Sherri–Lynne Almeida, DrPH, MSN, MEd, RN, CEN, FAEN, is Director of the Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence. She has 26 years of nursing experience in Emergency Care and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Almeida earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Massachusetts’ Fitchburg State College in 1981, a master of education in health science degree from Bridgewater State College, Massachusetts, in 1986, a master of nursing science from the University of Texas–Houston Graduate School of Nursing in 1990, and a doctorate in public health from the University of Texas–Houston School of Public Health in 1998. In 2005, Dr. Almeida was inducted into the Academy of Emergency Nursing.
Dr. Almeida has been active for many years in community, civic and professional organizations. Currently, Dr. Almeida is serving as a member of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Board of Directors, the specialty nursing association serving the emergency nursing profession through research, publications, professional development, and injury prevention. Her term ends in December 2008. Previously she served on the ENA Board for seven years becoming the National President in 2002.
She is a member of ANA, AONE, AACN, Sigma Theta Tau, MNA, and TNA. She maintains an adjunct position as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Graduate School of Nursing in Houston, TX. Dr. Almeida has served on numerous national committees, including the American Red Cross Advisory Council on First Aid and Safety. She has been an instructor at both the undergraduate and graduate level and is a national speaker on the topics of emergency nursing and infectious diseases. Dr. Almeida is also a contributing author to numerous books and publications, including the United States Fire Administration’s Safety and Health Considerations for the Design of Fire and Emergency Medical Service Stations.
Dr. Almeida joined Cardinal Health in 2005 as a Senior Consultant.
Erin Curtis, BA, MS is the Manager of Education Programs at The Center for Medication Safety and Clinical Improvement. Erin has worked in healthcare for eleven years with eight of those years in healthcare education. In her current role, Erin helps create and develop education programs, including invited conferences, regional education symposiums and webcasts. Erin acts as the liaison between Cardinal Health and various healthcare industry organizations including the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the National Patient Safety Foundation. Formerly with Hemotherapies, a medical device company, she was the Director of Education and Programs managing preceptorship and clinician training programs.
Alisa Goetz, Pharm.D is Director of Clinical Data and Analytics for the Center for Medication Safety and Clinical Excellence. She is responsible for the use of Cardinal based informatics systems to support both clinical and operational initiatives within the organization.
During her 19 year tenure with Cardinal Health, Alisa has held various product development and operations positions. Prior to her current role, she served as one of the core team members of the Integrated Medication Solutions (IMS) Development Team responsible for new product development and product management of Cardinal's Medication Cost Control Solution. Prior to her role with IMS, Alisa was the Senior Director of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Information Services (PCIS) and was responsible for the creation of the Houston-based Data and Custom Studies Research businesses. In this role, she was involved in all aspects of clinical outcomes research including project conceptualization, design, sales, management, data analysis, presentation and publication. Prior to her role in PCIS, Alisa was the Senior Director of Clinical Affairs-Contract Development and Product Evaluation for the Pharmacy Management division. In this role she served as the corporate liaison between Clinical Affairs and Cardinal's GPO overseeing the Corporate Formulary product selection for over 250 Pharmacy Management hospital accounts and participating in clinical contract negotiations. Alisa has 8 years experience as a field-based clinical pharmacist where she served as Clinical Director and Assistant Director of Pharmacy.
Alisa earned her doctorate degree in Pharmacy from Xavier University of Louisiana. Her interests are focused in outcomes research, data and analysis services and pharmacoeconomics in the acute care setting. She has published several papers in both pharmacy and major medical journals and has presented at several professional medical meetings. She is a member of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy and the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Charles Ham, PharmD, MBA is the Vice President, Clinical Affairs. Charles heads a group of clinical pharmacists, subject matter experts and analysts as part of the Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence supporting the Clinical Standards and Practice business segment of Cardinal Health.
Based in Houston, the Clinical Affairs team provides and disseminates knowledge management strategies, data and information designed to impact the safe and efficacious utilization of pharmaceuticals and devices. General functions and activities include:
In 1990, Charles joined Owen Healthcare as a Regional Clinical Manager based in St. Louis, Missouri and later accepted the role of Manager of Medical Information based in the Houston corporate office. After Owen was acquired by Cardinal Health, Charles has been in the role of Director and then Vice President of Clinical Affairs.
Prior to this engagement, Charles spent 12 years at Cedars–Sinai Medical Center as a Clinical Staff Pharmacist, Senior Pharmacist and Assistant Director. Cedars–Sinai Medical Center is a 1,200–bed tertiary care facility located in Los Angeles, California. From 1988 until 1990, Dr. Ham was Director of Pharmacy Services for Cottage Hospital, in Santa Barbara, California, a 350 bed teaching facility. He has held a faculty appointment as Assistant Clinical Professor of Pharmacy from the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, and has presented and published numerous papers. He has served on various state and national professional organizations including the ASHP Commission on Therapeutics. Areas of expertise include the management of multi–hospital clinical pharmacy program development, the implementation of practical systems and programs to impact drug utilization, and clinical and financial outcome measurements regarding different treatment processes in the community hospital environment.
Charles completed his undergraduate training at California State University, Long Beach before obtaining a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the University of Southern California. A Masters degree in Business Administration was awarded from Pepperdine University.
Elaine Jones, RPh, MBA is the Director of Regulatory Compliance for the Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence, which provides support to Pharmacy Services and Integrated Medication Solutions. Elaine is responsible for providing regulatory leadership, develops, revises and implements policies and procedures related to agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and state Boards of Pharmacy. Elaine conducts regulatory compliance audits, recommends corrective actions, and educates appropriate persons on regulatory requirements. She developed and updates training modules, which are posted on CLASS, relating to Federal laws and controlled substance regulations. She completed Kaizen Leadership training and was the project leader for the Kaizen Record Retention Process event.
Elaine joined Cardinal Health in May 2004. Prior to that Elaine was a Compliance Specialist for the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy for 8 years. In that capacity she was responsible for enforcing drug laws and conducting drug diversion investigations. In 2004 Elaine received the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Inspector of the Year Award. Before joining the Board of Pharmacy, Elaine was a Director of Pharmacy for several hospital pharmacies, including a multi–hospital system.
Elaine earned a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Xavier University. She is a member of the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists and is a licensed pharmacist in Ohio.
Robert Jordin, RPh, BS is an Operations Director within Clinical Technologies and Services’ Clinical Standards and Practice area. For the past 4 years, Robert, has been involved in providing pre–Joint Commission assessments for Pharmacy Service managed and potential accounts. Robert maintains Pharmacy Services’ Joint Commission survey results database, Joint Commission compliance templates and pharmacy forms. Robert is also involved reviewing the accreditation process with Pharmacy Services’ newly hired directors of pharmacy and pharmacy students rotating through Pharmacy Services’ Clinical Affairs. He is also a founder and facilitator in Cardinal Health’s Student Leadership Seminar. Robert is also participating in Cardinal Health’s Lean Six Sigma initiative as a Kaizen Leader.
Prior to becoming a part of CTS Clinical Standards and Practice area, Robert worked in Pharmacy Services operations where he provided Joint Commission assessments and managed 21 pharmacists that provide director of pharmacy leadership and coverage for Pharmacy Services managed accounts. Robert has held other key positions within Cardinal Health serving as a Director of Pharmacy in two hospitals, 48 beds and 208 beds. He also served as a Regional Recruiting Manager and Director of Recruiting where he was responsible for recruiting directors of pharmacy and staff pharmacists for openings within Cardinal Health Pharmacy Services managed accounts.
Robert earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Campus, School of Pharmacy in Little Rock. He a member of the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists and is a licensed pharmacist in Texas and Arkansas. Robert also serves as a charter member of the University of Arkansas Medical Science Campus, School of Pharmacy’s Dean’s Industry Advisory Council.
Patricia Kienle is the Director of Accreditation and Medication Safety for the Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence at Cardinal Health Clinical Technologies and Services.
She received her pharmacy degree from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, and a Masters in Public Administration from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She completed an Executive Fellowship in Patient Safety from Virginia Commonwealth University and is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
She has served on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and as President of the Pennsylvania Society of Hospital Pharmacists. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, named Pharmacist of the Year by the PSHP, and the recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award in Hospital and Institutional Practice from the American Pharmaceutical Association Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management. She has served on the Pharmacotherapy Specialty Council of the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties, as the pharmacist member of the Hospital Professional and Technical Advisory Committee of the Joint Commission and on the Board of Governors of the National Patient Safety Foundation.
She is a frequent presenter to professional groups, with special interests in promoting medication safety, accreditation and regulatory issues in pharmacy and providing pharmacy services in integrated health systems.
Kristi Kuper, Pharm.D, BCPS is the Clinical Director of Infectious Diseases for Cardinal Health. She is primarily responsible for developing programs to assist hospitals with managing anti–infective utilization and reducing antimicrobial resistance.
Dr. Kuper has been with Cardinal Health since 2002, first starting with the Consulting Division and then moved into her current role in 2004. Prior to her current position, she was the Clinical Coordinator for Olathe Medical Center in Olathe, Kansas. Her primary practice areas included Critical Care and Investigational Drug Practice.
She is a member of several national infectious disease organizations including the American Society of Microbiology, Infectious Disease Society of America, and the Society of Infectious Disease Pharmacists. She is also a member of the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.
Dr. Kuper received her Pharm.D degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and completed a pharmacy practice residency at the James A Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida. In addition, she is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist.
Stephen Lewis, MD is chief medical officer for the Clinical Technologies and Services (CTS) business segment of Cardinal Health. Steve leads the Clinical Standards and Practice area - the Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence- which provides advice, expertise and oversight around all clinical practices, and establishes the clinical direction for CTS. Steve is responsible for establishing clinical protocols across our businesses, aligning clinical strategies with business strategies, and supporting safety and quality efforts at the bedside and point of care. In addition he represents and promotes CTS to the clinical community by participating in selected educational, clinical, medical and customer events, as well as serving on industry and advisory boards.
Steve joins CTS from VHA Southeast, most recently as vice president of Medical Affairs, where he was responsible for mining clinical quality and utilization data, directing consultation and facilitation of quality improvement efforts at member hospitals and maintaining a network of chief medical officers of the member organization. During his seven–year tenure at VHA Southeast, he developed quarterly balanced scorecards, a DRG assignment analysis and Case Mix Index report, and developed case management and documentation improvement consulting at member hospitals that resulted in increased revenues through process redesign.
Steve began his medical career as a practitioner in general internal medicine. He has served as director of an Intensive Care Unit, physician advisor for Utilization Management, medical director for a data analysis company, clinical investigator for a clinical research company, and vice president and principal for a hospital clinical information system and revenue management company.
Steve earned his bachelor’s degree from Duke University and medical degree from the University of South Florida, where he also completed his internship in medicine and residency in internal medicine. He is board certified in internal medicine as well as quality assurance and utilization review, and is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Physician Executives.
Bruce McWhinney, PharmD is Vice President, Professional Relationships for the Center. He assumed that role in January 2007 and is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with organizations and individuals which promote the national quality and safety agenda and which help further the goals of the Center. Bruce joined Cardinal Health ten years ago as the general manager of a pharmacy management business and during the past eight years has been in a corporate quality and safety leadership role. He has held numerous quality / safety and pharmacy practice leadership roles at the national level and is active in multiple professional organizations. He is the past Chairman of the Board of the National Committee for Quality Healthcare as well as immediate past Chairman of the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties. Currently, Bruce serves as the first industry / supplier member of the Board of the National Quality Forum, the organization leading the national quality goal–setting and measurement effort.
Prior to joining Cardinal Health in 1996, Bruce held director of pharmacy positions at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Fairfax Hospital. He holds a BA in Philosophy from St. Mary’s University, a BS in Pharmacy from the Medical College of Virginia and a PharmD from the University of Kentucky where he also completed a pharmacy residency.
Lee Murdaugh, RPh, PhD is a member of the Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence. Her responsibilities include, assisting client hospitals in preparing for accreditation surveys, performing safety assessments of medication use systems, facilitating root cause analysis, failure mode and effects analysis, and competence assessments, and developing medication safety and accreditation tools and resources. In addition, she provides presentations on medication safety and accreditation topics to national and state professional organizations. Lee is the author of Competence Assessment Tools for Health–System Pharmacies and contributing author to Preparing the Pharmacy: Continuous Compliance with Joint Commission Standards and Preparing to Meet Joint Commission Patient Safety Goals.
Lee began her association with Cardinal as an Interim Manager in the Pharmacy Services area of CTS. As Interim Manager she provided interim pharmacy director coverage in client hospitals, assessment and redesign of pharmacy operations, and implementation of new pharmacy systems and technologies including Pyxis.
Prior to joining Cardinal, Lee was the Director of Pharmacy Services at St. Mary’s Health System, a 535–bed tertiary care facility in Knoxville, Tennessee. During her tenure at St. Mary’s, her accomplishments included implementation of new pharmacy services and technologies, development of a comprehensive drug information service, development of educational programs for pharmacy and other hospital staffs and patients, and development of performance improvement initiatives including clinical practice guidelines. She also served as a student preceptor for three colleges of pharmacy and was the co–developer of a pharmacy technician training program at a local technology school.
Lee earned her bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and her doctorate in drug and materials toxicology from the University of Tennessee. While pursuing her doctorate, she was a fellow of the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education. She has also completed a traineeship in acute care anticoagulation and certification in asthma patient care. Lee holds pharmacist licensure in four states and is a member of the American Society of Health–System Pharmacists and the Tennessee Pharmacists Association.
Carl Peterson, PharmD, is Clinical Director, Cardiovascular Diseases for the Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence. He is responsible for supporting CTS businesses and their clients in the area of cardiovascular therapeutics with special emphasis on pharmacotherapy in coronary and peripheral arterial disease as well as prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism.
Before joining Cardinal Health in 1995 Carl was a member of the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy faculty as Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacist, Peripheral Vascular Surgery, at University of Illinois Hospital. He later served as Assistant Director for Clinical Pharmacy Services and Director, Lutheran General Anticoagulation Center, at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois.
Carl earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from University of Illinois and his Doctor of Pharmacy from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. He completed his clinical residency at University of Illinois.
Curt William Quap, M.S., R.Ph., is Director of Clinical Affairs for the Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence. He is responsible for the development and dissemination of scientific information and data, product evaluations and positioning, clinical pharmacy practice programs in support of therapeutic initiatives, and developing various training programs. He also serves as a preceptor for a number of drug information experiential programs and is a faculty member for the University of Houston College of Pharmacy.
Cardinal Health has employed Curt for over twenty years. In 1986, joining what was then Owen Healthcare, he was, first, a clinical pharmacist and, later, the Director of Pharmacy Services at Peninsula Medical Center in Ormond Beach, Florida. In 1993, he moved to a position as pharmacist liaison for the company’s Information Technology Service based in the Houston office. Returning to a clinical role in 1995, Curt served as a Clinical Manager moving from area and system level responsibilities to regional and national levels during the next four years. He joined the Clinical Affairs team in 1999 in his current role.
Curt began his career as a clinical pharmacist at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a major inner–city teaching facility. In 1977, he accepted a faculty position with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy providing clinical and educational services in a number of rural hospitals in southern Maine. From 1981 to 1986, Curt directed an office–based pharmacy practice working with a team of physicians and dentists to provide outpatient primary care services in Portland, Maine. During his years in Maine, he also held faculty positions in pharmacology for baccalaureate nursing programs at both the University of Southern Maine and Westbrook College.
During his career, he has published and presented numerous papers, posters, and lectures related to clinical practice and pharmaceutical care issues. He is a current member of the American Society of Health–System Pharmacists and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.
Curt earned both his BS and MS degrees in Pharmacy from the Temple University School of Pharmacy at the Health Sciences Center in Philadelphia, PA.
Jennette I. Tran, Pharm.D., BCOP is a Director of Clinical Affairs for the Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence. She has been with Cardinal Health since 2001.
Dr. Tran is responsible for the development and dissemination of scientific information and data, product evaluations and positioning, clinical pharmacy practice programs in support of therapeutic initiatives in the area of oncology. Since joining Cardinal Health, she has also worked closely with the Cardinal Health Pharmaceutical Contracting division in the area of clinical contracting evaluation and opportunities. She also participates in the annual pharmaceutical expenditure forecasting and pharmaceutical pipeline monitoring.
Prior to her career at Cardinal Health, Dr. Tran was a Medical Science Liaison for Elan Pharmaceuticals. Her clinical experience includes serving as a clinical oncology specialist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The Methodist Hospital, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Tran earned her Bachelor in Science Degree in Pharmacy from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and her Doctor in Pharmacy Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. Upon completing her Doctor in Pharmacy degree, she completed a specialty residency in oncology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
John P. (Pat) Uselton R.Ph., BS leads the Quality and Regulatory Affairs team which provides assistance to organizations in preparing for Joint Commission, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and other accreditation and regulatory surveys. Their focus is on processes that promote patient safety and the identification and implementation of best practices. The team provides resources such as accreditation preparedness assessments, medication safety assessments, operational assessments, regulatory compliance assessments, licensing assistance, failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) and root cause analysis (RCA) workshops and a variety of other tools and educational programs.
Pat has been a hospital pharmacist since 1972 and has over 30 years experience in guiding pharmacies through more than 1000 Joint Commission surveys. Prior to joining Cardinal Health in 1992, he served as the Director of Operational Audit for a hospital management firm. He has served in a number of positions including director of pharmacy in three different hospitals, director of quality improvement, director of professional standards, director of accreditation services, and vice president of operations improvement.
Pat is co–author of several American Society of Health–System Pharmacist publications including Preparing the Pharmacy: Continuous Compliance with Joint Commission Standards, and Preparing to Meet Joint Commission Patient Safety Goals. He is a contributing author to Handbook of Institutional Pharmacy Practice, 4th edition and Competence Assessment Tools for Health–System Pharmacies. He is currently working on a 7th edition of Continuous Compliance with Joint Commission Standards. Pat frequently presents to national and state pharmacy groups on accreditation, regulatory, medication safety, and other related topics.
Pat earned his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Houston. He is currently a registered pharmacist in Texas and is a member of the American Society of Health–System Pharmacists.
Tim Vanderveen, PharmD , MS , is Vice President of The Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence. He is responsible for ensuring our commitment to education and innovation to reduce variation in clinical practice, and to supporting hospitals' patient safety initiatives.
Prior to this position, Dr. Vanderveen was the Director of Clinical Affairs, Medication Management Systems, for ALARIS Medical Systems. He has been instrumental in the development of many of the innovations, and safety and performance enhancements in drug infusion. Dr. Vanderveen joined IMED Corporation in 1983. In 1996, IVAC Medical Systems merged with IMED Corporation to form ALARIS Medical Systems.
Dr. Vanderveen served a hospital pharmacy residency at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo , Michigan . From 1972–1983 he was on the faculty of the College of Pharmacy at Medical University of South Carolina and was Director of the Division of Clinical Pharmacy. He also had a faculty appointment in the College of Medicine and was on staff at the Charleston VA Hospital.
Dr. Vanderveen's clinical practice was in nutritional support, and he co–founded one of the first multi–disciplinary nutrition support teams. During his academic tenure, his research, speaking and publication interests were closely tied to drug therapy in patients receiving parenteral and enteral nutrition.
Dr. Vanderveen received his BS and MS degrees from Purdue University School of Pharmacy and his PharmD degree from the Medical University of South Carolina.