DISRxUPT

Benjamin Franklin is attributed with the well-known saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." However, it often seems that our modern healthcare system focuses on the care of the sick rather than true wellness and prevention. This is something that Dr. Matthew Hermenau personally observed in his practice as a pain management pharmacy specialist. This motivated Matt to consider ways in which he could help men overcome chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure through lifestyle interventions and a change in mindset rather than medications. He aims to target the root causes of these chronic illnesses.

Alongside his wife, Matt created (P)harmless Health, LLC, a unique program aimed at improving the health of men and women without the need for long-term medications. They offer personalized training, nutrition coaching, education, and many other services through (P)harmless Health. Matt is a residency-trained clinical pharmacist specializing in pain management and stewardship. If that's not enough, he is a certified personal trainer, a certified nutritionist, and a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach. Listen as we hear the story of how (P)harmless Health is helping its clients lose weight and take charge of their health!

In today's healthcare system, we constantly aim to enhance quality, decrease cost, improve the patient experience, optimize the provider experience, and implement effective population health initiatives. But how do we know if these goals are met? In short, we need data, and the electronic health records used today are filled with such data. Thus, the intersection of technology with clinical experience is invaluable in today's healthcare environment. However, few clinicians are comfortable collecting and analyzing this data on their own. While the learning curve may seem daunting, even simple computing skills can provide great value in healthcare today.

In this episode of DISRxUPT, Dr. Adam Berstein brings us up to speed on the importance of data analytics in pharmacy and beyond. In addition to working in health systems, health tech, and managed care environments as a pharmacist, Adam is the founder and CEO of Sparx Analytics, which exists to empower clinicians to analyze data effectively. Listen to discover how data analytics can be leveraged to optimize clinical and operational outcomes in healthcare today!

Pickleball is one of the newest sports that has taken the United States by storm. So what does pharmacy have to do with pickleball? Well, probably a lot more than you think! For any athlete to stay at the top of their game (including pickleballers), many factors must be considered: mental toughness, nutrition, physical training, functional movement, metabolic health, and even supplements and medications. Some of these medications are taken chronically, while others are used to treat injuries of all types. Few people understand the comprehensive needs of athletes better than our guest on this episode, Dr. Brandon Welch.

Brandon serves as the clinical sports wellness pharmacist for Baptist Health South Florida. He is also the founder of Pharmacy Athlete and President of the Sports Pharmacy Network. Brandon is a certified sports nutritionist, nutrigenomics specialist, consultant pharmacist, and wellness coach. For years, he has taught athletes effective and practical ways to improve their metabolic health and optimize human performance. Brandon has worked with elite athletes ranging from “weekend warriors” to professional athletes in the ATP, NFL, NHL, and PGA. Listen as he explains what Sports Pharmacy entails and how this industry is ripe for innovation and expansion!

Pharmacists have been identified as the most accessible healthcare professional. With this in mind, pharmacists are perfectly positioned to impact many public health problems faced today. Whether related to smoking cessation, vaccination, health screening, diagnostic testing, nutritional deficiencies, the opioid crisis, or maternal-fetal health, pharmacists can transform the health of communities around the nation and the world!

Listen as we talk with Myriam Shaw Ojeda, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. She also serves as the Director of Pharmacy Extension and Public Health Initiatives with the Ohio Pharmacists Association and is a 2019 alumna of the Cedarville University School of Pharmacy. In this episode, she explains how pharmacists can impact public health in myriad ways.

For decades, the pharmaceutical industry hummed to the rhythm of small-molecule drugs - oral pills and injections that community and hospital pharmacies dispensed regularly. However, a seismic shift is underway with biologics, radionuclear agents, nanomedicines, and other novel therapeutics becoming more prevalent. At the heart of this transformation is gene therapy, poised to rewrite the score of care for many medical conditions. In some diseases gene therapy may be the answer to provide a complete cure, and pharmacists are at the front lines of this wave of change.

How do these agents work, and how are they delivered? Listen as we talk with Jill Blind, Pharmacy Manager of Investigational Drug Services at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. In this episode, we discuss the science behind gene therapy, her experiences with gene therapy and cellular therapy, and how pharmacists are intricately involved in developing and distributing these novel treatments.