Ambulatory Clinical Oncology Pharmacist (Grace Clinic)

Focus Area

  • Malignant Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplant

Rotations Precepted

  • PGY2, PGY1, and student Oncology Ambulatory Care Grace Rotation

Pharmacy School/Graduation Year

  • University of Wisconsin, 2006

Residency Training Program Location

  • Aurora Health Care – Metro Department of Pharmaceutical Services, 2007

Professional Interests

Malignant hematology, blood and marrow transplant

Organizational Involvement

  • CRS/CRES Working Group (August 2018 – Present): Multi-disciplinary committee designed to evaluate and optimize workflows and safe management of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and CAR-T-cell-related encephalopathy syndrome (CRES)
  • Pharmacy, Nursing, and Therapeutics (PNT) Oncology Subcommittee (September 2015 – Present): Multi-disciplinary committee designed to review and maintain oncology medications for hospital formulary and review of oncology guidelines and collaborative practice agreements. Active committee member and presenter
  • Blood and Marrow Transplant Program Quality Improvement Committee (September 2015 – Present): Multi-disciplinary committee designed to review transplant program safety initiatives, workflows, and protocols. Includes morbidity and mortality (M&M) reviews and education sessions Active committee member and presenter
  • Froedtert Medication Safety Committee (May 2010 – Present): Multi-disciplinary committee designed to create and revise guidelines, policies, and procedures to ensure safe practice. Medication errors are reviewed for process improvements

Certifications

  • Board Certified Oncology Pharmacist (BCOP)
  • Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI)
  • Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT)

Projects

  • Impact of Systemic Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD) Treatment on Patient Titer Response to Post-Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Vaccinations. A retrospective chart review to determine post-BMT vaccination response in an allogeneic transplant population receiving systemic immunosuppression for treatment of GVHD. Froedtert Hospital 2019-2020
  • Development of a protocol for outpatient administration of HyperCVAD (A and B cycles). Collaborated with leukemia MDs and clinic and day hospital nurses to develop a safe protocol for outpatient chemotherapy administration, especially in regards to high dose methotrexate. Submitted Beacon treatment plan protocols and completed associated protocol reviews. Worked with nursing to complete patient teaching documents and smart texts for Epic documentation. Froedtert Hospital 2018-2019
  • Development of a protocol for outpatient administration of haploidentical transplant conditioning. Collaborated with blood and marrow transplant MDs and RNs to develop a safe protocol for outpatient chemotherapy administration. Active participant in Beacon treatment protocol review. Froedtert Hospital 2018-2019
  • Development of a tacrolimus dosing and toxicity monitoring guideline. Created a tacrolimus dosing guideline to improve consistency of starting doses (oral and intravenous), adjustments for drug interactions, and dose adjustments for low and high levels. Worked with transplant coordinators to update relevant blood and marrow transplant Facesheets. Froedtert Hospital February 2018
  • Utilizing Digital Patient Engagement to Support an Anticancer Therapy Management Program for Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Implementation of a digital patient engagement tool in a chronic myeloid leukemia patient population to improve efficiency of patient monitoring and improve communication. Froedtert Hospital 2018-2019
  • Development and Implementation of a Protocol to Administer High-Dose Methotrexate in the Outpatient Setting. Implementation of a protocol to allow high-dose methotrexate infusions and subsequent supportive care to be delivered in the outpatient setting in order to reduce hospital admissions and costs. Froedtert Hospital 2018-2019
  • Development and Implementation of a Blinatumomab Monitoring Guideline and Collaborative Practice Agreement to Improve Safety and Transitions of Care. Development of a blinatumomab toxicity monitoring guideline to improve patient safety and consistency of side effect management. A pharmacist collaborative practice agreement was created to allow the pharmacist to update and manage blinatumomab orders and bag duration to limit day hospital bag exchange appointments and drug waste. Froedtert Hospital 2017-2018
  • Implementation and Evaluation of High-Dose Methotrexate Administration Guidelines. Development of a methotrexate supportive care guideline with data collection pre and post guideline implementation to assess impact on length of hospital stay. Froedtert Hospital 2016-2017
  • Pharmacist Impact on Improving Transitions of Care in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Patients. Implementation of a standardized pharmacist post-discharge follow up program and improvement of pharmacy communication between inpatient and outpatient teams. Froedtert Hospital 2015-2016

Publications

  • Nowak T, Lorge A, Rein L, Canadeo A, Frank J, Samanas L, Urmanski A, Atallah E. “Implementation and Evaluation of High-Dose Methotrexate Administration Guidelines.” J Oncol Pharm Practice, Oct. 2018, doi.org/10.1177/1078155218808866.
  • Weil E, Zook F, Oxencis C, Canadeo A, Urmanski A, Waggoner M, Eastwood D, Pasquini M, Hamadani M, Hari P. “Evaluation of the Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of a Busulfan Test Dose in Adult Patients Undergoing Myeloablative Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.” Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2017;23:952-957.

Hobbies

Tennis, running and fitness, dining out/trying new restaurants

Favorite Things to Do in Milwaukee

Festivals, zoo, Brewer game