HOPA 2020-2021 Publications Committee
Christan M. Thomas, PharmD BCOP, Editor
Renee McAlister, PharmD BCOP, Associate Editor
Lisa Cordes, PharmD BCOP BCACP, Associate Editor
Andrea Clarke, PharmD BCOP
Jeff Engle, PharmD MS
Ashley E. Glode, PharmD BCOP
Sidney V. Keisner, PharmD BCOP
Chung-Shien Lee, PharmD BCOP BCPS
Heather N. Moore, PharmD BCOP
Gregory Sneed, PharmD
Diana Tamer, PharmD BCOP
Jennifer Zhao, PharmD BCOP
View PDF of HOPA News, Vol. 17, no. 4
Board Update: Anticipating the Green Lights Ahead
David DeRemer, PharmD BCOP FCCP FHOPA
HOPA President (2020–2021)
Clinical Associate Professor, University of Florida College of Pharmacy
Assistant Director, Experimental Therapeutics, University of Florida Health Cancer Center
Gainesville, FL
I ended the last HOPA News Board Update with the message, “much promise lies ahead.” I know I speak for many who look forward to Summer 2021. As you read this, we are in Phase 1 of the COVID-19 vaccination program, which will continue to require significant co-ordination across federal, state, and local authorities.
I am proud of the efforts in our profession to combat COVD-19 and encourage you to read this issue’s cover story, “Oncology Pharmacy and COVID-19: Perspectives from an Early Epicenter” written by Peter Campbell, PharmD, BCOP. It is just a sampling of the ways you all have contributed during this pandemic, and will continue to contribute to immunization, monitoring, and education.
On behalf of everyone on the Board, thank you. You demonstrate compassion and collaboration in the care you provide to the cancer patients you serve. Despite its challenges, 2020 was a successful year, thanks to our resilient volunteers.
2020 Had Many Positives
Advancements in cancer immunotherapy continue to transform our daily practice and the patients we serve. The HOPA Time to Talk Immuno-Oncology™ (TTTIO) toolkit provides patient-focused education on immune checkpoint inhibitors and cellular therapy. I want to recognize the efforts of the TTIO Task Force, especially Chair Heidi Finnes and Vice-Chair Amber Cipriani. Please utilize this tool-kit in your practices; it can be found within the patient education section of our website.
To meet the significant need for online educational programming in 2020, HOPA staff, leadership and volunteers took to the task of converting professional development offerings into virtual content. In December, we held a virtual ASCO Quality Training Program workshop, which was free for members and designed to provide pharmacy professionals with the skills to design and implement quality improvement initiatives. We saw significant interest and received more than 150 applications. We are evaluating another QTP workshop in early 2021, so stay tuned.
Near the end of 2020, we transitioned to a new management company, Executive Director Incorporated (EDI) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Board has been actively working with our new Executive Director, Anne Krolikowski, CAE, to recruit key personnel for team HOPA. We have 18 new team members (of 22 total) providing support and working with HOPA committees. The team is energized and eager to advance our strategic initiatives.
Greenlights in 2021
I recently read Greenlights by actor Matthew McConaughey, but don’t ridicule; it’s currently the #2 hardcover nonfiction on New York Times Best Seller list. It is a complex memoir, with great story-telling you would expect from the actor we have all watched mature. “It’s also a guide to catching more greenlights—and to realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too,” as McConaughey himself describes it.
That statement made me think of our HOPA strategic plan for 2020-2023 and its progression tracker, poignantly covered in red, yellow and green. I know I speak for many in our organization in saying 2020 brought many perceived red lights. But despite our challenges this year, many of our strategic initiatives earned a green designation, which is a testament to our organizational volunteers. I’m confident many more reds and yellows will move to green in the next year.
One 2021 greenlight is the 17th Annual Conference, which will be held virtually. The Board has selected an excellent virtual platform to give attendees an outstanding learning and networking experience. I encourage you to follow marketing announcements for unique engagement opportunities that will be offered prior to and during the conference.
New to this year’s Annual Conference will be the Patient Advocacy Town Hall. It is being planned by the Patient Outreach Committee and it is just one of many efforts within our advocacy strategic pillar this year. I’m excited about the momentum we have going into 2021 and hope you are too.