WesternU to host pharmacy compounding continuing education
Western University of Health Sciences and Letco Medical are partnering to bring compounding training to the West Coast. WesternU’s College of Pharmacy, in Pomona, California, will utilize its Professional Development Laboratory for the compounding course, which will feature faculty from WesternU and Letco. The first session is scheduled for Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, 2011.
Compounding is a core competency in the practice of pharmacy, and through the use of modern equipment and science, compounding pharmacists provide customized drug delivery systems to patients. This course is designed to provide pharmacy owners, managers, staff pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians the basic skills and information they need about compounding to expand their health care role and diversify their business.
Compounding is a critical component of medication therapy management, efficient delivery of health care, and, thus, cost containment and profitability, according to Erik Tosh of Letco.
Letco has provided compounding training for more than a decade to more than 1,000 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. They have been trained in basic compounding techniques and principles, as well as in advanced topics covering veterinary, hormone replacement, respiratory and sterile compounding.
“Letco has been involved in the compounding business for many years,” said Sam Shimomura, PharmD, FASHP, CGP, Continuing Education Administrator of the WesternU College of Pharmacy. “Compounding has become an important part of pharmacy to help individualize drug therapy for patients, and Letco has well-qualified experts in compounding who have developed a high-quality course. They really know what they’re talking about.”
In addition to teaching the compounding process, the workshops will look at the fundamentals of building and marketing a compounding business. These courses are geared toward pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and will provide ACPE-accredited continuing education credit.
Earlier this year, WesternU faculty members traveled across the country to Letco in Decatur, Alabama, for compounding training. This partnership will bring compounding continuing education classes to California for the first time, providing a convenient training site on the West Coast. For information on future courses, contact Renee Cook, Manager of Continuing Education at rcook@westernu.edu.
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About Western University of Health Sciences
Western University of Health Sciences (www.westernu.edu), located in Pomona, Calif., is an independent nonprofit health professions university, conferring degrees in biomedical sciences, dental medicine, health sciences, nursing, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, podiatric medicine and veterinary medicine.
About Letco Medical
Letco Medical, a division of The Harvard Drug Group, completed the acquisition of Spectrum Pharmacy Products on May 17, 2010. The company is a supplier of pharmaceutical ingredients, pharmacy equipment and specialty pharmaceuticals, and is based in Decatur, Alabama.
