June 2023
Dear Colleagues,
“Just because we can build it, doesn’t mean we should.”
Attending a wonderful and thought-provoking Summer Meeting brought this saying that I work to instill into our pharmacy informatics learners to mind. Following the widespread availability of generative AI, a new push for utilization of these tools into the world of healthcare is in full swing. I encourage you all to continue to grow your knowledge and be prepared to be a front-line educator for your clinical peers, but also be cognizant of the potential pitfalls and sense of security these new technologies might also provide. Even though the utilization, development, and implementation of these tools will be challenging and engaging remember we need to keep our patients first and foremost and consider the ethical and pharmacoequity implications of these advancements. The new world of digital health will be bountiful, and I look forward to the developments this section will contribute over the coming years.
I greatly appreciated the opportunity to represent the Section at the House of Delegates. Pertinent to the Section of Pharmacy Informatics and Technology we assisted in successfully proposing and gain acceptance for a new policy regarding Barcodes with Lot and Expiration Dates. This will serve as a resource for advocating the FDA and organizations developing barcode standards to understand the impact of needing this information on all immediate product packages to enhance patient safety and medication related workflows.
As my year as Chair ends, I know I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish any of this without my amazing Executive Committee: Barry McClain, David Aguero, Hesham Mourad, Jeff Chalmers, and Ryan Cello. Barry, thank you for everything you have done for the section over the last 6 years. You provided me a wonderful example to follow and always made the path in front of us seem less daunting. Jeff, as you complete your time as Direct-at-Large thank you for all your contributions and servers to the group. I welcome my colleague and recently installed Chair Hesham Mourad, you will do amazing things my friend. To our board liaison Sam Calabrese, we appreciate your patience with our sometimes overly technical conversations and wish you the best with your new role at ASHP. Finally, a special thank you to Amey Hugg. Your support is integral to all the Section can accomplish for our patients and the profession. I’m excited to begin my final year of service and look forward to continuing to work with this wonderful Section. Have an amazing summer.
Respectfully,
Benjamin J. Anderson, PharmD, MPH
Chair, Section of Pharmacy Informatics and Technology
[email protected]