Access Against the Odds: How Pharmacists Navigate Shortages and Unmet Need | Love Your Pharmacist Awards presented by Clinigen

SPEAKER_1 (0:05)

You are listening to the global network of podcasters dedicated to the pharmacy profession. Welcome to the Pharmacy Podcast Network.

Welcome to the Pharmacy Podcast Network in partnership with Love Your Pharmacist Awards by Clinigen, a global program celebrating hospital pharmacists whose dedication, innovation and leadership are transforming patient care around the world. In this episode, we're exploring a challenge that touches every health care system, ensuring patients receive the medicines they need when the usual route isn't available. We'll discuss how pharmacists in the United States and Europe are navigating these challenges, what happens when a medicine isn't available through conventional channels, and how health care systems are adapting to an increasingly complex supply landscape.

SPEAKER_2 (0:58)

Podcast listeners, we are delighted to be joined by this year's Love Your Pharmacist Awards Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Alfred L'Altrelli, Chief Pharmacy Officer. Alfred, welcome to the show.

Alfred L'Altrelli (1:12)

Thanks, it's great to be here. My name's Alfred L'Altrelli. I am a pharmacist currently at Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where I serve as the Chief Pharmacy Officer for our health system.

SPEAKER_2 (1:23)

Also, you have a distinguished career spanning nearly three decades.

And you have been groundbreaking initiatives that have improved access to care, enhanced medication safety, and expanded pharmacy services for those undeserved communities throughout the country. I also want to note that you are a podcaster. I know that you don't necessarily host your own show, but you know how to podcast. You've been doing it for a while.

Alfred L'Altrelli (1:50)

I've done a few.

SPEAKER_2 (1:52)

Also joining is Louise Morshead, a pharmacist and portfolio director from Clinigen. Louise, welcome.

Louise Morshead (2:00)

Hi. I'm Louise Morshead. I'm a pharmacist by background, and I'm portfolio director for Clinigen in the Global Access Division.

SPEAKER_2 (2:10)

Very good. You know, I just returned from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, as well as the NASP and Specialty Pharmacy. And we have been talking about drug shortages and how access to medication can be a major issue in treatment.

Today's episode is Access Against the Odds, How Pharmacists Navigate Shortages and Unmet Needs. Excited to have both of you here. The insights that you'll bring is going to be an impact to our listeners as we round out this three-part series. A thank you to Clinigen for your sponsorship of this.

So Al, first of all, congratulations on receiving this year's Love Your Pharmacist Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. It was amazing to hear this. We always want pharmacists to get recognition. In my opinion, you don't get enough recognition, so this is why the Love Your Pharmacist Awards is so special to us at the Pharmacy Podcast Network. Throughout your career, you've been a pioneer in services that have improved access to care and medication safety and patient outcomes. As you reflect on that journey, what achievements best capture the impact that you've hoped to make as a pharmacy leader?

Alfred L'Altrelli (3:35)

Thank you. I'm definitely honored to receive this award. It's exciting. And like you said, a lot of times pharmacists don't get the recognition that I feel like they deserve either. So I appreciate that these types of awards exist. And again, I'm honored to receive it. Then whenever you say nearly three decades in pharmacy, I feel kind of old and I can't believe that it's been three decades, but it has maybe more like 27 years, give myself that extra 10 percent. But there really isn't one award or program or title or anything like that, that stands out as an achievement. It's more about impact for me. Like I've always hoped to make a difference. Like helping create pathways, create care where nonexisted, or if there's some barrier or delay, figuring out how to remove it.

That's always been something that intrinsically motivated me.

Throughout my career, I've really had the privilege of leading initiatives that brought different types of pharmacy services, special pharmacy services even to rural communities, expanding beyond the walls of the hospital, and helping patients receive life-changing treatments that weren't previously available in whatever region they were in before. So, whether it's transplant type of telepharmacy that I've done in the past, building different care models so that we're providing pharmacist care in the home, helping navigate those changes that we saw during the pandemic, whether it's for vaccination or the MABs or just general cardiac care, those types of things all really are about making health care more accessible, more equitable, more human, and of course, leveraging the value of pharmacists, because pharmacists can do a lot more than we've kind of done in recent history. So, yeah, I mean, I think it's just about more than the medications, it's about the possibility, it's about standing between the patient and whatever barrier it is and figuring out how to remove it, and those types of things are what I view as really achievements.