Efficiency to Excellence: AI’s Role in Modern Pharmacy Practice

AI is rapidly reshaping pharmacy practice, raising both concern and opportunity for healthcare teams. Vizient host Kerry Schwarz is joined by Dr. Jason Chow, Vice President of the System Pharmacy Service Line, and Catherine Oliver, System AVP of Clinical Pharmacy Services at Ochsner Health, to explore how AI is improving efficiency while redefining how pharmacy teams spend their time. They discuss where technology is already making an impact and where its limits still require human expertise.

Guest Speakers:
Dr. Jason Chou, Pharm.D., MS
Vice President, System Pharmacy Service Line
Ochsner Health

Dr. Catherine Oliver, BCPS, DPLA, CPGx
System AVP, Clinical Pharmacy Services
Ochsner Health

Host
Dr. Kerry Schwarz, Pharm.D., MPH
Senior Clinical Manager, Evidence-Based Medicine and Outcomes
Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence

Shownotes:

00:05 — Introduction

• Announcer welcomes listeners to VerifiedRx, produced by the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence.

 

00:14 — Episode Overview

• Host Kerry introduces the topic: the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and pharmacy.
• Key themes:
  • Addressing fears of job replacement
  • Identifying real-world use cases
  • Understanding limitations of AI
  • Practical strategies for adoption
• Guests:
  • Dr. Jason Chou, VP, System Pharmacy Service Line, Ochsner Health
  • Dr. Catherine Oliver, System AVP, Clinical Pharmacy Services, Ochsner Health

 

01:04 — Will AI Replace Healthcare Jobs?

• Concern exists, but largely driven by misunderstanding
• AI is expected to:
  • Augment, not replace, pharmacy roles
  • Improve efficiency in daily workflows
• AI is not capable of:
  • Independent clinical judgment
  • Meaningful patient interactions
• Human elements—trust, empathy, and nuance—remain essential.

 

02:20 — Where AI Can Add Value Today

• Focus should shift from fear to practical use cases
• Ideal applications:
  • Reducing non-value-added tasks
  • Improving efficiency
  • Supporting clinical decision-making preparation (not replacing it)

 

02:39 — Early Use Cases: Operational Efficiency

• AI can reduce administrative burden such as:
  • Prior authorizations
  • Insurance-related communications
  • Data gathering and documentation
• Opportunity to eliminate “busy work” and improve staff satisfaction

 

03:31 — Clinical Workflow Support

• AI can:
  • Summarize patient charts, labs, and notes
  • Organize large volumes of clinical data
• Enables pharmacists to:
  • Spend less time preparing
  • Spend more time in patient care and provider interaction

 

04:08 — Additional Opportunities: Supply Chain & Operations

• AI can support:
  • Inventory management
  • Purchasing optimization
  • Multi-site coordination
• Benefits include:
  • Cost savings
  • Improved efficiency
  • Better resource utilization

 

05:00 — Where to Draw the Line

• AI should not replace clinical decision-making
• Limitations include:
  • Lack of experience and judgment
  • Inability to incorporate patient values and preferences
• Final decisions must remain with clinicians.

 

05:42 — Preserving the Human Element

• Patient care involves:
  • Trust
  • Empathy
  • Relationship-building
• Over-reliance on AI risks eroding patient confidence.

 

06:11 — Patient Interaction & Transparency

• Patients want to know:
  • When AI is used
  • How it impacts their care
• Transparency and communication are critical

 

06:48 — AI in Direct Patient Care: Ambient Listening

• AI tools can:
  • Capture conversations during patient visits
  • Reduce documentation burden
• Important considerations:
  • Patient consent
  • Ability to opt out
  • Privacy concerns

 

07:31 — Risks of Poor Implementation

• Poorly designed AI interactions can:
  • Frustrate patients
  • Reduce trust
• Healthcare AI must avoid:
  • Impersonal experiences
  • Inefficient automation

08:21 — AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement

• Comparable to tools like:
  • Search engines (e.g., Google)
• Enhances efficiency without replacing professional roles.

 

09:12 — Early Success Stories

Prior Authorization Optimization

• AI improves:
  • Data extraction
  • Documentation speed
  • Approval timelines
• Benefits:
  • Faster patient access to therapy
  • Improved staff satisfaction

 

10:07 — Clinical Decision Support Enhancements

• AI-driven rule systems:
  • Identify high-risk patients
  • Reduce unnecessary chart reviews
• Example outcome:
  • Reduction in time spent reviewing charts without intervention
• Frees pharmacists for:
  • Medication reconciliation
  • Patient counseling

 

11:11 — Impact on Workforce Engagement

• Staff report:
  • Increased satisfaction
  • More time for meaningful work
• AI seen as an enabler rather than a threat

12:03 — Vendor Landscape & Challenges

• Rapid growth of AI vendors addressing niche problems
• Key risks:
  • Data security concerns
  • Vendor quality variability
  • Overlapping or redundant solutions

 

12:51 — Integration & Workflow Considerations

• Successful AI tools must:
  • Integrate with EHRs
  • Align with pharmacy workflows
  • Avoid siloed systems
• Poor integration leads to inefficiency and adoption barriers

 

14:04 — Vendor Evaluation Considerations

• Assess:
  • Clinical and operational expertise
  • Product maturity
  • Implementation effort
  • Risk vs benefit
• Balance between:
  • Ready-made solutions
  • Custom-built tools requiring internal resources

 

14:56 — Practical Advice for Health System Leaders

• Develop a system-wide AI strategy
• Collaborate across departments (not siloed decisions)
• Engage:
  • IT
  • Legal
  • Ethics teams
• Avoid duplicative solutions across service lines

 

15:31 — Building Organizational Readiness

• Be open to learning and experimentation
• Ask questions and maintain healthy skepticism
• Focus on:
  • Improving workflows
  • Enhancing patient outcomes
  • Supporting workforce engagement

 

16:02 — Infrastructure & Speed of Innovation

• AI vendors move quickly
• Organizations must:
  • Be prepared to adapt rapidly
  • Avoid delays that hinder innovation
• Balance speed with governance and safety

 

16:27 — Closing

• Kerry thanks the guests for their insights
• Encourages continued exploration of AI’s evolving role in healthcare
• Reminder to subscribe and engage with VerifiedRx.

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