Karl Renius

His Story

Dr. Renius received his Pharm.D. degree from Ferris State University in 2014 and completed a PGY1 residency at Sparrow Health System in Lansing, MI the following year. Following residency training, he obtained BCPS, BCOP, and developed software skills needed to apply data analytics to pharmacy practice.

Overview of Facility/Health System

Michigan Medicine is a 1,000 bed academic medical center located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Significant Projects

Karl's daily work involves the acquisition, processing, cleaning, and visualization of pharmacy system data. This includes managing the extract, transform, and load processes, database design, writing SQL/Python code, and creating Tableau visualizations. The scope of the work typically includes workload (dispenses, verifications, interventions, etc.), cost, and clinical/outcomes measures.

Initial Involvement in ASHP

Karl is a member of ASHPs Section Advisory Group on Clinical Decision Support and Analytics as well as residency program director for the PGY2 Informatics program at Michigan Medicine.

Advice for Someone New to Your Specialty Area

Analytics is an exciting field, but requires learning and applying many new skills that are not covered in traditional pharmacy training. This means a lot of self-directed learning or obtaining additional degrees. Some informatics residency programs will have analytics components, such as the PGY2 Pharmacy Informatics Residency at Michigan Medicine. Even beyond that training, there is a lot of skill refining required. Lifelong learning is a must.

Why did you become involved in ASHP? 

Pharmacy analytics is a somewhat niche field. Being part of ASHP allows collaboration with pharmacists across the country who are in very similar roles that are uncommon on smaller scales.

How would you explain the value of ASHP to a friend or colleague?ASHP membership provides access to a platform for growth which includes knowledge sharing and connection with like-minded professionals.

What is the value of ASHP for the profession?

Healthcare is changing, and pharmacy practice must continue to evolve with it. ASHP represents thousands of pharmacy professionals across the country, and works on our behalf to keep moving pharmacy forward.