To keep up with the current market environment and the work in the organization, we recently made some changes to our senior leadership structure and also promoted and expanded roles for several pharmacy leaders.

Senior leadership structure changes and David Price’s new role

As we continue to navigate the financial stresses of our hyperinflationary environment, driving profitable growth as an organization and growing our key service lines across the care continuum is an absolute imperative. It is with that in mind that we are announcing a change in our senior leadership structure.

Effective Monday, Oct. 16, David Price is now HonorHealth’s SVP, chief growth officer. His primary focus is to leverage his service line leadership and strategic growth acumen, helping to enhance market share and drive profitable growth across our inpatient, ambulatory and joint venture platforms.

David now reports to John Neil, MD, EVP, chief physician executive and network strategy officer. He will serve as a key member of the Strategy Team, alongside Dr. Neil, Rick Murdock, VP, strategic planning and network development, Jim Whitfill, MD, SVP, chief transformation officer, and Lynn Moreno, VP, real estate. He maintains a matrixed reporting relationship to Kim Post, RN, EVP, chief operating officer. Ambulatory operational leadership currently reporting to David will be transitioned to Kim, allowing him to focus on the chief growth officer role.

In addition to partnering with Dr. Neil to lead key service lines across the organization, Veronica Campbell, network director, physician relations and market development, and Lisa Sandoval, AVP, customer navigation, now report directly to David. Through matrixed reporting relationships, he will also provide enhanced senior executive oversight of some emerging service lines, including home-based services, behavioral health and community care. He will continue to be a key leader on these teams, helping to plan and optimize our Medical Group and PSA/MSA growth and alignment strategies.

David has been a key member of the HonorHealth team for a dozen years, including time spent as vice president of operations, hospital CEO, hospital regional CEO and most recently, SVP, ambulatory operations. In these roles, he partnered with his teams to emphasize patient-centered care, caregiver recognition, strategic programmatic development and physician alignment. In his most recent role, he provided executive oversight which resulted in growth within our specialty pharmacy and ambulatory oncology network, as well as approvals for numerous key ambulatory growth and expansion projects. For several years, David has also partnered with Riana Kielly to lead the very successful Network Surgical Growth Committee.

This track record of performance helping to grow the organization, coupled with his strategic planning background from prior organizations, makes him well-suited for the SVP, chief growth officer position. Please join us in congratulating and thanking David for taking on this role.

Pharmacy leadership changes

The volume of work within the pharmacy service line has grown recently, as we have added robust programs and services in both the acute and ambulatory environment to deliver high quality pharmacy services and advance pharmacy practice across the entire continuum of care.

Significant growth in the pharmacy ambulatory setting has created the need for increased leadership focus and oversight in key areas. To continue to evolve and grow our services in this setting, these leaders have received promotions and expansion of their roles:

Tricia Patterson, clinical manager of medication management, has been promoted to director, clinical pharmacy ambulatory and population health. Tricia has been with HonorHealth for almost seven years. Her extensive knowledge in ambulatory clinical pharmacy services, coupled with her dedication for chronic disease management and patient care has been instrumental in the successful planning and implementation of our first medication management location at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, along with the upcoming opening of a second location at HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center.

She has developed collaborative practice models for chronic disease management and implemented network anticoagulation services, pharmacy transitions of care programs and population health management for medication-related initiatives. These programs have achieved positive clinical and financial outcomes, with physician support for continued expansion of services. Under her leadership, the new PGY2 ambulatory care pharmacy residency program was developed and is now fully accredited.

In her new role, she will champion development of innovative ambulatory clinical pharmacy programs and initiatives to support patient care and medication utilization across the system. This will involve collaboration with the HonorHealth Medical Staff, interdisciplinary care teams and patients to promote best practices and enhance delivery of value-based care. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Arizona, has completed pharmacy residency training (PGY1 and PGY2), is board-certified in Ambulatory Care Pharmacy and Advanced Diabetes Management, and is a certified Anticoagulation Care Provider.
Sophia Jensen, specialty pharmacy manager, has been promoted to director, pharmacy ambulatory retail. Sophia joined HonorHealth four years ago and has 15 years of experience managing outpatient, specialty and retail pharmacies.

Under her leadership, our specialty pharmacy has achieved tremendous growth in volumes and revenue over the past two years. She was instrumental in achieving two accreditations, which contributed to the expansion and growth of the specialty pharmacy. Additionally, she contributed to establishing the Pharmacy Technician Training Program at HonorHealth. She also co-chairs the CULTURA People Resource Group.

In her new role, she will be responsible for all clinical and operational aspects of specialty, home infusion and retail pharmacy, including strategy and business development to continue to grow our retail pharmacy services. Sophia holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and Master of Business Administration from the University of Arizona.

Casey Orton, director of pharmacy business oncology and infusion services, has been elevated to director, pharmacy regulatory and infusion services operations, reflecting the increased pharmacy regulatory oversight of HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center’s inpatient pharmacy and the pharmacy cancer care infusion clinics. Casey joined HonorHealth one and a half years ago and brings a wealth of knowledge in launching regional clinical initiatives, facilitation of regional staff development and training programs, along with experience in Just Culture and patient safety programs in matrixed organizations.

In her current role, she oversees pharmacy clinical operations in the cancer care infusion clinics and the HonorHealth Research Institute. She has identified several opportunities for improvement in the medication use process in the clinics and has collaborated with other leaders to standardize and improve workflows and processes. Casey holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Creighton University and a Master of Business Administration–Healthcare from the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions at Heider College of Business.
Anthony Blackford has been promoted to director of pharmaceutical supply chain services, reflecting an addition of pharmacy supply chain oversight and responsibility over pharmacy ambulatory care services. Anthony joined HonorHealth nine years ago and has been in his current role for about one and a half years.

Under his pharmacy supply chain leadership, he has been instrumental in streamlining, standardizing and implementing efficient workflows in acute care-related management of drug shortages, procuring of medications, managing inventories, drug recalls, processing of non-returnable items with the approved waste management company, and drug supply and security act regulatory requirements.

The expanded oversight of his new role will ensure efficient and effective management of pharmaceutical supply chain cost and enable him to standardize supply chain-related workflows, processes and regulations across both acute care and ambulatory. He holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Midwestern University College of Pharmacy-Glendale and completed his pharmacy residency training at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center.

Please join us in congratulating these leaders for their efforts to improve the health and well-being of those we serve.