Have you discovered an innovative way to deliver senior care pharmacy services? If so, the ASCP Foundation wants to hear from you by August 30.

The ASCP Foundation's new Practice Innovation Award will recognize individuals and/or organizations that demonstrate innovation in senior care pharmacy. The first award will be presented at ASCP's 2007 Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Philadelphia, November 14-17. A maximum of two programs will be recognized. The recipients will receive a plaque and a $5,000 cash award. The award is supported by sanofi-aventis U.S., LLC.

The award will recognize successful practice models that demonstrate improvements in patient safety, quality of care, medication therapy management, collaborative practice, or service delivery. By disseminating the results, the Foundation hopes to foster replication or adaptation in other settings.

Successful programs will:

• demonstrate a new or creative approach;
• address a clearly defined problem with specific, measurable outcomes;
• provide a significant improvement in the process by which service is delivered or in patient outcomes;
• have already been implemented or evaluated;
• be capable of replication or adaptation. 

Nomination materials, including eligibility, selection criteria, and requirements of award recipients, may be obtained from the ASCP Foundation's website or by contacting the Foundation at info@ascpfoundation.org. The deadline for receipt of nominations is August 30.

The ASCP Foundation paid tribute to its 2006 donors and volunteers at its "Celebration of Giving" party during ASCP's 2007 Midyear Conference in Hollywood, Florida. In addition to acknowledging the generosity of the individuals and industry partners who contributed to the Foundation, special recognition was given to some special supporters for their extraordinary dedication during 2006.

Volunteer of the Year
Maude A. Babington, PharmD, FASCP, former chair of the ASCP Foundation Board of Trustees, was named Volunteer of the Year. Maude has been involved with the Foundation in important ways since its inception. Her work with the Foundation began in 1988 when she was the associate executive director of ASCP. As Maude says, back then the Foundation had "no staff, no donors, and a budget of $5,000." After leaving the ASCP staff in 1993, she stayed involved with the Foundation as an advisor, a committee member, a member of the Board of Trustees, and ultimately as its chair ~ not to mention as a consistent donor to the Foundation's annual fund and the Tim Webster Endowment. In 2005, she agreed to serve an additional term chairing the board when the incoming chair was unable to succeed her due to increased business responsibilities.

Fundraiser of the Year
Robert J. Miller, RPh, FASCP, former president of ASCP, current chairman of the ASCP Board of Directors, and a member of the ASCP Foundation Board of Trustees, was named Fundraiser of the Year. Bob was recognized for his outstanding efforts recruiting and motivating donors during his term as ASCP President, including serving as the art auctioneer at the Foundation's dinner event at the Phoenix Art Museum during the 2006 ASCP Annual Meeting.

Industry Partner of the Year
Pfizer Inc. was named Industry Partner of the Year for its outstanding financial support during 2006. Projects supported by Pfizer include the development of the highly regarded Adult Meducation website for improving medication adherence in older adults, and the development of standards for prior authorization in electronic prescribing in long-term care. 

Thanks to all of our award winners for their leadership, inspiration, and commitment to the Foundation.

The date of the ASCP Foundation's 2007 raffle drawing has been postponed, so you still have an opportunity to enter. When we sell 1,000 tickets, we'll pick the winners.

Last year, we decided to offer you a chance to win something great in exchange for your support. Our 2006 raffle was a fantastic success. Based on survey feedback from participants, this year we are offering even more options with a choice of vehicle as the top prize ~ a new car, truck motorcycle or boat. The winner chooses.

When you buy a raffle ticket, not only do you have excellent odds of winning, but you also help support our mission. It's easy. Just click here: I want to win!

Nicole Brandt, PharmD, CGP, BCPP, associate professor of geriatric pharmacotherapy at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, was awarded the 2007 Leadership in Education Award by the ASCP Foundation and ASCP at the ASCP Midyear Conference in May. Sanofi-aventis, the sponsor of the award, donated $10,000 to the Foundation in her honor. 

Dr. Brandt is also director of education and clinical programs and services at the Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging. She created the geriatric pharmacotherapy residency at the University of Maryland to offer additional clinical training to PharmDs in the area of geriatric practice. To read more about Dr. Brandt and the award, click here.

Albert L. Riddle, president and chief executive officer of Albert L. Riddle, PLLC, and president of Medicare D Assist, LLC, is a physician who has specialized in long-term care for nearly 20 years. Serving first as an attending physician in individual nursing homes and later as medical director for several long-term care facilities, Dr. Riddle became national corporate medical director for NeighborCare in 2004 before its purchase by Omnicare.

Dr. Riddle's commitment to long-term care also includes using total quality management as a teacher, organizer, and evaluator of medical services. "Within this role I have also developed experience and skill in clinically appropriate containment of medication use in elderly long-term care residents," Dr. Riddle noted.

His educational work has included numerous conference presentations and other projects, including a video on the assessment and management of congestive heart failure for physicians and other health care providers. He also served as a reviewer of Omnicare's 1999 Geriatric Pharmaceutical Care Guidelines. In 2005, Dr. Riddle appeared in a series of CD-ROMs, produced through the cooperative efforts of AstraZeneca, NeighborCare, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, that reviewed the application of evidence-based medicine to the care of residents of long-term care facilities.

Dr. Riddle received his bachelor's degree in psychology and biology from New York University and his doctor of medicine degree from State University of New York. He is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Medical Directors Association, and the New York Medical Directors Association. In 2006, Dr. Riddle was designated a certified medical director in long-term care by the American Medical Directors Association.

*Fifth in a series of new trustee profiles ~ The ASCP Foundation Board of Trustees elected six new public members at its meeting last October. Public members are individuals outside the leadership of ASCP who bring to the Board expertise and perspective from disciplines involved in geriatric and family medicine, gerontology, public policy, and long-term care.

Approximately 100 friends of the ASCP Foundation enjoyed an afternoon on the links at the Grand Palms Golf Resort during the 2007 Tim Webster Classic Golf Tournament, held May 20 in conjunction with Geriatrics '07, ASCP's 29th Midyear Conference and Exhibition in Hollywood, Florida. Click here to view, download, and print photos from the tournament. 

The tournament is named in honor of ASCP's former executive director Tim Webster, who passed away in 2003. It was his vision and leadership that created the ASCP Foundation 25 years ago. 

The tournament netted approximately $35,000 for the Foundation. The leadership and staff of the Foundation are grateful to everyone involved ~ sponsors, players, and volunteers ~ for making the tournament a tremendous success. 

2007 TW Classic Winners

First Place ~ Jerry Evans, Brad Hopkins, Todd Macy, Todd Ross 

Second Place ~ Arnie Cammeyer, Rolf Schrader, Robert Voyles, Glenn Whitley 

Third Place ~ Nick Bell, Steve Seller, Chad Sullivan, Robin Taylor 

The 2008 Tim Webster Classic will be held immediately preceding ASCP's 30th Midyear Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Watch for announcements about the 2008 tournament in the coming months.