CAPhO
CAPhO E-News

  December 2010
In This Issue
Online Education
NOPS 2010 Summary
Award Summaries
Education Committee Retreat
MASCC 2010 Summaries
Call for Interest
NCIC Update
NOPS 2011
Association Management
Quick Links
Greetings!

As we wind down 2010, the CAPhO Executive want to take the opportunity to thank you for your support throughout this past year. The NOPS conference was a huge success (a few photos and summaries are included). Our association continues to grow with new members and new services, such as the Online Education and Resources listing (a must view when updating your CE credits), our members are at the forefront of oncology pharmacy research (see the summaries of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society for Oral Oncology (MASCC) Conference), and we have exciting plans for the new year, including a new website that will offer more online services such as our Oncology Practice Essentials.

I would like to sincerely thank Colleen Olson for her work as Awards Chair. The association appreciated all the time and effort you have put into the Awards Program. Colleen's replacement is Victoria Kletas, a member of the Awards Committee. Welcome to the position Victoria!

If you have any questions about the association, its past activities and its future endeavors, contact me or one of our Executive members (a listing of Executive).

The CAPhO Executive wish you Happy Holidays!

Carlo DeAngelis
President
Online Education and Resources

CAPhO is pleased to offer its members the 'Online Education and Resources Table', a continually updated source of online continuing education opportunities targeted to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, physicians and other health care professionals. The table also includes reference resources that are useful to oncology practice, such as a free online oncology textbook and drug interaction checkers.

Continuing Educational (CE) content included in the table is accredited for CE credits. Expiry dates for CEs, along with hyperlinks to the actual websites, are provided. The accredited programs are free, but may require registration. Reference resources included in the table are not accredited for CEs.

The Table is divided into the following categories:
  • All Topics
  • Cancer Medications
  • Chemotherapy Stability and Compatibility
  • Diagnostic Tests
  • Patient Care
  • Oncology Pharmacy Practice
  • Prevention and Screening
  • Research
  • Safe Handling and Drug Distribution
  • Supportive Care
  • Tumor Site Management
If you would like to learn about a topic, visit this resource to find out what is current. It is located on the CAPhO website under Education/Online Learning.

If you have reviewed a continuing education opportunity or resource that you would like to recommend for the Table, please forward it to the CAPhO Association Management Office at info@capho.org. Any other suggestions for additions or changes to this table are also welcome.

Rhonda Kalyn
Education Chair
NOPS 2010 Summary

As I write this notice for the winter newsletter it is -30 degrees C outside with a windchill making it seem like -41 degrees C. The traffic is incredibly busy as people scurry to complete their last minute Christmas shopping.  It is hard to believe that 2 months and much better weather have passed since NOPS 2010 took place in Winnipeg. 

The conference had 251 registrants and was packed with activity from early morning Friday until Sunday mid afternoon. The plenary sessions covered a wide range of material including cancer screening, sexuality in cancer patients as well as a panel discussion on patient's accessibility to medications. The conference provided many opportunities for attendees to interact with the speakers as well as their colleagues from across the country. Additionally, attendees had the opportunity to enjoy themselves at the King's Head Pub on the Saturday evening. Many were frustrated at how early Sunday morning seemed to appear.

Please note that presentations from Saturday and Sunday are now available on the CAPhO website.

A conference of this size and quality does not take place without the contributions of many individuals. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organizing committee as well as the CAPhO Executive for their support. As well, the conference is thankful for the industry sponsors who helped to keep this important conference affordable for members. 

Planning has begun for NOPS 2011 being held in Quebec City. Mark your calendars for November 4th - 6th, 2011.  I hope to see you there.

Pat Trozzo
Chair, NOPS 2010

Welcome to NOPS 2010   Carlo DeAngelis
Social event at NOPS 2010   NOPS 2010 Panel

Awards at NOPS 2010

Merit Awards

Congratulations to Joan Fabbro, Michell Koberinski and Karin Nadori.  They are the first recipients of the Merit Award.

Joan Fabbro and Michelle Koberinski, BC Cancer Agency, BC
Nomination Letter


"I would like to nominate Joan Fabbro and Michelle Koberinski for the work that they have done in developing our BC Cancer Agency (BCCA) Pharmacy Practice Standards for Hazardous Drugs which you can find at www.bccancer.bc.ca. These standards are continually being reviewed and updated as new best practice evidence and standards are available.

Joan is our Chemotherapy Certification Pharmacist and Michelle is our Chemotherapy Certification Technician. They have developed this documentation of standards in support of the BCCA Pharmacy Certification Program which is just completing its pilot phase. During the pilot, Joan and Michelle have visited all of our BCCA centres and Communities Oncology ambulatory oncology centres. They have had staff complete multiple choice tests and have observed practice, of both pharmacy technicians and pharmacists, and provided the department with a report card of the degree to which they are meeting the standards articulated in this document. As the standards are continually evolving, it is not expected that every pharmacy will be perfectly compliant at every point in time, so they are often called upon to assist with the consideration of changes required to meet standards and the assessment of the risk of continuing the practice the way that it is.

It has taken an immense amount of work and dedication to maintain knowledge and insight into the multitude of provincial, national and international standards that inform oncology pharmacy best practice.  Both Joan and Michelle are strong advocates for the protection of staff and patients and have offered their skill and expertise to organizations such as Worksafe BC, the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP), CAPhO and the pharmacy community as a whole in BC.

So, I feel that the work that they have done, as evidenced by this document, is deserving of a CAPhO Merit Award.  Having a document that clearly defines current best practice standards has been incredibly useful.  It has served as an invaluable tool in educating pharmacy staff throughout BC as to the expectations re: oncology pharmacy practice. And finally, it has come into being as a result of the hard work of 2 individuals who are very much focused on finding ways to improve pharmacy practice to the benefit of both staff and patients."

The nomination was submitted by their co-worker Susan Walisser.

Karin Nadori, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Alberta
Nomination Letter


"I would like to nominate Karin Nadori for the Merit Award. Karin joined our staff at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre Pharmacy Department in October 2005. With her extensive experience in community pharmacy, Karin became an asset to our oncology pharmacy dispensary. As the pharmacy educator for our department, I work with the pharmacy students from the Faculty of Pharmacy during their clinical rotations with us. Karin expressed an interest in also working with the students, and has been a great help to me. She is positive, a skilled teacher and a great clinical role model to the students.

In the last year, our pharmacy clinical services have expanded to cover the clinics for the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tumour groups at our Holy Cross Clinic site. Karin was the first pharmacist to express interest in becoming a clinical pharmacist in this new area. In the spring, she began attending clinics and providing medication reconciliation, drug information and drug counselling. The nurses and physicians in the oncology clinics have been very impressed with the services that Karin is now providing. Karin attends the provincial gastrointestinal tumour group annual provincial meetings, and last year presented an in-service to our pharmacists on new topics in GI oncology.  She is a conscientious worker, and is always striving to improve her knowledge so she can provide better services to the multidisciplinary team at the Holy Cross site.  I am proud to have someone like Karin representing our pharmacy department."

The nomination was submitted by her co-worker Frances Cusano.

Distinguished Service to CAPhO Award

Congratulations to George Dranitsaris.

Poster Awards

Pharmacy Administration: Flay Charbonneau, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Ontario
"Improving Pharmacy Capacity for Chemotherapy Compounding Through an Outsourcing Initiative"

Pharmacy Research: Priscilla Gordon, Moncton Hospital, Horizon Health Network, New Brunswick
"Implementation and Evaluation of a Pharmacist Managed Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting Algorithm in Patients Receiving Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Early Breast Cancer in an Ambulatory Outpatient Oncology Clinic"

Pharmacy Practice: Rick Abbott, Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre, Newfoundland
"An Evaluation of Adherence to Oral Chemotherapy within an Ambulatory Oncology Centre"

New Awards Chair

I would like to welcome Victoria Kletas as the new CAPhO Awards Chair. Victoria has been a member of the Awards Committee since its inception three years ago. I have enjoyed my term as Chair and look forward to seeing many of you at future NOPS meetings.

Sincerely
Colleen Olson
Past Awards Chair
Education Committee Retreat - Summary

The CAPhO Education Committee (CEC) met for an annual retreat in September 2010 in Toronto. At the retreat, the CEC determined that the initial priority for the Canadian Oncology Pharmacy Education (COPE) program would be basic concepts in oncology education for practitioners new to oncology or for those who would like a review. The program will be called Oncology Practice Essentials and will consist of four web-based modules that will be accredited for continuing education units. The following is the curriculum outline for the modules that will be offered through the CAPhO website:

Oncology basics:
  • Adverse effects of chemotherapy
  • Drug interactions
  • Pharmacology
  • Medication safety
  • The patient experience during cancer treatment
Chemotherapy order review:
  • Correct protocol / treatment ordered
  • Appropriate interval between treatments
  • Check accuracy of dose
  • Check applicable lab tests and ensure dose modifications are made if needed
  • Review medication history and check for interactions with chemotherapy
  • Ensure appropriate supportive care medications have been ordered
Safe handling and distribution:
  • Preparation
  • Product check
  • Spill management
Patient care:
  • Symptom management
  • Counseling
  • Inter-professional care
There will be many opportunities for CAPhO members to participate in the development of the Oncology Practice Essentials program. The CEC will be looking for committee members, writers, reviewers and testers. Many CAPhO members have already submitted their names as volunteers through the CAPhO website or the 2009 Educational Needs Survey. These members will be contacted as the project progresses. The CAPhO Forum will be used to recruit further help as needed. CAPhO members are welcome to contact me with suggestions or to volunteer.

Rhonda Kalyn
Education Chair
Education Committee
CAPhO Education Committee
Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer / International Society for Oral Oncology (MASCC 2010) Summaries

By Rhonda Kalyn, BC Cancer Agency, British Columbia
Travel Grant Award Winner

"I had the opportunity to attend my first MASCC/ISOO symposium thanks to a grant from CAPhO. The 2010 symposium was held in Vancouver from June 24 to 26, at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. This year's theme was "Communication: The Key to Care".

Over 800 health care professionals traveled from 51 countries around the world to attend the symposium and share ideas and research. Some of the professions represented at the conference included oncologists, nurses, dentists, social workers, dieticians, and educators. Pharmacists were also well represented as speakers, study group members, poster authors, conference planners and delegates. The multidisciplinary approach of the MASCC 2010 Symposium was a good example of communication at its best.

Several speakers addressed the theme of the Symposium: "Communication: The Key to Care".  Simon Sutcliffe, former BC Cancer Agency President, helped to open the conference with a discussion of the importance of international communication in cancer care. Mario de Lemos, Provincial Drug Information Coordinator for the BC Cancer Agency, provided a pharmacist's perspective on communicating with patients about Complementary and Alternative Medications (CAMs) using a structured approach.

New ideas for improving communication were also presented at the symposium. Dr. Martin Tattersall reported on his experience with recorded oncology consultations in Australia. Since patients cannot absorb everything they are told by physicians, they are provided with a recording of the consultation. Dr. Amy Abernethy of North Carolina presented another innovative method for communication using the latest in technology: patients reported their symptoms using electronically patient-reported outcomes (ePRO).

Visit the MASCC website (www.mascc.org) for highlights of the symposium, abstracts, awards and more. The MASCC Website also provides information about the 2011 symposium being held in Athens, Greece, June 23-25. Be sure to communicate that date with your colleagues."

By Lori Gagnon
, Cross Cancer Institute, Alberta
Travel Grant Award Winner

"This past June, I was fortunate to be able to attend the MASCC/ISOO 2010 International Symposium, which took place in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. The multinational aspect to the conference was evident when I saw my name tag read as Lori Gagnon - Canada and the concierge at the hotel commented that I was the closest to arrive thus far. The objectives of the symposium were to educate and inform an international audience of health care professionals on methods to minimize therapy-induced side effects and the symptoms and complications associated with cancer.

The theme of this year's symposium revolved around communication being the key to care. The importance of use of language when communicating with the cancer patient was discussed and also how personalization is meaningful to the cancer patient. This theme remained throughout such topics as pancreatic cancer updates, neurotoxicities, complementary and alternative medicines, supportive care in the developing world, CINV and oral complications. 

Part of my interest in attending this conference was to determine what role the pharmacist has in supportive care. Through connecting with fellow pharmacists, viewing poster abstracts and attending presentations, I believe the pharmacist is well suited for facilitating research, implementing guidelines and research, as well as preventing and managing symptoms. Numerous speakers indicated that a multidisciplinary team approach was the best way to provide excellence in supportive care and that patient teaching was of great value requiring quality time.

MASCC maintains numerous study groups in a variety of areas of supportive care in which members can participate. My areas of interest are in palliative care and more recently in antiemetics. The conference provided opportunities for the study groups to meet, which was a highlight of the conference for me. Our palliative care study group discussed ways to improve transition of patients to palliative care, the need to develop prognostic tools to supplement symptom assessment tools for assessing symptom burden and development of a survey on patterns of care at the end of life comparing competencies in different countries. The antiemetic study group introduced the new MASCC Antiemetic guidelines and discussion revolved around how to implement them.

I would like to thank CAPhO for providing me this opportunity and I encourage other pharmacists to become a member of MASCC if supportive care in oncology is of interest to you."

By Pamela Yafai, Horizon Health Network, New Brunswick
Travel Grant Award Winner

"I was very honoured to be selected as a recipient of a CAPhO grant to attend the MASCC/ISOO 2010 International symposium, held recently in Vancouver, BC.  Attending this conference provided me with an opportunity to gain new and valuable knowledge in current best practices in supportive care of oncology patients, and I hope to incorporate much of what I have learned into my current clinical pharmacy practice. 

This was a wonderful opportunity to learn about emerging evidence in my pharmacy specialty through lectures, workshops, study groups, and poster sessions delivered by international leaders in the field.  In particular, I was very interested to learn about the emerging evidence for alternate, evidence-based scheduling of antiemetics currently approved by Health Canada, as well as the off-label use of other classes of drugs for this purpose (e.g. olanzapine).  The recent research on improved patient outcomes seen with the 5-HT antagonist palonosetron, compared to other agents in this class was of especially great interest to me.  I look forward to learning the results of ongoing work in this area which may be eventually applicable to our Canadian patients. 

Another highlight of the conference, in my experience, was learning about the best research presented this year at the ASCO and CANO conferences.  I also enjoyed learning skills for providing more effective patient counseling in the area of complementary and alternative medicines, and hearing about their use in other provinces and countries.

In my current clinical practice, I am responsible for providing pharmaceutical care for oncology patients receiving treatment for many different indications and disease states.  Pancreatic cancer is a subject in which I had hoped to improve my understanding and knowledge, and the plenary session on this topic was very helpful in helping me to reach this education goal.  The sessions relating to hemostasis and thrombosis as well as mucoepidermal toxicity were extremely beneficial and applicable to the vast majority of patients that I encounter.

Meeting other health care professionals on an international level who share the common goal of optimizing health outcomes for oncology patients was a very meaningful experience. It was especially wonderful to meet other oncology pharmacists from Australia, the UK, and the US at the pharmacists' gathering. At the poster session, I had the chance to meet researchers around the world who were glad to discuss and share with me the results of their initiatives.  As a result, I am more aware of potential work which can be done in the area of supportive care in oncology, work which I hope to be involved with in the near future.

I am fortunate to have had the chance to attend the MASCC 2010 symposium and would like to thank the CAPhO Awards Committee for providing me with such a worthwhile educational opportunity."

MASCC 2010  MASCC 2010
MASCC 2010  MASCC 2010
Call for Interest

We are continuing to look for volunteers to work with the Website Redesign Working Group.  If you are interested in participating, please contact Dana Cole or myself. You do not need any prior knowledge or particular technical know-how with respect to website design. All we require is an interest to help out.
 
As well, I am looking for volunteers for a newly to be formed Communications Committee. More details on what this entails will be forthcoming, but if this sounds like something you would be interested in, please contact me.
 
Any suggestions for additions or changes to the website are welcomed.
 
Chris Ralph
Communications Officer
NCIC Update

The next NCIC CTG Spring Meeting will take place in Toronto from April 29 to May 1, 2011 at the Delta Chelsea Hotel.

At this meeting, committees are asked to bring together as many participants as possible to discuss the progress of current trials and plan for new trials.

More details will follow early in the new year for those members who are interested in applying for the CAPhO Travel Grants to attend the Spring Meeting.
 
Have a happy holiday!
 
Ing Collins
NCIC Liaison
Chateau FrontenacMark Your Calendars

National Oncology Pharmacy Symposium 2011

When: November 4 to 6, 2011
Where: Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City

Arrive early and stay late - Quebec City is a wonderful place to explore...
CAPhO's Association Management OfficeSea to Sky Meetings

Sea to Sky Meeting Management is CAPhO's Association Management Office. Sea to Sky is supporting us in many ways, including member registration, Board support, and NOPS management.

If you have any questions about membership, services, the NOPS conference, or the association, you can contact the CAPhO Association Management Office directly:

E: info@capho.org
T: 778-338-4142
F: 604-984-6434
W: www.seatoskymeetings.com

Suite 206, 201 Bewicke Avenue
North Vancouver, BC Canada V7M 3M7