Scott Nelson

Biographical Information 
Dr. Scott Nelson, PharmD, MS, FAMIA, ACHIP, received his PharmD degree from the University of Utah in 2013. After graduating, he did a 2-year fellowship with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Medical Informatics and a MS in Biomedical Informatics at the University of Utah. He is a Fellow of the American Medical Informatics Association and an AMIA Certified Health Informatics Professional (ACHIP). 

Current Role & Responsibilities:
Dr. Nelson currently works at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is an Associate Professor in Biomedical Informatics, serves as the Program Director for the online MS in Applied Clinical Informatics and is also Clinical Director in HealthIT with medication safety informatics.

Current Organization?
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is a leading health system in the Mid-South region, with a mission to advance personalized health through research, teaching, and patient care. It has a large network of hospitals and clinics in Tennessee, a top-ranked cancer center, and a nationally recognized research program. It also collaborates with other health care providers to deliver value-driven and cost-effective care, seeing more than 3 million patient visits a year.

Significant Projects and Accomplishments:
Dr. Nelson has been a part of numerous projects related to pharmacy informatics and innovation. A few highlights are below:

• Led the implementations of real-time prescription benefits (RTPB), electronic prior authorization (ePA), and CancelRx across Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
• Served as the co-chair of Vanderbilt's medication alerts workgroup.
• Worked to codify about 18,000 unique medication sigs.
• Developed AI models as risk prioritization tools for PTA medication reconciliation and post-discharge pharmacist follow up.
• Worked on many different clinical decision support (CDS) projects.

Advice for Current and Aspiring Pharmacists in Digital Health Practice 
I would recommend embracing change. Technology is rapidly evolving and impacting healthcare in general. Be open to new ideas, approaches, opportunities, and explore new technologies. While so doing, keep your focus on patient-centered care and find ways to make our interactions more human with patients and other care providers. Find ways to bring joy to caring for patients and making the care in healthcare real.

What is your current involvement with ASHP? 
In 2024, I was appointed as an inaugural member of the Section of Digital and Telehealth Practitioners (SDTP) Executive Committee. I have also been an active advisory panel member in the ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Forecast, author and editor of AJHP articles and publications, and frequent participant in the ASHP June Meeting and Midyear Clinical Meetings. I am also a member of the ASHP Section of Pharmacy Informatics and Technology.

Why did you become involved in ASHP? 
I wanted to be part of a community of pharmacists with similar goals in advancing pharmacy practice and career development for myself and others. I’m passionate about pharmacy and informatics, so participation in ASHP communities and activities fit well with my career goals.

How would you explain the value of ASHP to a friend or colleague?
ASHP provides a community of people with shared interests and goals of taking care of patients and advancing the profession. As such, ASHP participates in advocacy at multiple levels to shape healthcare policy and ensure that the voice of pharmacy is heard. ASHP also provides access to resources, networking events, professional recognition, and career development.

What is the value of ASHP for the profession? 
ASHP provides education and training for pharmacists, thereby improving their skills. ASHP provides resources to help keep pharmacists up-to-date on the latest developments in the profession, and advocates for the profession on multiple governmental levels. They make sure that the voice of pharmacy is heard. Additionally, ASHP provides a community of like-minded individuals, as well as many networking opportunities.