I had the opportunity to attend the AMA Practice Transformation Boot Camp on September 18, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Physicians, care team members and health system leaders attended to learn successful team-based care strategies that promote professional wellbeing.

Success in healthcare requires more than clinical knowledge and technical skills. In high-touch healthcare environments where collaboration is critical, healthcare workers need to display essential skills. These skills make them more effective in working within a healthcare team ultimately helping patients achieve their health goals.

As we continue to witness a shift in healthcare towards team-based models, there's an opportunity to improve operational efficiency and patient care by providing medical assistants with greater opportunities to grow their careers. Medical assistants can play central roles in team-based models, especially when they are able to practice at the top of their credential. 

Margarita Fedorova, CPhT, joins host Jeremy Sasser and co-host Jessica Langley on the latest episode of OnScript with NHA to discuss the innovative pharmacy technician residency program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the first program of its kind nationally.

Recently named Pharmacy Employer of the Year at the Western Pharmacy Exchange (WPE), Margarita serves as manager of pharmacy services for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she has led numerous initiatives that push the boundaries of pharmacy technician practice and improve operational efficiency. She is responsible for coordinating the hospital’s tech-check-tech program, and has led the redesign of the technician practice models, supported a “meds to beds” program, and co-led the development and implementation of the pharmacy technician residency program.

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How medication dosage miscalculations impact both patients and pharmacies

Whether you're a healthcare professional or in training to become one, chances are you're busy balancing your personal and professional responsibilities. It's important to stay on top of industry trends, news and research, but it can be challenging to find time to educate yourself. Podcasts are a great way to learn on the go. You can tune in during your commute, lunch hour or workout routine — multitasking at its finest!

Below are six of our favorite healthcare podcasts to inform and inspire. Consider subscribing to them so you can always stay in the loop.

From October 13 to 16, 2019, I had the opportunity to represent NHA at the MGMA Annual Conference in New Orleans. Over 4,000 healthcare industry professionals gather together annually for this event, and I always look forward to it. The atmosphere is full of energy and everyone I talk to — whether it be at a session, in our NHA booth or just meeting people in the lunch area — is enthusiastic and excited to be there.

Learn how health coaching can help change patients’ perspectives around influenza vaccination

Medical assistants (MAs) play a vital role in the delivery of healthcare, often being one of the first interactions patients have at their physicians’ offices. With a shortage of providers on the horizon, practices will continue to rely heavily on medical assistants to keep practice operations smooth while providing high-touch patient care.

By 2030, all baby boomers – more than 78 million – will be older than 65. That means that many of today’s highly-skilled, frontline healthcare workers will be transitioning to retirement and moving from practitioner to patient. This aging population will increase the need for healthcare services, creating more strain on providers who already face difficulty in staffing.

On this special episode of OnScript with NHA, we celebrate Pharmacy Technician’s Day by highlighting technician Susan Mumme, CPhT. Susan is the Pharmacy Purchasing Coordinator at Ochsner Medical Center – Hancock, and was recommended to us for an interview by a former pharmacy supervisor.  During this episode, we talk about how Susan got started in her pharmacy career, what changes over the past 20 years have been most impactful to her as a pharmacy technician, and find out what it was like taking care of her patients while taking a direct hit from Hurricane Katrina. 

Happy Pharmacy Technician’s day to all those pharmacy technicians taking care of their patients, directly or indirectly.  Your dedication to safety and quality throughout the entirety of the medication use process is not only necessary, but also appreciated.  Whether you’re behind the counter, mixing IVs in the hospital basement, or even teaching the next generation of pharmacy technician, we celebrate you and all you bring to the field of healthcare!  

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