Some hospital pharmacy leaders who have made a difference

As Drug Topics celebrates its 150th anniversary, we wanted to recognize some of the key figures who have influenced the practice of health-system pharmacy. Bruce Scott and Marianne Ivey have made significant contributions to the profession as leaders at ASHP, in the academic setting, and in real-world practice. Here's an overview of two very illustrious careers.

Bruce Scott
Bruce Scott started out as a staff pharmacist at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. He rose through the ranks of health-system pharmacy holding a variety of positions, including: assistant professor of pharmacy practice, assistant director of clinical services, and clinical assistant professor. Since March 2004, Scott has been the chief operating officer of McKesson Medication Management.

Scott's career trajectory is a classic case of drive, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence. During his reign as ASHP president, Scott witnessed several milestone events in health-system pharmacy, including the release of the Institute of Medicine report that brought to light the widespread problem of medical and medication errors. While ASHP already had a significant presence in leading the charge to reduce medication errors, Scott saw to it that the IOM report provided a platform for ASHP to continue to pursue new efforts in addressing the patient safety issue.

Scott was also active in helping to bring technicians into the ASHP tent and was instrumental in recognizing the increasing role of technology in health-system pharmacy practice. "We were very much involved with the direction of robotics and bar-coding as it related to medication errors. It was a top issue and an opportunity for us." Down the road, he sees the pharmacy leadership issue as of paramount importance.

Scott's expertise and opinions are in great demand and as a result he is active on the lecture circuit. His presentations focus on opportunities for pharmacists to make a difference in the care of patients as well as the changing role of pharmacy personnel in healthcare settings. He is also an expert on cost-reduction and work-redesign initiatives. Among Scott's presentations over the past few years: Pharmacy in a Multicultural Society; Improving Medication Safety in Hospitals; and Optimizing the Use of Medications.

In the top spot at McKesson Medication Management, Scott said that he gets some of his greatest satisfaction because he has the opportunity to be involved in hospital pharmacy practice. "It keeps me in practice settings, not only in the hospital but in other settings as well."

What's Scott's vision for the future of McKesson Medication Management? "For us as a company to have a base of hospitals that we service and have an opportunity to continually advance practice."

Marianne Ivey
Marianne Ivey's résumé reads like the ultimate success story in health-system pharmacy: director of pharmacy; vice chairman/associate professor, division of pharmacy practice; clinical associate professor; clinical pharmacist; director, continuing pharmacy education; and, since 1997, corporate director of pharmacy services for the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati. At Cincinnati, she has research and faculty responsibilities in patient care delivery, automation, clinical outcomes, pharmacy residency training, and pharmacy resource management.

Throughout her career, Ivey has helped to advance the practice of health-system pharmacy with her leadership skills and insight. When she presided over ASHP as president in the early 1980s, the all-Pharm.D.-degree and technician training were major issues. She said that she is extremely proud of the movement that helped to integrate clinical practice into the overall operational work of pharmacists.

The current issues Ivey believes are critical include: the re-engineering of what pharmacists do and how to use technology and technicians appropriately. "We're moving into an area where we are going to look closely again at duties or activities that pharmacists are doing that can be done by someone else or by a technician."

Ivey believes that this is a very exciting time for health-system pharmacists. "People see what we can do and they want more from us. The challenge is that just when there is that recognition and that demand, the supply is small."

Ivey is a strong proponent of the ASHP 2015 initiative. "We will counsel 75% of discharge patients who are high risk and are on complex regimens." She believes that it is important to look at the ASHP 2015 initiative and see how it applies to the future of practice.