Newswise — Chicago, IL (April 27, 2016): The Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) has awarded two HOPA Research Grant Awards to Drs. Val Adams, PharmD BCOP FCCP and Jill S Bates, PharmD MS BCOP for their respective research projects. “The 2015 HOPA Research Grant awardees, proposals from Drs. Val Adams, PharmD FCCP BCOP and Jill Bates, PharmD MS BCOP, were selected for their team approaches to two important questions for patients and hematology/oncology pharmacists. Each of these awards has the potential to move our field forward, through original research contributions made by our members,” stated HOPA Research Committee Chair R. Donald Harvey, PharmD FCCP BCOP. The goal of HOPA‘s Research Grant efforts are to fund work that results in facilitating the efforts of hematology/oncology pharmacists to optimize the care of individuals affected by cancer.
Dr. Val Adams will receive $40,000 for his work entitled, “Cancer-related venous thromboembolism: Treatment choice, patterns, and outcomes.” This project will evaluate and compare anticoagulation treatments for cancer-related VTE. Recurrent VTE occurs in about 20% and major bleeds occur in up to 12% with a cancer-related VTE. This study will be the first to compare new treatment modalities to traditional anticoagulation treatment options. “With the increasing use of novel anticoagulants in cancer, paired with the lack of prospective data, Dr. Adams and his group are looking at important real-world outcomes of thromboembolism treatment in a cohort from a database of over 45 million insured individuals. This investigation has the power to provide substantial novel data for optimizing patient outcomes,” said Harvey.
Jill S Bates, PharmD MS BCOP will receive $18, 950 for research that aims to demonstrate that care provided to patients by oncology pharmacists positively impacts clinical outcomes and will establish a process of care in oncology pharmacy that empowers oncology pharmacists to step into a healthcare provider role. The objective of this program is to establish pharmacist-patient relationships in an acute care oncology setting by providing a service that supports shared decision making in cancer care, saves physician time and reduces medication-related problems (MRP). “Dr. Bates and her team are building on the growing body of evidence of the significant contributions that hematology/oncology pharmacists make educating patients as they begin chemotherapy. The project aims to increase the understanding of how pharmacist-led counseling can change patient behaviors and positively impact outcomes,” said Harvey.
Dr. Adams is an Associate Professor in the department of Pharmacy Practice and Science in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Kentucky. He is on the graduate faculty and is a member of the Markey Cancer Center where he has a clinical practice site. He chairs the protocol review and monitoring committee for the cancer center. As the director of the hematology/oncology residency program, he has trained thirty four residents and maintains an active research program. He received his B.S. in pharmacy from the University of Utah and received his doctor of pharmacy from the University of Texas at Austin jointly with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Adams completed his residency at the University of Texas Audie Murphy VA Hospital and a fellowship in transplant at the University of Florida.
Dr. Bates is a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner focused in malignant hematology with the Department of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina Medical Center (UNCMC). She also holds a position as Assistant Professor of Clinical Education in the Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education (PACE) with the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and is Director of the PGY2-oncology residency program at UNC. Dr. Bates received her research-based Master of Science in biochemistry and biophysics from Northern Illinois University, her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed her PGY1 and PGY2-oncology training at Duke University Medical Center.
HOPA
HOPA is a nonprofit professional organization formed in 2004 to help oncology and hematology pharmacy practitioners and their associates provide the best possible cancer care. HOPA supports research, conducts educational conferences to advance knowledge, encourages professional development and advocates for health policy issues that improve patient care. HOPA has more than 2,500 members and includes oncology pharmacists, as well as pharmacy administrators, researchers, residents, interns and technicians specializing in hematology/oncology practice.
RSS