Pharmacy Healthy and Information Technology (PHIT) Collaborative Announces New Executive Director Jeff Rochon

ALEXANDRIA, Va., October 28, 2024 (Newswire.com) - The Executive Committee of the Pharmacy Health and Information Technology (PHIT) Collaborative announces a transition in leadership as the founding executive director, Shelly Spiro retires after 14 transformative years of service.

Under Shelly’s visionary leadership since PHIT’s inception in 2010, the Collaborative has become an instrumental force in advancing pharmacy health information technology. Her pioneering work has established PHIT as a respected voice at key decision-making tables and laid a robust foundation for the future of pharmacy practice in a technological age.

The Executive Committee thanks Shelly for her exceptional service to the profession and is pleased to announce Jeff Rochon as the new Executive Director for the Collaborative. As the Chief Executive of the Washington State Pharmacy Association from 2008 to 2020, Jeff worked closely with the State Legislature, the Governor’s office, Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission, the Department of Health, other healthcare provider organizations and patient advocacy groups in the state of Washington on matters relating to the advancement of pharmacy practice.

During his tenure, the number of active collaborative drug therapy prescribing agreements between pharmacists and prescribers in Washington State has grown from 500 to 33,000. From 2020 to today, Jeff has led the Pace Alliance, which is owned by state pharmacy organizations in nineteen states and is a national independent pharmacy support organization.

Jeff's organizational and leadership skills will build upon the critical foundational work established by Shelly Spiro and propel the collaborative and the pharmacy profession forward. His familiarity with pharmacy practice and the national stage sets a tone of energy and growth in pharmacy health and information technology.

This leadership transition comes at a time of dynamic change for pharmacy and for a healthcare system challenged with the growing aging population, the continued implementation of interoperability across healthcare sectors and the advent of artificial intelligence.

PHIT’s vision is for the United States’ health IT infrastructure to better enable pharmacists to help optimize person-centered care. The Collaborative’s mission is to advance and support the use, usability, and interoperability of health IT by pharmacists. The Collaborative’s goals seek to advance the adoption by pharmacists of systems capable of standards-driven health information exchange, for systems and providers to support health IT usability and workflow and facilitate the use of health IT that supports effective quality measurement.

Jeff’s start date with PHIT is November 18th, 2024.

The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) is the only international professional society devoted to optimal medication management and improved health outcomes for all older persons. ASCP's members manage and improve drug therapy and improve the quality of life of geriatric patients and other individuals residing in a variety of environments, including nursing facilities, sub-acute care and assisted living facilities, psychiatric hospitals, hospice programs, and home and community-based care.

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Source: Pharmacy Health Information Technology Collaborative (PHiT)