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  • January 29, 2010 2:13 PM | Brad Miller (Administrator)

    Please join us on February 11th in Kalamazoo when we discuss "Current Treatment Options for Bipolar Disorder. Kevin Furmaga, Pharm.D., BCPP will be our speaker for the evening. This year’s Annual Convention and Expo (ACE) meeting will be held the weekend of Feb. 26-28, 2010 and MSHP will be offering three sessions. Be sure to look for these sessions when deciding what programs to attend at the convention! If you register for the Annual Convention prior to Feb. 4 at 4:30 p.m. to receive member discounts. Visit the MPA Website to register and to obtain the most up to date information! Mark your calendars for Friday, April 9th in which we will have having our monthly meeting with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Our Continuing education will be held at 5:30PM with the game to follow. There will be an opportunity to invite your friends and family, too

  • December 29, 2009 2:13 PM | Brad Miller (Administrator)

    Welcome 2010! The election results for 2010 have been completed and I would like to welcome the following new as well as returning board members to the WMSHP Board:

    • Adam Drzewicki, President-Elect
    • Kim Melgarejo, Treasurer
    • Ben Mgboh, Kym Moline, Sarah Paulson, Kristina Rowley as Board Members
    • Aaron Britton Technician Representative

    Please join us on January 14th at the Lacks Grand Room at the Lacks Cancer Center at Saint Mary’s in Grand Rapids. Dr. Colleen Tallen will be discussing Pain and symptom management: a clinician's perspective.

    See you then!

  • November 01, 2009 2:14 PM | Brad Miller (Administrator)

    Submit Your Newsletter Articles!
    We are always looking for original newsletter articles for the WMSHP Newsletter. This is a great opportunity if you or one of your students or residents have an article that you’d like to see published in this newsletter and online at WMSHP.net.

    Please send all submissions to me. The email address is webmaster@wmshp.net.

    Holiday Break:
    Please note that there will be no general meeting or newsletter for the month of December. Have a happy holiday season, and we’ll see you again in 2010

  • November 01, 2009 2:14 PM | Brad Miller (Administrator)

    In the next couple days, you will receive your "official" WMSHP ballot in the mail! The ballot may be mailed back to Brad Miller, WMSHP Secretary; handed in to an Executive Board member; or turned in at the November WMSHP meeting in Kalamazoo. There won't be extra ballots available at the monthly meeting, so keep that in mind. Also, note that we cannot accept votes that are faxed or emailed.

    Try to make it to the MSHP Annual Meeting being held November 6th at Rock Financial Showplace in Novi. There are a variety of topics including and adult, child, and infant CPR course for both Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacists. You can register on-line at http://www.michiganpharmacists.org.

    Join us at our next monthly meeting where Sandra Chase will be discussing "Recent Developments in the Treatment and Management of Atrial Fibrillation” at the Food Dance Café in Kalamazoo.  

    See you then

  • October 01, 2009 2:15 PM | Brad Miller (Administrator)

    President Elect

    Adam Drzewicki graduated with his Pharm.D. from the University of Michigan in 2000.  After graduation, he completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  He then accepted a clinical pharmacist position in cardiology at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo.

    Board Members 

    Ben Mgboh is a graduate of Purdue University. He completed a PGY1 residency in pharmacy practice at Spectrum Health. He is currently employed at Spectrum Health and his interest areas include cardiology, critical care and emergency medicine. Ben is currently an associate member of ACCP and is looking forward to more involvement with WMSHP. 

    Kym Moline (Incumbent) works as a clinical pharmacist at St Mary's Health Care in Grand Rapids.  Kym is an adjunct instructor for Ferris and a precepts pharmacy externs and residents. She received her B.S and Pharm.D. degrees from Ferris and M.S.A. from Central Michigan University. 

    Sarah Paulson (Incumbent) attended Ferris State University and graduated with her Pharm.D. in 2005.  She completed a pharmacy practice residency at St. Mary's Health Care in 2006.  She is currently a clinical pharmacist at Saint Mary's Health Care.  Sarah has been a member of WMSHP since 2005 and has served as a board member since June 2007.  She also has membership with ACCP, ASHP, MPA, MSHP, Phi Lambda Sigma, and Lambda Kappa Sigma. 

    Kristina Rowley completed her Pharm.D. training at Ferris State University.  She completed her PGY1 residency at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, MI.  Then, she completed her PGY2 residency with a specialty in Ambulatory Care at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI.  She looks forward to joining her practice site at the Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies Clinic as an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice with Ferris State University.   

    Abby Sturm graduated from Butler University with her Pharm.D. in 2004. Post-graduation she completed a PGY1 residency and PGY2 residency in Internal Medicine/Family Medicine at Clarian Health Partners in Indianapolis. After residency, Abby worked as a clinical pharmacist on a med/surg unit and adjunct faculty at Mercy Mt. Airy Hospital and the University of Cincinnnati - College of Pharmacy in Cincinnati. Over the past few years, she has enjoyed participating in a variety of teaching environments, precepting students, and working in a Coumadin clinic.  Abby and her husband moved to Michigan in the spring of 2008.  She is currently a inpatient pharmacist at St. Mary's Health Care in Grand Rapids.  

    Technician

    Aaron Britton began working as a Pharmacy Technician at Kay Pharmacy in 2000 and became a Certified Pharmacy Technician in 2003. In 2006, he began working as a technician at St. Mary's Healthcare where he was trained in sterile products and hazardous medication compounding and served on several committees. He recently joined Spectrum Health Butterworth Pharmacy as the Sterile Products Technician Supervisor. In 2008, he began pre-pharmacy coursework at Grand Rapids Community College.

    Wendy Benkert is a lifelong resident of West Michigan, Wendy completed her pharmacy technician training at Baker College of Muskegon in 2000. She has been employed at Mercy Health Partners as a Certified Pharmacy Technician since. Wendy primarily works as an IV Technician, but also assists with peer interviewing, technician competencies, and USP 797 compliance processes.  

    Marijke Rathke has been employed as a pharmacy technician at Bronson Methodist Hospital since 1998.  In 2004, she became a Certified Pharmacy Technician and in 2005, advanced to a Level III pharmacy technician in which she began working on the nursing unit as a decentralized technician.  Marijke is currently taking pre-mortuary courses at Kellogg Community College and is a member of the Everest Institute Advisory Board for Pharmacy Technicians.

    Susan Thomas: After returning to her hometown of Kalamazoo in 2002 and working as a CENA, she enrolled in Olympia's Pharmacy Technician Program. She graduated at the top of her class, earning the opportunity to extern at Bronson Hospital. She became certified and took a full time position with Bronson upon completion of her externship in November of 2004. While working in the inpatient setting she was able to train in multiple areas of the pharmacy and be a part of the peer interviewing team. In April of 2006 she moved into a position in Bronson's Outpatient setting. She continues to attend education seminars and pharmaceutical dinners to further her knowledge, and is an active technician preceptor.
     
    Stephen Wolthuis has been employed as a Pharmacy Technician at Bronson Methodist Hospital inpatient pharmacy since 2004 and has been a certified technician since 2007.  He recently obtained Technician Level III status.  He is trained in a number of areas including unit dose, IV, supply (Pyxis), decentralized technician, and medication reconciliation.  His primary role is as an emergency room medication reconciliation technician.  In this capacity he has helped develop and further Bronson Pharmacy's role outside of pharmacy. Along with that he frequently precepts both pharmacist and pharmacy technician students in the medication reconciliation process.  He is currently taking nursing prerequisite classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.  As well, he is the co-chair of the department's Shared Governance Council and anticipates chairing the council in 2010.

  • October 01, 2009 2:15 PM | Brad Miller (Administrator)

    Soon we will be electing new officers for the 2010 year.  Each active WMSHP member will be mailed an official ballot. The ballot may be mailed back to Brad Miller, WMSHP Secretary, handed in to an Executive Board member, or turned in at the October WMSHP meeting in Grand Rapids or the November WMSHP meeting in Kalamazoo. To eliminate the possibility of voting multiple times, there will not be extra ballots available at the monthly meetings. Please do not attempt to fax the ballots. To verify that WMSHP has your current address, log in to our website at wmshp.net and select "Update Address". 

    In October, please join us at the Lacks Grand Room at Saint Mary’s Health for a talk on Dyslipidemia.  Kristin Smith and Matt Moran will be presenting an overview of lipid physiology, guidelines and pharmacotherapy.

  • September 01, 2009 2:16 PM | Brad Miller (Administrator)

    Even though some of us may feel that summer has barely begun, August is coming to a close! It is hard to believe that it is time to ‘prepare’ ourselves for cooler days and evenings even though we seem to have not ‘heated up’ this summer!

    This year, WMSHP completed our First Annual Summer Outing! Ryan Bickel, general member, organized and facilitated this event that occurred on Wednesday 7/29/09. Over 80 people (WMSHP members, prospective members, and their families) attended a baseball game at Fifth-Third Ballpark in Grand Rapids. The West Michigan Whitecaps hosted the Burlington Bees. I loved this outing because we all had a chance to catch up on peoples lives, see how their summer’s were going, and meet their family members! I am hopeful that an event like this can continue year after year. I would also like to take this time to thank Ryan Bickel for his efforts in organizing this event

    During the summer the WMSHP Executive Board has been busy preparing for the year ahead. We are currently seeking nominations for Executive Board members. According to the WMSHP bylaws, only active members of WMSHP may be nominated for executive board positions. If you are interested in being a board member or know of other interested candidates, please submit their name, contact information, and a brief description of current practice and professional interests to WMSHP Secretary, Brad Miller, at email: webmaster@wmshp.net.

    Happy final days of Summer and I look forward to re-convening in the Fall with our first meeting scheduled September 10th, 2009.

  • April 01, 2009 2:16 PM | Brad Miller (Administrator)

    Spring has sprung and with the arrival of Spring comes the hustle and bustle of Spring time activities!  Please try to fit our April meeting into your busy schedule as we have two great topics from two of our area Pharmacy Practice Residents:  These topics are:  "Evaluation of Haloperidol Continuous Infusions in Critically Ill Patients" and "The Relationship Between Cumulative Aminoglycoside Doses and Renal Impairment in Adults with Cystic Fibrosis". 

    Also, we are currently holding nominations for an open board member position as we have had a member of our board resign due to relocation reasons.  This would be an 18 month commitment.  If you have someone you think would be a great candidate, please contact myself or another board member. 

    Thanks and Happy Spring!

  • March 01, 2009 2:17 PM | Brad Miller (Administrator)

    On Monday Feb 2nd, 2009 the bucktoothed rodent known as Punxsutawney Phil saw his own shadow, which means, if you believe in this sort of thing, we can expect six more weeks of wintry weather. For us in Michigan, I have a feeling this will come to be a truth!

    Greg Baron, our Director of Governmental Affairs for MPA, is looking for individuals in each local and regional association that he can send information regarding proposed rules, legislation and fundraising events that should and would be of interest to pharmacists. His hope is that these individuals would then share the information with their membership and help formulate responses with him. If interested in being a contact for Greg, please let me know.

    In March, we look forward to meeting to discuss the topic of "Inpatient Glycemic Control". Please join us at the Bistro Bella Vita Downtown in Grand Rapids!

  • February 01, 2009 2:17 PM | Brad Miller (Administrator)

    As we all continue to stay safe and warm in this bitter cold I had the pleasure of attending both my first MSHP Committee Day as well as my first MSHP Board Meeting! Areas of discussion at Committee Day included (but was certainly not limited to!) forming a list serve for Michigan Residents on the MPA website, organizing a networking location for residents at future ACE and ASHP meetings, as well as providing information for the underinsured residents in Michigan on where they may obtain assistance for both medical treatment and medication assistance. Participating in these events was extremely inspiring and I look forward to working with all of the great pharmacy colleagues we have in Michigan!

    Our MSHP President Jim Lile discussed his theme for 2009 which includes "membership participation". This can mean anything from taking part in a small task needed to be completed to sharing and engaging others in MSHP. As a reminder, the ACE Meeting will be held this year from 2/27-3/1/09 at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center. What a great way to participate and network with other Michigan Peers!

    Please join us on February 19th (note this is the 3rd Thursday of the month) at the Radisson in Kalamazoo Michigan. Laura Aykroyd, PharmD, BCPS will be discussing "Achieving Blood Pressure Control in Severe Hypertension".

    Until then, please stay safe and warm!

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