January 2019
Dear Colleagues,
I hope this message finds all of you in good spirits. I know for me, ending the year with our Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition in December is like finishing the last chapter of a series book. You're inspired and engaged. And, can't wait for the next book to be released to see what the future holds. What I enjoyed most this year was listening to the different perspectives as technology becomes a bigger part of our lives. And, learning how the landscape will continue to change as technology from external sources will impact us all. Thank you everyone for sharing your thoughts, ideas, and time as we grow professionally together as the SOPIT!
A special thanks to our SAG leaders Nancy Smestad, David Aguero, Ray Chan, and Marc Wilmer for their facilitation of our SOPIT Networking Sessions. It was great to discuss these topics with you all and collect your insight and feedback. I enjoyed listening to your stories, sharing experiences, and most of all meeting our new practitioners. Lastly, congratulations to Thomas Cooley B.S.Pharm, MBA the 2018 Distinguished Service Award recipient for SOPIT and to Mark Siska, B.S.Pharm. R.Ph., MBA - the 2018 Distinguished Leadership Award.
ASHP News:
Please see the recent news release on how Telepharmacy Service Brings HIV Preventive to Rural Iowans. The program partners a virtual telemedicine pharmacist with public health to identify people who may benefit from the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). It amazes me how far we have come and I'm intrigued to see where we will go.
Section Advisory Group (SAG) re/appointments 2019-2020
The Call for Submissions to participate on a Section of Pharmacy Informatics and Technology Advisory Group (SAG) will open in February and close April 1, 2019. Keep an eye out for the announcement. Appointments will be made and approved by the Executive committee and you will be notified later in the summer.
Summer Meeting 2019
It is not too early to plan to attend the Summer Meetings & Exhibition from June 8-12, 2019 in Boston, MA. Mark your calendars. I am looking forward to seeing you all there!
Share your knowledge
As we embark on this New Year, take a few moments to think about where you have taken on a new challenge and made a difference. Whether it is with data analytics, dashboards, implementation, usability, informatics in a special area of pharmacy, project management (my personal favorite) or professional development, consider sharing your experiences and make a difference. Proposals are also now being accepted until February 1, 2018 for 2019 Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition, December 8-12, 2019 in Las Vegas, NV. Together, with commitment and dedication, we can all make a difference.
Some of you have asked me about books I'd recommend and I thought I'd share a few here that left an impression:
-
How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life by Tom Rath & Donald Clifton. Easy read filled with numbers, stats, and a simple message to help engage your teams. There is a kid's book version as well that is fun to read as well.
- Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic.Must have on your shelf to successfully present your data where everyone understands.
- Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy by Mo Gawdat. A gem of a book filled with tips and tricks to get through those tough days.
May you all have a memorable 2019 with a bucket full of inspiration, innovation, engagement, and happiness.
Respectfully,
Maritza Lew, Pharm.D., CPHIMS, PMP
Chair, Section of Pharmacy Informatics and Technology
[email protected]