Leveraging an enterprise medication management strategy for clinical, financial, and operational success

Author's Biography

Deborah Hunt Simonson, BS, Pharm.D., CPEL, is Vice President of Pharmacy — Chief Pharmacy Officer for Ochsner Health, where she leads strategic vision, long-term planning, direction and overall accountability for pharmacy services across the system. She joined Ochsner in 1981 and has built a pharmacy programme encompassing clinical services, education/academics, research, retail services, specialty pharmacy, population management, transitions of care, informatics, regulatory compliance, medication safety, logistics and digital medicine support. She earned her bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, and her doctor of pharmacy degree from Xavier University of Louisiana. Dr Simonson started her career with the Public Health Service and has since held many leadership roles with pharmacy associations/boards. She served as a member of the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy and was recognised in the City Business’s 2015 Women of the Year. Dr Simonson received the Vizient Vision Award for Excellence in Executive Leadership in 2021 and the John W. Webb Lecture Award from ASHP.

Dawn Pevey, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, is chief executive officer of Ochsner Health’s Centers of Excellence and Service Lines, operating across Ochsner’s expansive footprint in Louisiana and the Gulf South, which includes more than 40 hospitals and 150 clinics. Throughout her career at Ochsner, Dawn has held various positions, including chief nursing and chief operating officer of Ochsner Medical Center- Baton Rouge, as well as chair of System Nursing. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, and an MBA with a healthcare concentration from Marylhurst University, Oregon. She is an advanced board-certified Nurse Executive and a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives. Dawn’s achievements throughout her career include being named a ‘Great 100 Nurse’ of Louisiana, a ‘Top 40 Under 40’ by the Baton Rouge Business Report, a ‘Rising Star — 50 healthcare leaders under 40’ by Becker’s, and most recently, a ‘Healthcare Hero’ by New Orleans City Business for her leadership as incident commander during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is also an alumna of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce and the Livingston Chamber of Commerce leadership programmes.

Doina Dumitru, PharmD, MBA, FASHP, is the Senior Director of Medical Affairs, Global MMS Research Operations and Pharmacy Automation, where she leads the innovation, market development, evidence generation and medical safety & compliance strategies across the portfolio. She is a national speaker, researcher and author of textbook and professional guidelines on healthcare technology and pharmacy practice. In addition, she teaches healthcare management principles in pharmacy graduate programmes. Prior to joining BD, Dr Dumitru held roles in healthcare administration, operations and informatics at Memorial Hermann, Cardinal Health, Harris Health, Endeavor Health, and Community First Medical Center. She earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, her MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. She is also a Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.