Greetings to All! As our first meeting of the 2009-2010 season approaches, I wanted to take a few minutes and welcome all of you back. It is great to see such a diverse group willing to participate in the advancement of our profession.

The past year has been tough on our entire economy; health-care is no exception. As the political, social and economic pressures mount, I hope all of you join me in the crusade to increase the role of pharmacists in health care. In collaboration with the Ohio Society of Health System Pharmacists, we will be working on opportunities to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of the pharmaceutical delivery system.

There are challenges that have affected our group personally. Limited funding and sponsorship has affected the way we plan our interactions. Since the adoption of PhRMA guidelines in early 2009, organizations like us have had to revise our previous meeting format. Last year’s president and current Local Area Rep to OSHP, Wayne Grant, did a great job of thinking on his feet. Literally, the guidelines changed with little prior warning. If you recall, we had the opportunity to meet in a variety of venues during our 2008-2009 season.

At our last meeting in May, all of you had the opportunity to provide feedback regarding the direction of CSHP. Tim Heimann, this year’s president-elect, and I have had the chance to review your comments. Two important themes were apparent in the survey results: the location of the meeting and CE offerings are paramount to our members. To address these results, let me assure you we will continue to seek locations that are centrally located and cost effective. CE offerings are a bit more difficult to ensure. Under PhRMA guidelines, if our sponsor is offering a meal and a speaker, no CE can be granted unless we have obtained an educational grant. We are fortunate this year to have already secured two grants and are working on a third. As we work through these guidelines, may I ask for both your flexibility and creativity. Together we can shape the future of CSHP.

I look forward to seeing everyone on September 23^rd. If you have not had a chance to register, please take a few minutes and sign up via the www.clevshp.org web site

Regards,

Eileen Hendrickson

President

Cleveland Society of Health System Pharmacists