POEM: Pharmacists Optimizing Oncology Care Excellence in Michigan

Julie Wietzke is the Manager at the Michigan Institute for Care Management and Transformation (MICMT). In this role, Julie oversees the staff and helps guide the work of MICMT. She has a Master of Health Services Administration degree and a Master of Library Science degree, specializing in health sciences information. Julie has over 20 years of experience working in healthcare in quality improvement, clinical research, and operations. She has worked with hospitals and physician organizations across the state of Michigan on initiatives aimed at improving the quality of care. In her free time, Julie enjoys spending time with family and friends, going for walks, camping, and traveling to U.S. National Parks.

Ashley Schwartz, LMSW, is a Project Manager at the Michigan Institute for Care Management and Transformation (MICMT). Ashley provides ongoing program support by collaborating and coordinating with Physician Organizations and managing BCBSM deliverables. As a licensed social worker, Ashley has several years of experience working in various healthcare settings providing clinical and administrative support. In her free time, Ashley enjoys spending time with her family, staying active and traveling the world.

Katherine (Katie) Young is a Computer Research Specialist at the Michigan Institute for Care Management and Transformation (MICMT). Katie has a wide knowledge of database development, data collection and data mining methodologies, principles and techniques. Katie is part of MICMT’s program evaluation team that is responsible for the design and implementation of data infrastructures MICMT uses for reporting information to high level management as well as Physician Organizations, Practices and Care Managers.

Dr. Farris is the Charles R. Walgreen III Professor of Pharmacy Administration at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. She is Chair of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and serves as Director of the Clinical Pharmacy Translational Sciences Graduate and Fellowship Program. She completed her PhD at the University of Michigan with theoretical training in social psychology and health behavior and has been a pharmacy services researcher for over 25 years. Her research and teaching focuses on how individuals manage their medications and the roles of pharmacists in influencing medication use, including medication adherence and symptom assessment. Her most recent work is with the Michigan Oncology Quality Consortium (MOQC), where we have been able to study the symptom experience and medication adherence with oral anti-cancer medications and we have tested and published components of a standard model of care for oncology practices subsequent evaluation. Dr. Farris was named Fellow of the American Pharmacists Association in 2006, Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor Award in Biological and Life Sciences at the University of Iowa in 2007, and Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor in 2016 at the University of Michigan. She has over 120 peer-reviewed publications and has given numerous invited talks at local, state, national and international venues. She has obtained over $7 million in PI/co-PI grants and over $8 million as co-investigator on other grants, all involving pharmacists and their impact on health and health outcomes or medication adherence.