HOPA 12 Annual Conference Goes Beyond Expectations
Everything was sweet in "The Big Peach" during the 12th HOPA Annual Conference! A record-setting 1,040 registrants gathered in Atlanta this past March for cutting-edge education and valuable net- working. Hematology/oncology pharmacists from across the nation gathered to explore current information about new and emerging therapies for hematology/oncology patients and review recent developments in medical literature. The nation’s leading experts shared their knowledge in more than 45 educational sessions over 3.5 days. Conference attendees also took advantage of Atlanta’s beautiful weather and exciting tourist attractions.
Pulitzer Prize winner Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD PhD, delivered the John G. Kuhn Keynote Lecture. His address analyzed the role of the pharmacist in the changing landscape of cancer care. For a donation to the HOPA Research Fund, a small group of individuals had the opportunity to meet and talk with Dr. Mukherjee after the event and obtain a signed copy of his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.
As part of the all-new HOPA BCOP Recertification Program, HOPA offered eight specialty sessions for a total of eight (8) hours of BCOP recertification credit. Topics included haploidentical stem cell trans- plant, triple negative breast cancer, medical marijuana, and more. In case you missed these valuable sessions, they will be repeated live in Chicago on September 22 and will be available online later this yr. HOPA offered several preconference events, allowing attendees to maximize their time in Atlanta. This included a tour of the Phase 1 Clinical Trials Unit at the nearby Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. Also new this year, attendees received complimentary professional headshots at the attendee lounge. The Attendee Lounge was the meeting place for the Big Idea project. HOPA Board Members were available to answer questions about the new Big Idea project to help HOPA achieve its strategic plan.
In addition to the eight BCOP specialty sessions and 10 breakout sessions, HOPA was pleased to offer a breadth of general session topics delivered by industry experts throughout the conference. A few of the speaker highlights were:
- Significant Papers in Hematology/Oncology
Chris Fausel, PharmD MHA BCOP; Susan Goodin, PharmD BCOP FASHP FCCP - Practice Panel: The Cost of Cancer Care
Timothy Tyler, PharmD; Michael Kolodziej, MD; Ed Li, PharmD MPH BCOP; Thomas Smith, MD FAAHPM FACP FASCO Management of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in the Elderly Cindy Ippoliti, PharmD - State of the Art in Oncology Pharmacy Research
Susan Goodin, PharmD BCOP FASHP FCCP; Judith Smith, PharmD BCOP CPHQ FCCP FISOPP RPh
HOPA extends a huge thank you to the many other industry professionals who shared their insights throughout conference events!
HOPA President Scott Soefje, PharmD MBA BCOP, delivered exciting highlights from the year during his member address, including the launch of the HOPA BCOP Recertification Program, the inaugural class of Fellows of HOPA, a completely rebranded HOPA logo and look, and the success of our first annual report. Dr. Soefje commented on HOPA’s many collaborations in 2015, noting that HOPA interacted with 20 different advocacy and professional organizations on a variety of endeavors. With a renewed strategic plan under our belt, Soefje stated, “we have made great strides toward our goal of supporting the research efforts of hematology/oncology pharmacists to optimize the care of individuals affected by cancer.”
Thank you to all who attended the 2016 HOPA Annual Conference. We hope to see you next year at the 13th HOPA Annual Conference, taking place March 29–April 1, 2017, at the Disneyland® Hotel in Anaheim, CA.