Kecia Missos

Kecia Missos, PharmD, MSPH, serves as the Pharmacy Program Coordinator for Medication-Use Safety and Quality for Adult Services. Missos earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Manchester University in Indiana, followed by a Master of Science in Public Health and Doctor of Pharmacy from Campbell University in North Carolina. She completed her PGY1 Pharmacy Residency in Acute Care Pharmacy Practice at Corewell Health in Michigan and her PGY2 Residency in Medication-Use Safety and Policy at AdventHealth Orlando in Florida. Missos’ professional interests include process improvement, workflow optimization, and leveraging technology to enhance medication and patient safety.

Facility:
University of Kentucky HealthCare (UKHC) is a growing academic medical center serving Lexington, Kentucky, and the surrounding region. The UKHC Albert B. Chandler Hospital campus includes the Kentucky Children’s Hospital, Markey Cancer Center, Gill Heart Institute, Kentucky Neuroscience Institute, and the Centers for Advanced Surgery. As part of an academic medical system, UK HealthCare is dedicated to advancing patient care, education, and research across a broad range of specialties.

Current Responsibilities:
As the Medication Safety Officer for Adult Inpatient Services, I often have the opportunity to introduce colleagues and learners to the principles of medication safety – a topic that’s not always emphasized in pharmacy curricula. My day-to-day work involves analyzing medication incident data, managing safety improvement projects, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to enhance patient care and promote a culture of safety. I regularly participate in interdisciplinary safety huddles and committee meetings to review trends, share best practices, and support a culture of transparency and learning. Much of my work also involves optimizing medication-use systems and technology from improving EHR workflows to participating in root cause analyses that identify process vulnerabilities. Every day brings new opportunities to turn data into meaningful change – identifying trends, designing interventions, and measuring outcomes to improve medication safety across the continuum of care.

Recent Significant Projects:
I recently served as a co-moderator for the IV Workflow Management panel discussion hosted in July 2025. This national webinar brought together experts representing various electronic medical record and IV workflow systems to discuss best practices, challenges, and innovative approaches to improving sterile compounding safety. It was rewarding to help facilitate dialogue that encouraged collaboration across institutions and advanced understanding of how technology can support safe and efficient IV medication preparation.

Advice for Someone New to a Specialty Area:
Slow down for safety, take a breath and center yourself – you have more time than you think.

Involvement with ASHP:
I am currently involved with the ASHP Section on Pharmacy Informatics and Technology and the SAG on Operations and Automation. As part of my service, I’m contributing to a workgroup focused on developing resources to support the DSCSA Chain of Custody through technology. It’s exciting to collaborate with colleagues across the country on projects that have a tangible impact on both pharmacy practice and patient safety.

Reason for ASHP involvement:
I’ve been an ASHP member since my pharmacy school days, but my first real experience with the Section groups and SAGs came during residency – and I was met with such a warm and enthusiastic welcome. Since then, I’ve come to really enjoy participating in these activities and look forward to staying involved with these groups for many years to come.

Value of ASHP for Peers or Colleagues:
I’ve made numerous connections through my involvement with ASHP, and those relationships have been invaluable for both professional growth and collaboration. The work we do is often timely and directly impacts patient care, allowing me to learn from colleagues across the country and bring new ideas back to my own practice. ASHP provides a platform to stay at the forefront of pharmacy practice, while also connecting with a community that shares a commitment to innovation, safety, and excellence.

Value of ASHP for the Profession:
ASHP has an extensive reach, and one of the organizations’ greatest strengths is their involvement in national legislation. I can’t keep up with the constantly changing landscape on my own, but I know I can rely on ASHP to highlight the most important issues and keep me informed. Their work ensures that the pharmacy profession has a strong voice and stays at the forefront of shaping policies that impact patient care and safety.