Marc Phillips

His Story

Dr. Marc Phillips received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy in 2011. He has practiced in numerous outpatient and inpatient capacities and is currently a Certified Professional of Healthcare Quality (CPHQ).

Dr. Phillips currently serves as Pharmacy Supply Chain manager and leads a  team that procures for the inpatient, outpatient and ambulatory needs of J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital which is the flag ship academic medical center for West Virginia Medicine.. Dr. Phillips also leads drug shortage response efforts at Ruby Memorial as well as coordinates response at the health system level as needed. Dr. Phillips currently serves as a preceptor for WVU Medicine's PGY-1 and HSPAL Residency programs.

Overview of Facility/Health System

WVU Medicine is an integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient facilities and hospitals that delivers a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to communities in West Virginia, Southwest Pennsylvania, Ohio and Western Maryland. WVU Medicine consists of 18 member hospitals, led by our 720 bed flagship academic medical center, J.W Ruby Memorial Hospital located in Morgantown, WV.

Significant Projects

Dr. Phillips assisted in a recent automation conversion of J.W. Ruby Memorial’s automated dispensing cabinets and central automation. This consisted weighing in on PAR levels and product buy-ins to ensure machines were full and our balance sheets remained in the black. We're also assisting other health system sites as they start their own conversions.

Dr. Phillips and team assisted with COVID Vaccine roll-out from EUA approval onward to our employees and our community at large as well as assisted with system drug shortage support given the various logistical and manufacturing challenges the past 24-36 months has brought us. 

Initial Involvement in ASHP

Dr. Phillips is currently a member of the SAG on Professional Development for the Section of Pharmacy Informatics and Technology (SOPIT).

Why did you become involved in ASHP? 

Like many pharmacy students, I joined ASHP to prepare myself to pursue residency training although life had different plans leading me to outpatient work first. Upon returning to inpatient practice, I began to learn how the sections and forums both influenced and benefited from the work of ASHP as an organization. Over the years, I've become more involved in ASHP n and joined my first advisory council since joining our management team. I continue to seek opportunities to engage with ASHP because not only do I learn a lot that helps me to be more thorough and connected at work, but because I also feel welcomed and engaged in collaborating with others in the profession.

Advice for Someone New to Your Specialty Area

For someone new to pharmacy leadership and supply chain, I would recommend looking at every new task and challenge as the next way to gain experience and prepare yourself and those around you to be resilient to the health care environment. The current pandemic has pushed all of healthcare, not just pharmacy, to innovate in various areas. Each opportunity to be involved in a new project or initiative is a chance to become the next expert on a topic, and there is not always a roadmap for how to solve a problem or master a skill or topic.

My advice is to lean in as much as you can, set an example of professionalism that you want for others to see from pharmacy and your own team, and always exercise your best to get things done. 

How would you explain the value of ASHP to a friend or colleague?

ASHP brings value to me by providing  opportunities to learn and collaborate with others who have similar responsibilities. When I learn about a new challengeor opportunity in supply chain or drug shortages, I find that ASHP provides me with precious insight that helps me to make the best assessment and in some cases the next best step. They pull together literature, presentations, people, and collective experiences of people with expertise in understanding key issues facing all of us in pharmacy practice.

What is the value of ASHP for the profession? 

ASHP supports our profession, and the pharmacists and pharmacy leaders who specialize in health system pharmacy work. The organization advocates for legislation that supports pharmacy practice, reimbursement, and the elevation of scope of practice. ASHP  supports collaboration amongst pharmacists with similar interests, and in many cases it is the only organization that provides networking opportunities for groups of pharmacists and leaders in specific corners of health system pharmacy. They also collaborate with other pharmacy organizations to present a united front on national initiatives that benefit the entire profession.