Upcoming Summer/Spring Meetings

Specialty pharmacists and related health care professionals can choose to attend a variety of meetings, conferences, and special events to enhance their professional practices and understanding of health care issues today. Here are some select upcoming meetings and conferences to consider.

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION (AHA)

Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism/ Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention 2011 Scientific Sessions * March 22-25, 2011 * Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, Georgia

Meeting Highlights: These overlapping conferences focus on population-based research and clinical information that promotes the development, advancement, and exchange of new information related to the prevention and treatment of heart disease and stroke.

Register: www.americanheart.org

PHARMACEUTICAL CARE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (PCMA)

PBM & Specialty Pharmacy Summit * March 28-30, 2011 * Naples Grande Beach Resort, Naples, Florida

Meeting Highlights: The PCMA is the national association representing America’s pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which administer prescription drug plans for more than 210 million Americans with health coverage provided through Fortune 500 employers, health insurance plans, labor unions, and Medicare Part D. This meeting focuses on specialty pharmacy and offers meeting appointments as well as a keynote address by Per Lofberg, president, Caremark Pharmacy Services, CVS Caremark.

Register: www.pcmanet.org

WORLD HEALTH CARE CONGRESS

8th Annual World Health Care Congress * April 4-6, 2011 * Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, Washington, DC

Meeting Highlights: This conference focuses on the challenges of health care costs, quality, and delivery and convenes major sectors of health care and thought leaders to develop actionable strategies and best practices.

Register: www.worldcongress.com

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHAIN DRUG STORES (NACDS)

Annual Meeting * April 30-May 3, 2011 * The Phoenician, Scottsdale, Arizona

Meeting Highlights: More than 2000 retail executives from drug, food, and mass merchandising and their supplier partners convene to share insights, build relationships, and explore opportunities in the changing marketplace.

Register: www.nacdsannual.org

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROGRAMS (NCPDP)

Annual Conference * May 16-19, 2011 * Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, Phoenix, Arizona

Meeting Highlights: Topics for this conference include REMS and Specialty Pharmacy: A Comparative View and A Regulatory Year in Review: Federal and State Regulatory Update of PBMs as a variety of health care professionals convene.

Register: www.ncpdp.org

NATIONAL COMMUNITY PHARMACY ASSOCIATION (NCPA)

National Legislative Conference * May 23-25, 2011 * Hyatt Capitol Hill Hotel, Washington, DC

Meeting Highlights: The NCPA is an advocate for the profession of pharmacy and conducts a range of meetings to help foster relationships, promote the profession, and provide educational opportunities for pharmacists. This meeting brings together national leaders to discuss issues of importance for the field.

Register: www.ncpanet.org

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY

Annual Meeting * June 3-7, 2011 * McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois

Meeting Highlights: This meeting, which has been developed by the ASCO 2010- 1011 Cancer Education Committee, offers interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary explorations of focused areas of clinical oncology. The sessions address issues including surgical, radiation, and geriatric oncology, symptom management, health services research, international perspectives, and pathology.

Register: www.asco.org

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEALTH-SYSTEMS PHARMACY (ASHP)

2011 Summer Meeting & Exhibition * June 12-15, 2011 * Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colorado

Meeting Highlights: The ASHP summer meeting includes workshops, clinical and leadership programs, poster presentations, and continuing education. Topics include medication safety and cardiometabolic risk in chronic kidney disease.

Register: www.ashp.org