For those of you looking for BCPS help in the next year or two, you better not wait any longer – This one time only initial offer will end Monday December 4th, 2017!

On Day 1 of ASHP Midyear, I had a really enjoyable day of interacting with some fantastic pharmacists as well as learning a lot.

As I look back at my day, I realize that evidence based medicine should guide everything we do, but that the secret to changing hearts and minds to evidence based practices is stories.  This was totally apparent with the opioid presentation I went to today at ASHP 2017.

The one speaker that resonated with me was Austin Eubanks.  He shared his story of his best friend getting murdered in the Columbine shootings.  He also went on to describe how what was thought of as best practice (at that time) led him down the path of drug addiction.  He received opioid prescription after opioid prescription to help with his “physical pain” from the gun shot would that he encountered on that terrible day.  As time went on, and the physical pain disappeared, these drugs simply became what he needed to numb the pain from an extremely emotional event.

He used chronic opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants, alcohol, marijuana and other illicit substances as a way to block out the emotional pain associated with mass shooting. His story made much more of an impact on me today than any statistical evidence.

Other highlights of day one for me was interacting with other ambulatory care pharmacists, an entrepreneur chat with Jackie Boyle PharmD, as well as meeting some really energetic students and residents.

Hope to see some of you around tomorrow – feel free to stop by and say hi!

Probable Agenda Items for Monday

Opening Session – 9AM

CHF Transitions of Care – 1130

Sunny Days and Seniors – 2PM

Medical Cannibis – 415

Enjoy the day! Eric Christianson, PharmD