The theme for this year’s ASHP Mid-Year Conference is “Some Mid-Year Magic.” To celebrate the contributions and magic that our talented pharmacists and technicians bring to their patients, we created a new series called Moments in Pharmacy. Today, we feature Danielle Crowley, PharmD, RPh, and Clinical Operations Pharmacist at Hogan Regional Center in Danvers MA.
What does being a pharmacist mean to you?
Being a pharmacist is a dream come true. It is my passion. I love helping people, I love keeping them safe, being their advocate and improving their quality of living. “If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life.”
What do you like best about your job?
I am passionate about working with people with intellectual disabilities. As a clinical pharmacist at Hogan, a facility that services individuals with intellectual disabilities, I love that my job aligns with my passion.
Describe a meaningful moment you’ve experienced in this field.
In the spring of 2018 I created a Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee at Hogan, which was a major milestone both professionally and personally. It is something that I never dreamed I would be able to do, and it is certainly a moment that I will not forget.
Name one or two of the most exciting developments you see taking place in pharmacy operations or pharmaceuticals right now.
Recently I have become fascinated with the field of pharmacogenomics, the study of how genes affect a person’s response to drugs. The field of pharmacogenomics is still in its infancy, so its use is currently quite limited. There are studies being conducted now to develop new approaches to drug therapy. The hope is to allow for the development of genetically tailored drugs to treat a wide range of health problems.
What are the biggest challenges you see in the coming 2-5 years?
Drug affordability and increasing drug shortages.
If you could wave a magic wand and make any one change to all pharmacy operations in the U.S., what would it be?
I would like to remove cost from being the focus of the U.S. healthcare system. If I could, I would change the system to be patient-centered. In my opinion, the affordability of healthcare and medication should not be a limiting factor in a person’s well-being.
