Jenna Carmichael

Jenna’s Story

Dr. Carmichael graduated from the University of Arizona, College of Pharmacy in 2011. She completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice residency at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System in Reno, NV and a PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy residency at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA. After completion of her residency, Dr. Carmichael stayed with the Geisinger system and developed an oral chemotherapy Medication Therapy Disease-State Management clinic. She became a Board Certified Oncology Pharmacist in 2014. In 2016, Dr. Carmichael became the PGY2 Oncology Residency Program Director.

Dr. Carmichael currently serves as a member of the Pain and Palliative Care Section Advisory Group.

Facility

The Geisinger Health System services three million residents in over 44 counties in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. The Medication Therapy Disease-state Management (MTDM) program is designed to optimize and manage patient medication therapies to achieve desired therapeutic outcomes. Our MTDM programs include: anticoagulation, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, oral chemotherapies, anticonvulsants, neurology, GI and chronic pain. Geisinger’s pioneering program started with the anticoagulation clinic 18 years ago and now has than 54 clinics at 47 sites.

Recent Significant Projects

For the past 3 years Dr. Carmichael has been developing and expanding her services as a Medication Therapy Disease-state Management (MTDM) provider in oral chemotherapy management. Her role as the clinical pharmacist is to assess patients for known adverse effects, and sometimes unknown effects as most of the therapies we are utilizing are new to market; either by symptom or lab assessment. Dr. Carmichael is able do this utilizing a collaborative practice agreement. This allows her to troubleshoot these potential issues and suggest/send medications to the pharmacy for the patient to use to help with these problems. Last year, Dr. Carmichael's group was able to expand services across their system by adding on another pharmacist. Between the two of them, they currently are managing over 600 patients. This clinic, along with many others across the system, was recognized this year with the ASHP Award of Excellence.

Becoming Involved in ASHP

“Involvement in state and national pharmacy organizations is in my blood. As the daughter of a well-known pharmacy leader, I feel the pull of service to my profession. ASHP has been a part of my life from an early age and when I finally had the opportunity to become a member myself, I jumped at it. I really enjoy the opportunity to meet with colleagues from across the country (and world) to hear about the cutting edge of pharmacy practice.”

Advice for Someone New to Specialty Area

“Oncology is an area that people love or dislike very much. Make sure you love it - love the constant change, love the challenge and love the relationships you will make with your patients as oncology patients have a tendency to stick with you.

There is increasing budgetary pressure in the oncology space as oncology preparations comprise a higher percentage of the oncology budget, therefore deciding on appropriate therapies and making patient based decisions are more important now than it ever has been.”

Value of ASHP

“ASHP is the premiere pharmacy organization that represents me and you. They have the residency programs and clinical programming for all levels of clinicians. Midyear Clinical meeting is the largest gathering of pharmacist and the networking opportunities far exceed other organizations.”

“ASHP is the largest body of professionals with the core values of what is important to me- advancing clinical practice, residency programs, board certification review and networking.”