In this role, I lead the IFP Pharmacy Strategy, Performance & Delivery team as part of the larger IFP Solutions organization. I give dedicated focus to the IFP Pharmacy team, helping to drive continued improvements on medication adherence, strategies to improve costs, and creation/implementation of a streamlined operating model to better support IFP Pharmacy needs for our roughly 550k members spanning 14 states across the USA.

End-to-end pharmacy strategy leader in the complex and dynamic healthcare reform market (ACA exchange business), currently serving over 800K medical + pharmacy members in 16 states. Responsible for developing near and long-term pharmacy strategies that drive growth and sustainability while enhancing members' health and vitality.

As Principal at Maikova, my firm provides healthcare and business consultative services to clients, specializing in operations, compliance, supply chain and inventory optimization, personnel/workforce support, strategic mapping, technology and automation. With my background, I am able to deliver pharmacy practice expertise that leads to healthier patient communities and transforms the healthcare system through innovation and thought partnership. I strategically navigate businesses both large and small through improvements and service expansion efforts that have built sustainable programs for companies while optimizing patient care. I leverage my unique background and extensive network of connections to complement clients in all stages of pharmacy business growth and development, specializing in areas that include 340B program solutions, pharmacy operations performance, general pharmacy startup and expansion of services, and pharmacy regulatory compliance. I also provide medical expert witness and medical toxicology expert witness services.

In my role at Seattle Children's Hospital, I had responsibility for operational oversight, financial performance, strategic planning, payer contracting, and regulatory compliance for all outpatient pharmacy service lines (retail, infusion, surgery) throughout the Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho (WAMI) region. I was able to achieve a 24-hour operational model for retail pharmacy for the first time in the history of the organization. As 340B Advisory Committee Chairperson, I improved institution-wide compliance oversight for 340B Drug Pricing Program via split billing software implementation, creation of new management/auditing roles, and a committee restructure. These changes enabled Children’s to realize more than $10 million in drug cost savings annually. With the goals of improving patient safety and enhancing revenue/financial outcomes, I oversaw the Epic Willow Ambulatory conversion and Willow Ambulatory/Professional Billing integration amidst the hospital-wide Epic EHR conversion. I had accountability for 3 pharmacy cost centers’ annual operating budgets (approximately $40 million revenues), and in my first two years, I achieved $1.3 million and $2.4 million in annual budget reductions, respectively, that resulted in the outpatient pharmacy becoming revenue positive for the first time in recent history. Additionally, I reduced unnecessary annual drug inventory spend by ~$600k by returning underutilized inventory and adjusting par levels. Further, in response to COVID-19 patient care needs, I led my teams to provide curbside medication delivery and expanded prescription mail services.

Upon joining HealthPoint in 2013, I traveled to various clinics and worked to streamline all pharmacy operations. I worked closely with the Pharmacy Director/Vice President to build a vibrant and stable workforce of approximately 75 employees, improve workflow processes at all pharmacy locations, and create a rapidly-growing clinical pharmacy program. In partnership with the Vice President, we were able to turn the pharmacy contribution from ($1.4 million) (41% margin) to $5.8 million 32% margin in 4 years’ time, thus supporting expansion of services, including specialty pharmacy and prescription mail delivery, to create greater access to care for patients across the system. I also had responsibility for successfully opening 5 new pharmacies in 3 years (planning, staffing, inspection, and inventory). I acted as the pharmacist super-user for the QS1 software system for 3 years, which required me to keep the organization’s pharmacy staff up-to-date on their QS1 proficiency. In my role as Associate Pharmacy Director (eventual Director of Pharmacy Services), I was responsible for the recruitment, training, and performance management of 10 Pharmacy Managers as well as the Pharmacy Operations Manager. In addition, I oversaw the clinical pharmacy program leadership and service expansion, made possible by the organization’s move toward the value-based healthcare model. Further, I ensured clinical and dispensing pharmacy services met/exceeded performance benchmarks for NCQA recognition of a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) in depression, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking cessation. I also had experience in staff scheduling annual pharmacy budget planning.

I divided my time between providing long-term care, compounding, and consultant pharmacist services to assisted living facilities and adult family homes with serving as the pharmacy manager for the retail pharmacy location. At the long-term care pharmacy, I conducted medication regimen reviews, prepared and verified Opus, AutoMed, Optipak, Mediset, and Peno card prescription orders, and served as a subject matter expert for third party billing and claims resolution. While in the retail management role, I supervised pharmacy personnel and managed daily operations. The patient population I served during my time with Premier prompted me to seek a board certification in geriatrics in order to better meet the needs of the aging as well as keep me tethered to the ever-changing landscape of clinical best practice, and I obtained my Board Certification of Geriatric Pharmacy (BCGP) in October 2012.

In addition to my daily tasks of providing prescription and patient consultation services in both English and Spanish, I served as the chairperson on the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee at Sea Mar for 2 years and had responsibility for updating Sea Mar's formularies and make recommendations based on literature and clinical appropriateness. In addition, I managed 6 different formularies for the entire Sea Mar organization and was the Quality Improvement Officer for the pharmacy department during my tenure there. I maintained collaborative practice agreements for therapeutic substitutions, immunizations, emergency contraception, and one-time refill authorizations. I also supervised pharmacy staff, managed daily pharmacy operations, and ensured 340B compliance.