Pharmacy Quality Alliance Names New CEO

The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has selected Micah Cost, PharmD, MS, as its new chief executive officer. A seasoned health care association executive, Cost will lead PQA’s work to improve medication safety, adherence and appropriate use.

PQA is a national quality organization that brings 250 organizations from across health care together to develop and implement quality measures, conduct research and provide education that supports better medication use and high-quality care.

“Dr. Cost has a proven track record of bringing health care professionals together to build consensus and advance patient-centered practice,” said Jerry Penso, MD, MBA, chair of the PQA Board of Directors and president and CEO of American Medical Group Association. “A pharmacist with experience in policy, regulation and administration, Dr. Cost understands the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in improving medication use quality. He will be a strong advocate for all PQA members, who work together to improve medication use quality.”

Cost joins PQA from the Tennessee Pharmacists Association (TPA), where he served as executive director for six years, representing pharmacists and pharmacy professionals across all practice settings in the state. He was with TPA for 12 years and previously served as its director of professional affairs.

“The safe, effective use of medications is vital to ensuring that patients reach their personal goals and desired health outcomes,” Cost said. “PQA is a national authority in patient-centered, value-based medication use quality, achieving consensus through collaboration, innovation, and practice-focused research and education.

“I have spent my professional career working with a wide array of partners to advocate for patients, for quality and for everyone in our health care system involved in improving medication use. I am excited to lead the PQA team and eager to work with our members and the broader health care community to advance the quality of medication use.”

Cost also served as board president of the Alliance for Patient Medication Safety (APMS), a federally registered patient safety organization focused on continuous quality improvement within the pharmacy community. APMS works with pharmacies to improve workflow, increase patient care quality and reduce risk. A licensed pharmacist, Cost earned his doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy and a master’s degree in pharmaceutical outcomes and health policy from the University of Florida.

Cost will join PQA on February 1. He was selected by PQA’s Board of Directors from among a national pool of highly qualified candidates after an extensive, months-long search led by a national recruiting firm and overseen by a PQA search committee.

Cost takes over from Laura Cranston, RPh, who has served as PQA CEO since its establishment in 2006. Cranston announced her planned departure last June. She will work for a brief period through early February to ensure a smooth transition with Cost.

SOURCE: Pharmacy Quality Alliance