mitchell, UC Davis Health; Specialty Pharmacy Service Excellence Award, Dena Thorpe, McKesson; Strategic Channel Partner of the Year Award, Inovalon; Pharmacy Technician of the Year, Alisha Atchison, UVA Health; Pharmacist of the Year, John Nguyen, AcariaHealth Specialty Pharmacy; Caregiver of the Year, Rachel Hill, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; and Manufacturer of the Year, BeiGene.

“It truly takes a village to care for a specialty pharmacy patient. The diversity of our membership is unique  and though not all directly interact with and care for patients, they all play a significant role in positively impacting the patient care journey. There are so many individuals  and organizations that consistently go above and beyond to serve this industry and patients, and we are proud to honor and celebrate them,” said Sheila M. Arquette, RPh, President & CEO, NASP.

This year, 104 abstracts were accepted for poster presentations. Authors participated in an interactive Q&A forum with attendees to further expound on their research and results. Poster judges and conference attendees selected four winning posters. The research detailed in the posters demonstrates the value of complex clinical literature and showcases work that specialty pharmacies perform on a day-to-day basis.

The winners are:

• Specialty Pharmacy Outcomes & Practice-Based Research: Ana Lopez-Medina, PharmD, RPh, CPS Solutions, for “Exploring the impact of alternative funding programs on medication access and clinical outcomes”

• Specialty Pharmacy Products, Services, or Programs: Sandra Rivera, Shields Health Solutions, for “Net promoter scores demonstrate value of integrated health system specialty pharmacy services”

• Digital Engagement/Technology in Specialty Pharmacy Services: Kristen Whelchel, PharmD, CSP, Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy, for “Implementation of a flowsheet to track patients with inflammatory bowel disease initiating a biologic with complex dosing regimens”

• Attendee Choice: Diana Miller, Shields Health Solutions, for “Enhancing specialty pharmacy care through data-driven insights: The value of clinical outcomes dashboards in health system specialty pharmacy”

NASP also awarded four Ron Bookman Memorial scholarships to deserving students. The scholarships, in the amount of $2,500 each, are awarded for academic achievement, a commitment to serving others, a strong work ethic, and leadership qualities. The NASP scholarship winners are:

• Elizabeth Doucet from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy;

• Jenny Nguyen from the University of California, Irvine School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences;

• Kaitlin Jacob from the University of Mississippi; and

• Lauren Moy from the University of Illinois Chicago College of Pharmacy.

These individuals represent the best and the brightest in the specialty pharmacy industry, and their announcements were met with applause at the NASP 2024 Annual Meeting & Expo, October 6 - 9 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN. The Industry Award winners, Poster Award winners, and Scholarship Award winners were all recognized during the meeting to a record audience of 1,950 attendees.

About the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP)

NASP is a 501(c)(6) trade organization and is the only non-profit national association representing all stakeholders in the specialty pharmacy industry. The mission of NASP is to elevate the practice of specialty pharmacy by developing, delivering, and promoting continuing professional education and specialty certification while advocating for public policies that ensure patients have appropriate access to specialty medications in tandem with critical services. NASP members include the nation’s leading independent specialty pharmacies, pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers, group purchasing organizations, patient advocacy groups, integrated delivery systems and health plans, technology and data management vendors, wholesalers/distributors, and practicing pharmacists. With more than 3,000 members, NASP is unifying the voices of specialty pharmacy in the United States.

Sheila M. Arquette, RPh National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP) (703) 842-0122 sheila.arquette@naspnet.org