Mary Ann R. Dzurec

Mary Ann’s Story

Dr. Dzurec received both her Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy in 1985 and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 1994 from The Ohio State University. She has experience in both institutional and outpatient clinical pharmacy practice as well as formulary management and pharmacy benefits; her most recent work is in the area of advocacy with the establishment of effective consult agreement statute and rules in the State of Ohio resulting in an expansion of collaborative practice. She is board certified in Ambulatory Care. She precepts both students and PGY1 residents at MetroHealth in the area of ambulatory care.

Dr. Dzurec currently serves as a member of the Section Advisory Group on Compensation and Practice Sustainability.

Facility

MetroHealth is an 860 bed academic teaching hospital and a Level I trauma center located in Cleveland, Ohio. MetroHealth provides over 1 million outpatient visits annually and is a safety net hospital for the uninsured and under-insured in Cuyahoga County. Northeast Ohio Medical University is an accredited College of Pharmacy, Medicine and Graduate Studies located in Rootstown, Ohio. The College of Pharmacy graduating class size has average 64 students over the last 5 years with approximately 30% in residency placement.

Significant Projects

Dr. Dzurec has been part of successful development and implementation of an ambulatory care practice in the Internal Medicine Department at the MetroHealth Parma Medical Office following recent enactment of a statute in Ohio permitting the addition, modification and discontinuation of medications under consult. Her recent area of research is in the barriers to vaccine administration by community practice pharmacists following enactment of a vaccine administration expansion statute in Ohio. She teaches within the Cardiology Pharmacotherapy module at the Northeast Ohio Medical University and communication and motivational interviewing within a pharmacist patient care experience course as well as, co-course directs an ambulatory care elective focusing on the development of a sustainable pharmacist-provided patient care service.

Advice for Someone New to Specialty Area

"Learn from your peers and participate in organizational activity both locally, on a state level and federally. This will make practice change possible and easier to implement."

Becoming Involved in ASHP

"It takes a village! ASHP has a vast network of practitioners, administrators and advocates who can help make practice change possible."

Value of ASHP

"ASHP provides resources to support the professional who wants to expand his/her practice. They are also invaluable around advocacy on a federal level such as that seen with provider status for pharmacists which is key to financial sustainability."

"ASHP staff and leadership work tirelessly to support the advancement of the profession."