ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 29, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) has announced the speaker lineup and agenda for the 2016 ASCP Forum: The Business of Patient Care. Topics range from a practitioner's perspective on medical marijuana to health information security, specialty drugs in long-term care, and health system transformation. Patient care is a rapidly changing business; this meeting is an imperative update for anyone responsible for dispensing or procuring pharmacy-related services in a post-acute care setting.
The 2016 Forum will be held April 11-12, 2016 at the Hilton Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland. Last year's inaugural Forum drew over 220 pharmacists, nursing home administrators, directors of nursing, and other stakeholders interested in improving post-acute care transitions.
The expert speaker lineup for the 2016 Forum includes:
- David Casarett, MD, director of hospice and palliative care at the University of Pennsylvania Health System and renowned author of Stoned: A Doctor's Care for Medical Marijuana. No substance on earth is as hotly debated as marijuana. Palliative care physician Dr. David Casarett will sift the myth and misinformation from the scientific evidence and offer a much-needed medical practitioner's perspective on the potential of this misunderstood plant.
- Paul McGann, MD, chief medical officer for quality improvement at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). A not-to-be-missed opportunity to learn about this complex topic, Dr. McGann will set the stage for a day of exploration into the world of value-based reimbursement opportunities. McGann will use his hands on perspective to describe how the CMS Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative is leading healthcare reimbursement from quantity to quality programs by emphasizing patient outcomes while supporting clinician and business practice development.
- Jodi G. Daniel, partner at Crowell & Moring, LLP and former director of the Office of Policy at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). Increasing requirements for medication therapy management and reconciliation across care settings requires pharmacists to access medication and treatment information housed in multiple care systems. Jodi Daniel has more than a decade of experience in leadership and policy development related to health IT activities within the federal government. Daniel will address the privacy and security issues related to health IT and how the rules that secure personal health information affect system interoperability and efficient work flow across care settings.
- Gary Rice, RPh, MS, MBA, CSP, an expert in specialty pharmacy who works as senior vice president of clinical services at Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. The tremendous growth in the specialty pharmacy market is attractive to some pharmacy operators while challenging to others. Along with the growth in new products has come an increase in the use of limited distribution channels creating significant clinical and economic challenges for nursing facility operators and their provider pharmacies. Rice will discuss why manufacturers choose limited distribution options, how specialty pharmacies compete for distributorship, and the challenges pharmacists and nursing home operators face when acquiring, getting reimbursed, and managing specialty medications in post-acute care.
The meeting will conclude with a panel discussion of experts from Peak Resources Inc. and Medipack Pharmacy. In April 2015, under the leadership of their CEO, Todd Nunn, Peak Resources decided to be one of the first operators to apply and receive approval to participate in the Bundled Payment for Care Improvement (BPCI) Demonstration Project with CMS. Nunn and his team will discuss their decision to participate, the care improvement and efficiency strategies they used, and the challenges it posed to both clinical and financial operations.
The Forum is designed for all stakeholders involved in care transitions, including all executive level post-acute care providers. Registration for the Forum is open and may be done online at ascp.com/forum. Space is limited.
The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) is the only international professional society devoted to optimal medication management and improved health outcomes for all older persons. ASCP's members manage and improve drug therapy and improve the quality of life of geriatric patients and other individuals residing in a variety of environments, including nursing facilities, sub-acute care and assisted living facilities, psychiatric hospitals, hospice programs, and home and community-based care. ASCP is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of CPE. Learn more at www.ascp.com. ;Press Contact: Christine Polite, 703-739-1300, ext. 134, cpolite@ascp.com