It's Time to Renew Your Membership!

There are many benefits to renewing your membership with MSHP/MPA, including:

• Direct access to experts that can answer law and practice questions
• Networking opportunities with pharmacy professionals, such as complimentary membership in our local county associations and practice sections
• Free and discounted CE opportunities such as the MPA Annual Convention and Exposition - the state’s largest pharmacy conference
• Being part of the collective voice advocating for the future of the profession
• MPA Career Connect, a free service for you and other pharmacy professionals looking for job opportunities
• Competitive home, auto and business insurance through MPA’s affiliated PSI Insurance Agency

MPA exists for and is effective because of its members. RENEW today to ensure that your benefits are secured and that MPA has the resources to move the mountains ahead for you, for the profession and for patients.

If you are not renewed by March 30, 2023, you will no longer be considered an MPA member.

MSHP Member Honored with Award

Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (MSHP) member Curtis D. Collins was recently recognized as the Section of Clinical Specialists and Scientists (SCSS) Distinguished Service Award winner for 2022 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). The ASHP Distinguished Service Award recognizes a member from each Pharmacy Practice Section, New Practitioners Forum and Pharmacy Technician Forum whose “volunteer activities have supported the mission of their Section or Forum and helped advance the profession.”

Collins received his Pharm.D. degree from Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and completed his residency training at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. According to the ASHP, “Dr. Collins has been active in professional leadership and service throughout his career, including longstanding service with ASHP, the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists, the National Quality Forum and the Board of Pharmacy Specialists Infectious Diseases Council.”

Collins is an active member of ASHP and the SCSS. He has served as chair of the SCSS Executive Committee; has served for multiple years on the Education Steering Committee; was a member of the Committee on Nominations; and was the Infectious Diseases Roundtable Discussion Leader. He served terms on both the Council on Pharmacy Practice and Council on Therapeutics. He has represented ASHP in efforts to advance antimicrobial stewardship nationally and is a member of ASHP’s Pharmacy Accountability Measures workgroup, which works to advance pharmacy quality measures. Collins is a recognized Fellow of ASHP and the Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA).



Collins has served on the MSHP Board of Directors and led initiatives to advance pharmacy and antimicrobial stewardship practices within the state. Other awards bestowed on Collins include the MPA’s Excellence in Innovation Award; MSHP’s President's Award for leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic; SIDP’s Outstanding Clinical Practice in Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy Award; and multiple ASHP Best Practice Awards. He is an MPA Hall of Honor inductee and was previously named MSHP’s Pharmacist of the Year.

Building Bridges and Overcoming Barriers

By Michelle Dehoorne, Pharm.D., MSHP president, director of pharmacy at Ascension St. John Hospital, Ascension River District Hospital and Ascension Southeast Michigan Oncology Infusion Center Pharmacy Services

On Jan. 1, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed January 2023 as Social Determinants of Health Month (SDoH) in Michigan. SDoH create challenging health-related choices for Michiganders every day. In line with the governor’s proclamation, the Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (MSHP) has also dedicated this year's theme and committee charges to addressing SDoH and the role of pharmacists in building bridges to close the gaps in healthcare. This work started on Jan. 5, as our MSHP committees kicked off the new year with a virtual committee day. Each committee is addressing charges related to SDoH, health-related social needs (HRSN) and building innovative practices. Over the next 11 months, our MSHP committees and members will continue to work to improve our members' knowledge of SDoH and HRSN, address gaps in our state officials’ knowledge regarding pharmacy practice, and continue to improve the care of underserved populations. 

Overcoming inequalities in healthcare will require the recognition and hard work of many skilled healthcare workers, including pharmacists. Pharmacists are uniquely skilled and positioned to recognize and address our patients’ HRSN in order to reduce disparities. Often, we are the most accessible healthcare providers to the most vulnerable patients. We can make an impact if we are willing to step forward and not shy away because we are busy, unfamiliar with resources to address HRSN or lack support. 

Support includes payment for our services. This is a critical topic for states like Michigan and its pharmacists and patients– especially those hindered by social disparities. How do we reach this goal? Could 2023 be the year Michigan pharmacists enroll and receive payment from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for their efforts?

Here is what we need to know:

• Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) mandates beneficiary coverage for vaccination, testing and treatment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Medicaid Tool Kit
• The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP) Act recognizes pharmacists as healthcare providers authorized to provide these clinical services. HHS PREP Act
• Pharmacists are willing providers in alignment with Medicaid’s “any willing provider” rule. Any Willing or Authorized Providers
• The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) provides Medicaid beneficiaries freedom of choice of providers, coverage for those services and payment to recognized providers. ARP Section 9811 and 9821 

Obtaining recognition of pharmacists as providers and receiving reimbursement for services is an important girder for our bridge that can help close healthcare gaps for Michigan patients. CMS guidance creates this opportunity, but states like Michigan are not complying. Michigan lacks a mechanism for pharmacist enrollment and does not provide payment for defined clinical services. Nationally, only eight states – Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Washington – are complying, which includes payment for Paxlovid prescribing.¹ 

On Dec. 15, 2022, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists – along with many state affiliates, including MSHP – sent a letter to Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center of Medicaid and CHIP Services Daniel Tsai, requesting the publication of additional guidance to states to facilitate state compliance. In particular, it was requested CMS provide clearer guidance to states on two requirements previously defined by the PREP and ARP acts. This includes guidance to state Medicaid and CHIP programs administrators on:

• Enrollment and reimbursement of providers, including pharmacists.
• Reimbursement to pharmacists at the same rates as other non-physician providers.

This is also an opportunity to call on our membership, other state affiliates and health-system leadership for advocacy. In addition to the letter sent Dec. 15, MSHP is encouraging you to contact your state legislators. A link is provided here, including a letter template highlighting elements of several different CMS guidance statements of the requirements that all Medicaid and CHIP programs reimburse pharmacists for clinical services related to vaccination, testing and treatment. The link will also identify the name and address of your legislator to facilitate easy and efficient advocacy. 

Thank you in advance for your support and in advancing pharmacy practice and patient care in Michigan. 

Notes

1. Despite pharmacists providing a comparable service to any other provider in New York, they are restricted from billing the same HCPCS codes other providers would bill for a comparable encounter and are instead limited to two

codes that do not accurately describe pharmacists’ clinical services related to patient evaluation and initiation of treatment. See New York State Medicaid Policy and Billing Guidance for Pharmacy Reimbursement of COVID-19

Oral Antivirals.

- ORGANIZATIONAL AFFAIRS -

Preview of the 2023 Michigan Pharmacists Association

House of Delegates

By Stephen M. Stout, Pharm.D., MS, director of clinical content, Wolters Kluwer Clinical Effectiveness, MSHP Organizational Affairs Committee

The Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA) annual House of Delegates will convene Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023, at the MPA Annual Convention & Exposition to review MPA bylaws and consider policy resolutions. The 2023 House of Delegates session will cover 10 new resolutions. 

Detailed information on the purpose, composition, duties and rules of the MPA House of Delegates can be found in the “Delegates” section of the MPA website and in an informational video, though voting timelines were updated in 2022 as described below.

Any member or delegate of MPA may submit resolutions. Those received by Jan. 15 are eligible for consideration by the House of Delegates in the same calendar year. Resolutions not submitted by Jan. 15 can be considered by the House only if the House suspends House Rule I by a two-thirds majority vote. Details on resolution submission and formatting can be found on the MPA website.  

Full acceptance of a resolution and adoption in MPA policy requires it to pass two separate delegate votes. In the first, the House must vote in February to adopt the resolution by a simple majority, with or without amendments to the original wording. In the second, held later in the same year, the House of Delegates votes on whether to adopt a resolution as MPA policy, considering recommendations from the MPA Executive Board and other MPA organizational units.  

Resolutions under consideration by the 2023 House of Delegates are listed below. Summaries for consideration by delegates also include background information that is not included below. Only the actual resolution wording included here is the subject of voting and potential adoption.

23-01: Allowing a Process for the Board of Pharmacy to Accept CME Credits Towards Licensure

• Therefore, be it resolved that MPA works with the Board of Pharmacy to devise a method to allow pharmacy professionals to receive CE credit towards licensure by submitting CME credits earned while attending multidisciplinary conferences.

23-02: Pharmacists as Providers of HIV PrEP and PEP

• Therefore, be it resolved that MPA pursues legislative and regulatory changes allowing pharmacists to provide HIV PrEP and PEP under Michigan law without a collaborative practice agreement.

23-03: Promoting the Safe Use of Methadone Through Reporting

• Therefore, be it resolved that MPA works with the appropriate stakeholders to require reporting of dispensed methadone for the treatment of addiction to the state’s PDMP.

23-04: Adoption of a Point of Care Model for Health Care Delivery to Improve Clinical Outcomes and Reduce Health Care Costs

• Therefore, be it resolved that MPA works with the state legislature to amend the laws to allow pharmacists to prescribe and conduct point-of-care testing in specific situations and to allow pharmacists or pharmacies to bill for their services.

23-05: Pharmacy Technicians as MPA Office-Holders

• Therefore, be it resolved that MPA amends its bylaws to strike language preventing pharmacy technicians from holding MPA offices.
• Be it further resolved that MPA will encourage practice section boards and local association boards to amend their bylaws similarly.

23-06: Supplemental Activity Points for MPA Award Nominations

• Therefore, be it resolved that MPA offers local organizations supplemental activity points for submitting nominations for annual MPA awards.

23-07: Establishing a Consulting/Drugless Pharmacy License

• Therefore, be it resolved that MPA pursues legislative and regulatory action to grant a waiver to the Michigan Administrative Code R. 338.536 pharmacy housing rule for the purposes of independent pharmacy practice by independent contractors to establish drugless/consulting pharmacy license.

23-08: Modernize the Current Pharmacy Practice Act and/or Create a New Act to Allow for Professional Autonomy

• Therefore, be it resolved that MPA pursues legislative and regulatory changes to modernize professional functions and services associated with the practice of pharmacy under Section 8 of the Michigan Public Health Code act 368 of 1978.
• Further be it resolved that MPA pursues legislative and regulatory action to create a new pharmacist practice act to ensure pharmacists can practice at the top of their licenses, in alignment with other healthcare professions and allow for professional autonomy and independent reimbursement with or without being employed by a pharmacy or affiliated with an entity or with or without collaborative practice agreements (CPA) for value-based services.

23-09: Rescheduling Promethazine Liquid Products

• Therefore, be it resolved that MPA works with legislators to reschedule promethazine liquid products (DM and Codeine) as Schedule IV or more restrictive Controlled substances under Michigan law.

23-10: Investigate Opportunities and Best Practices for Michigan Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians to Guide Patients in the Safe and Effective Medical Use of Entheogenic Plants

• Therefore, be it resolved that MPA investigates opportunities and best practices for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians relating to the safe and effective use of Entheogenic Plants for medicinal purposes.

Delegates of the Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (MSHP) are also encouraged to attend a virtual delegate caucus facilitated by the MSHP Organizational Affairs Committee. Invitations for this year’s caucus session have been distributed. Please contact me at Stephen.stout@wolterskluwer.com or MPA staff liaison for the MSHP Organizational Affairs Committee Karyn Peddicord at karyn@michiganpharmacists.org for additional details.

Lama Hsaiky, Pharm.D., BCPS

Lama Hsaiky is the manager of Pharmacy Clinical Services and Quality and is the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Corporate Pharmacy Lead at Corewell Medical Group East. Her employer is Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital.

She has been a member of MSHP/MPA since 2018.

Describe Your Role/Day in the Life: As a manager of clinical and quality outcomes, my role involves clinical policies development, expansion of pharmacists’ clinical scope and measuring the impact of pharmacists on patient outcomes. In addition, I focus heavily on system medication management, research, cost benefits and accreditation readiness involving joint commission, CMS and residency training.

Why You’re an MSHP/MPA Member: MSHP and MPA offer many opportunities. It is a great place for networking, giving back to my pharmacy community as well as learning and sharing skills with one another. Beside the leadership opportunities on the different committees, the associations provide a variety of benefits to members. Those include, but are not limited to mentorship, continuing education, conferences, and workshops. I value most the business strategy meetings and networking with pharmacists, pharmacy candidates and leaders from across the state.

Recent Accomplishments: I recently received the 2022 MSHP Joseph A. Oddis Leadership Award. The Joseph A. Oddis Leadership Award is presented annually in special recognition of exemplary leadership, outstanding commitment, vision, dedication and contribution to the Association, the Society and the pharmacy profession. This award is named in honor of Joseph A. Oddis, the former long-time executive vice president of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

How MSHP/MPA Has Helped You Achieve Any Accomplishments: Throughout my years of membership, I got the opportunity to serve on different committees, co-chair a committee, support business strategy and receive a very prestigious award. I am very proud to be part of this association and I value their vision and mission, which is focused on inclusion, diversity, fair opportunities, expansion of pharmacy scope and professional development. The programs presented at the annual meetings and their positive outcomes have served to help me set my strategy at my work place every year.

- RESIDENT'S CORNER -

Sickle Cell Crisis Order Set: A Standardized Approach in Treating Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Pain in the Acute Care Setting

By Areeb Nagamiyan Pharm.D./MPA, PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident,

Corewell Health, Grand Rapids

There is no one-size-fits-all pain control method for patients with sickle cell disease. Each patient requires an individualized care plan, including medications and doses previously effective in managing sickle cell crises. A 2014 expert panel report recommended rapidly initiating opioids to treat severe pain associated with a vaso-occlusive crisis.¹ While this statement guides treatment of severe pain, there is room for clarification. In 2020, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) released guidelines for managing acute and chronic pain, which provide further clarification. The 2020 guidelines address specific questions about delivering treatment of acute pain, including protocol use, nonopioid pharmacological therapy and nonpharmacologic therapy.²

While receiving individualized care, there was no standard approach for choosing which medications to administer, what doses to begin and when to start intravenous opioid analgesia. To improve patient outcomes, a provider in collaboration with multiple pharmacists embarked on a journey to create a standard order set. 

The ASH guidelines recommend the use of a standard protocol.² The sickle cell crisis order set provides that standard approach, where the provider can start guideline-directed medication therapy. The admitting provider collaborates with the pharmacist to identify a starting rate for patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Pharmacist involvement helps decrease time to pain control by providing patient-specific dosing recommendations, additional multi-modal analgesic regimens and timely availability of PCAs. The healthcare team also incorporates the patient in the decision-making process. 

Additionally, the pharmacist coordinates with the IV compounding team to ensure that there will be enough PCAs to provide the patient through the weekend, nights and any holidays. If the patient experiences refractory pain, the pharmacist also helps the provider adjust the pain regimen. Lastly, as the patient prepares for discharge, the pharmacist will help the provider transition the patient from the basal rate of the PCA to their opioid home regimen. 

This order set benefits the patient, providers, and pharmacists. With this standardized treatment approach, we hope that it will lead to better patient outcomes, shorter durations of stay and higher patient satisfaction scores. The providers have a standard order set to ensure the correct medications and doses will be administered to the patient. Pharmacists are involved in the process early on, not only to recommend starting doses but to monitor the patient’s pain throughout the hospital stay and provide dosing recommendations accordingly. 

As time progresses, Corewell Health will continue to revise the sickle cell crisis order set. This work is being piloted with Corewell Health Blodgett and Butterworth campuses, but there are plans to expand to additional hospitals in the future. With more patients seeking care at Corewell Health for sickle cell acute pain crises and a growing collaborative, multi-disciplinary treatment approach, the order set will continue to improve. Lastly, this order set would not be possible without the efforts of Dr. Kathleen Jarrett, Dr. Andrew Watson, Dr. Katelin Anderson, Dr. Katie Milanowski, Dr. Michelle Hearn, Dr. Brittany Hoyte and the Sickle Cell Action Committee. 

References: 

1. Yawn BP, Buchanan GR, Afenyi-Annan AN, et al. Management of sickle cell disease: summary of the 2014 evidence-based report by expert panel members [published correction appears in JAMA. 2014 Nov 12;312(18):1932] [published correction appears in JAMA. 2015 Feb 17;313(7):729]. JAMA. 2014;312(10):1033-1048. doi:10.1001/jama.2014.10517
2. Brandow AM, Carroll CP, Creary S, et al. American Society of Hematology 2020 guidelines for sickle cell disease: management of acute and chronic pain. Blood Adv. 2020;4(12):2656-2701. doi:10.1182/bloodadvances.2020001851

- STUDENT FOCUS -

Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir (Paxlovid): Drug Interactions and Resources

By Li Chen and Jingting Wang, 2023 Pharm.D. candidates 

As the world adjusts to the post-pandemic era, the safety and drug interactions related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment nirmatrelvir/ritonavir have become relevant issues. Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid™) has been granted authorization in several countries to treat adults and pediatric patients (those 12 and older and weight at least 40 kilograms/88 pounds) with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19 – including hospitalization or death.¹ Nirmatrelvir is a peptidomimetic inhibitor of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M^pro), which can prevent the processing of polyprotein precursors, resulting in inhibition of viral replication. Ritonavir is a pharmacokinetic enhancer with no activity against SARS-CoV-2 M^pro, but is used to inhibit the CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of nirmatrelvir in order to increase plasma concentrations of nirmatrelvir. According to Endpoints News, more than 831,000 courses of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir had been administered in the United States since May 24, 2022. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also reported that about 33,000 courses had been administered weekly since its market debut.² Since nirmatrelvir/ritonavir use is common and continues to increase, pharmacists and pharmacy students need to be aware of its potential for drug interactions and how best to navigate data sources related to them. 

Most drug interactions observed or predicted with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir are due to the ritonavir component and its ability to strongly inhibit CYP3A4. However, ritonavir is also an inhibitor of other CYP enzymes and transporters (e.g., CYP2D6, P-glycoprotein), as well as an inducer of several CYP and phase II metabolic enzymes (e.g., CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, UGT1A1). Since nirmatrelvir and ritonavir are substrates of CYP3A4, drugs that induce CYP3A4 have the potential to reduce exposure and diminish the efficacy of antiviral treatment. Thus, healthcare providers must critically evaluate the potential for drug-drug interactions when considering the initiation of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. Additionally, providers must identify potential drug interactions and determine how best to manage them. Management can range from avoiding nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and seeking alternative COVID-19 therapies, discontinuing the interacting drug for the duration of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir therapy or longer, adjusting the dosage of the interacting drug, or simply monitoring for increased toxicities or reduced efficacy.

Many current guidelines, databases and resources provide recommendations on managing drug interactions with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. While numerous resources exist, highly-utilized resources often include the Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization (EUA) fact sheet,¹ subscription service (e.g., Micromedex,³ LexiComp,⁴ Clinical Pharmacology⁵), free general drug databases (e.g., drugs.com,⁶ epocrates.com⁷), free COVID-19-specific databases (e.g., Liverpool COVID-19 interaction checker⁸), as well as the National Institutes of Health’s COVID-19 treatment guidelines9 section on nirmatrelvir/ritonavir drug interactions. These sources usually share similar recommendations for most drug interactions, but differences often exist. To appropriately manage these drug interactions, clinicians likely need to consult more than one resource and factor in many patient-specific information.

For example, these databases can show notable differences when looking at the interaction results between nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and clonazepam. Some may recommend close monitoring with dose reduction as needed; others recommend an initial dose reduction, while others may recommend avoidance and suggest the pair is contraindicated. While the initial results seem quite disparate, after looking at the full context of the recommendations, similarities can be seen.  They all state that if these drugs are to be used together, monitoring closely for clonazepam toxicities is essential and that dose reduction is often necessary. Patient-specific factors should also be considered. Preemptive dose reduction may be more appropriate than just monitoring if a patient is on a high dose and already experiencing drowsiness. If a patient only takes clonazepam as needed, counseling to avoid use during the five days of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir therapy may be more appropriate. Patients should be warned about increased effects if combined.

In general, when considering the use of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, it is highly recommended to look at several resources and consider various patient-specific clinical factors to best manage these drug interactions for individual patients. In addition, this same comprehensive approach to interaction management should be applied to over-the-counter medications, as well as herbal supplements. Lastly, for extremely complex drug interactions – such as those with immunosuppressants – additional resources and consultation with specialists may also be considered.¹⁰

References: 

1. Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir) [Emergency Use Authorization fact sheet for healthcare providers]. New York, NY: Pfizer Inc.; September 2022

2. Frasier, K. (2022, May 26). Pfizer antiviral usage is ticking up in the US as uptake of Merck, AZ drugs remains limited. Business Development & Licensing Summit. Retrieved from https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/pfizers-paxlovid-use-soars-uptake-merck-az-covid-drugs-remains-limited

3. Micromedex, Paxlovid(300/100) interactions; accessed Dec. 28, 2022

4. Lexicomp, Paxlovid (300/100) interactions; accessed Dec. 28, 2022

5. Clinical pharmacology, https://www.clinicalkey.com/pharmacology/login; accessed Dec. 28, 2022

6. Drugs.com, Drug interaction checker, https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html; accessed Dec. 28, 2022

7. Epocrates, https://online.epocrates.com; accessed Dec. 28,2022

8. Liverpool, COVID-19 drug interactions, https://covid19-druginteractions.org/checker; accessed Dec. 28, 2022

9. National Institutes of Health. COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment guidelines. https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/therapies/antivirals-including-antibody-products/ritonavir-boosted-nirmatrelvir--paxlovid-/paxlovid-drug-drug-interactions/; updated Sept. 26, 2022. Accessed Dec.28, 2022.

10. American Society of Transplantation. AST statement on oral antiviral therapy for COVID-19 for organ transplant recipients [internet]. January 2022. https://tinyurl.com/35t2zudf; accessed Dec. 28, 2022

- REGIONAL UPDATE -

Western Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists Update

By Sarah Hoerner Leonard, Pharm.D., BCPPS; clinical pharmacy specialist, Corewell Health West Medical Group, Grand Rapids; immediate WMSHP past-president

The Western Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (WMSHP) finished 2022 strong with our continuing education (CE) presentations. On Oct. 13, we enjoyed an engaging presentation about osteoporosis by Autumn Neff, Pharm.D., MBA. The last CE presentation of the calendar year, “Treatment of Drug-Resistant Gram-Negative Infections: IDSA 2022 Guidance Documents,” was presented by Abigail Geyer, Pharm.D., on Nov. 3.

The month of November was a busy one for WMSHP. Our Community and Membership Outreach Committee hosted virtual mock interviews and CV and letter of intent reviews for interested pharmacy students. WMSHP also held board elections for terms starting in 2023 during the month of November. Congratulations to President-Elect Benjamin Pontefract, Secretary Brad Miller and Pharmacist Board Members Ashley Blanchette, Kristina Stoncius, Amy Bowers and Jessie Prociv. We are excited to have you serve on the board and lead WMSHP! To round out the year, WMSHP was able to support three deserving students with scholarships to attend the ASHP Midyear Conference in person this year!

After some time off for the holiday season, WMSHP kicked off the new year with our first board meeting and CE presentation Jan. 12. Dr. Jeffrey Wilt, MD, gave an excellent presentation on pulmonary hypertension as we enjoyed a delicious meal at Martell’s in Kalamazoo.

If you are interested in learning more about WMSHP, please visit WMSHP.net. 

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT | Michelle Dehoorne | (313) 343-6381 | Ascension, Detroit

PRESIDENT-ELECT | Kyle Schmidt | (616) 685-6675 | Mercy Health St. Mary's, Grand Rapids

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT | Shawna Kraft | (734) 232-6667 | Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor

TREASURER | Marc Guzzardo | (810) 606-6095 | Ascension, Detroit

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT | Edward Szandzik | (313) 587-6279 | Detroit

DIRECTORS

Stacy Brousseau | (269) 341-7407 | Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo

Diana Kostoff | (313) 725-7925 | Henry Ford, Detroit

Nada Farhat | nmhammou@med.umich.edu | Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor

Julie Schmidt | (989) 450-6695 | Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo

REGIONAL SOCIETY REPRESENTATIVES 

CENTRAL | Tim Ekola | (734) 845-3418 | VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System

NORTHERN | Miranda Maitland | mirandapmaitland@gmail.com | My Michigan Medical Center, Sault Ste. Marie

SOUTHEASTERN | Jessica Jones | (313) 982-5737 | Beaumont Health, Detroit

WESTERN | Shelby Kelsh | shelbyKelsh@ferris.edu | Ferris State University, Big Rapids

MANAGING EDITOR | Ryan Weiss | (517) 377-0232 | Michigan Pharmacists Association, Lansing