WebinarHealth

Achieving excellence in sterile compounding: The role of standardization in health systems

Recorded on May 8, 2025 | 1 hour
Online

In this webinar, three health system pharmacy leaders discuss how standardizing sterile compounding boosts operational consistency across sites and teams.

In today’s complex healthcare environment, health system pharmacy leaders need effective tools and strategies to simplify compounding compliance and reduce risk. Watch this on-demand webinar for a live panel discussion exploring the benefits and challenges of standardizing documentation tools and resources. Our panelists included:

  • Kristen March, PharmD, BCPS, Northwestern Medicine
  • David Dakwa, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, BCSCP, UC Davis Health
  • Charnae Ross, PharmD, MSHA, BCSCP, New York Presbyterian Hospital 

Moderated by Annie Lambert, PharmD, BCSCP, Clinical Program Manager for Simplifi+ Solutions at Wolters Kluwer, these three health system pharmacy leaders share lessons learned, how they measured success, and what they would do differently in their standardization journeys. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from these industry experts and gain tools to implement lasting improvements across your compounding program.

What’s covered

  • Understand the impact of health system standardization on regulatory compliance and organizational efficiency.
  • Explore real-world strategies for achieving consistency, measuring success, and tracking standardization initiatives.
  • Learn how to address potential challenges and avoid common pitfalls during implementation.
  • Gain practical tips to create consistent practices, workflows, and compliance strategies that work across locations.

Key insights from the experts

Here are some highlights from the practical advice on streamlining pharmacy workflows, enhancing efficiency, and staying USP compliant that top health system experts shared during this webinar.

Sterile compounding standardization: Strategies and technologies

The panelists emphasized the importance of clear foundational strategies to align practices across diverse health systems. For example, Dr. March detailed the role of gap analyses in identifying areas for improvement and developing system-wide solutions.

Dr. Dakwa shared how creating a compounding oversight committee enabled their team to standardize SOPs, workflows, and policies across UC Davis’s sites. Similarly, Dr. Ross highlighted how leveraging tools available in the SoleSource Platform for competency and compliance tracking promoted uniformity.

Sterile compounding standardization: Challenges

Implementing a health system-wide standardization effort requires overcoming structural and cultural barriers. Dr. March reflected on the initial resistance from different sites within Northwestern Medicine, where stakeholders feared losing autonomy. Dr. Ross shared how collaboration and communication helped overcome resistance, particularly with EVS teams tasked with compliance-critical cleaning.

At UC Davis, Dr. Dakwa recounted how a crisis, like a pharmacy flood, accelerated the integration of centralized tools when stakeholders saw the immediate value of change. Across all stories, engaging stakeholders and fostering a sense of shared purpose were critical.

Sterile compounding standardization: Looking ahead

Reflecting on their journeys, the panelists underscored the power of preparation and adaptability for those starting similar initiatives. Dr. March advised taking the time to establish shared resources, such as standardized cleaning agents and protocols, which can streamline future training and workflows. Dr. Ross stressed the value of robust analytics and dashboarding tools that allow health systems to track compliance across multiple sites efficiently.

The panelists also discussed how technology is shaping the future of sterile compounding. Dr. Dakwa encouraged continuous innovation, including the exploration of emerging technologies like robotics and image capture systems.

About the moderator

Annie Lambert
Clinical Program Manager for Compliance Solutions
Compliance Solution Clinical Program Manager Annie Lambert, PharmD, BCSCP is committed to providing up-to-date USP content and expert compliance guidance, and to work with you to optimize the use of our Simplifi+ pharmacy compliance solutions.

Panelists

Dr. Kristen March, PharmD, BCPS
Pharmacy Director of Medication Safety, Quality, and Compliance, Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Stewardship, and Investigational Drug Services at Northwestern Medicine

Dr. Kristen March is a Health System Pharmacy Director at Northwestern Medicine over Medication Safety, Quality, and Compliance, Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Stewardship, and Investigational Drug Services. She also serves as the Pharmacy Director at Northwestern Memorial Hospital over clinical pharmacy practice and OR pharmacy operations. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy from Midwestern University, Chicago College of Pharmacy, in Downers Grove, Illinois, and then completed a pharmacy practice residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.


Dr. David Dakwa, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, BCSCP
Assistant Chief Pharmacy Officer of Acute Care Operations at UC Davis Health

Dr. David Dakwa is an Assistant Chief Pharmacy Officer overseeing inpatient operations and perioperative services at UC Davis Health. He earned his PharmD/MBA from Palm Beach Atlantic University and completed a PGY1/2 residency in Health-System Pharmacy Administration at the University of Michigan. His professional interests include compounding compliance, leadership development and workflow optimization.


Dr. Charnae Ross, PharmD, MSHA, BCSCP
Enterprise Pharmacy Regulatory Manager, USP Compliance at New York Presbyterian Hospital

Dr. Charnae Ross is the Enterprise Pharmacy Regulatory Manager at New York Presbyterian Hospital, overseeing USP and Joint Commission compliance across 10 sites comprised of a total of 20 cleanrooms. She earned her PharmD from Florida A&M University and completed a PGY1/2 residency in health system pharmacy administration at Virginia Commonwealth University while obtaining a master’s in health administration. Dr. Ross’s work focuses on regulatory adherence and sterile and nonsterile compounding.

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