Conference Spotlight: AMCP 2015

Conference Spotlight: AMCP

The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) is holding its 27th Annual Meeting & Expo at the San Diego Convention Center (111 West Harbor Drive; 619-525-5000; www.visitsandiego.com) from April 7 to 10. This meeting will review many topics in managed care pharmacy including emerging treatments, improved reforms, and updated payment models. Each year an estimated 3500 managed care professionals attend the AMCP Annual Meeting & Expo, making it the nation's largest event for managed care pharmacists.

Science & Innovation Theaters

Below is a snapshot of some of the Science & Innovation Theaters taking place this year at the AMCP Meeting & Expo. For the full list, visit www.amcpmeetings.org/theater.php  

Science & Innovation Theaters Scheduled for April 9

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

• Polycythemia Vera (PV) Disease Awareness and Burden of Illness
  • Incyte Corporation

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

• COSENTYX™ (secukinumab) Clinical Presentation
  • Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

12:45 PM – 1:15 PM

• Vascepa^® for the Management of Very High Triglycerides
  • Amarin Pharma Inc.

12:45 PM – 1:15 PM

• The Evidence Behind the Evidence: A Deeper Dive into the Management of Heart Failure
  • Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

• To Be Announced
  • Boehringer-Ingelheim

Science & Innovation Theaters Scheduled for April 10

9:45 AM – 10:15 AM

• Changing the Treatment Paradigm in Relapsing MS for Patients, Physicians and Payers
  • Genzyme, a Sanofi Company

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

• To Be Announced
  • Boehringer-Ingelheim

Satellite Symposia

All of AMCP’s satellite symposia’s offer continuing pharmacy education credit and are no additional cost to registered attendees. This is a condensed schedule; to see all the satellite symposia, visit www.amcpmeetings.org/satellite.php.    

Satellite Symposia Scheduled for April 8

6:15 AM – 8:00 AM

• The Evolution of Psoriasis Treatment and Biologics: Targeted Therapy and Improving Outcomes
  • Sponsored jointly by Med Learning Group, Ultimate Medical Academy/CCM, and AMEDCO.
  • Supported by an educational grant from Lilly, USA

Satellite Symposia Scheduled for April 9

6:45 AM – 8:30 AM

• Shifting Paradigms in Lipid Management
  • Sponsored by PRIME^® Education, INC
  • Supported by educational grants from Sanofi US and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

6:45 AM – 8:30 AM

• Examining the Latest Clinical Findings for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis to Enhance Managed Care Decision-Making
  • Sponsored jointly by The Annenberg Center for Health Sciences at Eisenhower and Impact Education, LLC
  • Supported by an educational grant from Celgene Corporation

6:45 AM – 8:30 AM

• Charting the Course for Improving Diabetes Outcomes in Managed Care: Effective Strategies for Implementing GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Type 2 Diabetes
  • Sponsored by Creative Educational Concepts, Inc.
  • Supported by an educational grant from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals

Satellite Symposia Scheduled for April 10

6:00 AM – 7:45 AM

• Leveraging Gout Treatment Advances for Improved Outcomes and Resource Allocation
  • Sponsored by North American Center for Continuing Medical Education, LLC (NACCME).
  • Supported by an educational grant from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.

Workshops & Sessions

This is a snapshot of some of the sessions that will be taking place during the 27th AMCP Annual Meeting & Expo. For the full schedule and more details, visit www.amcpmeetings.org/detailed.php.

Workshops and Sessions Scheduled for April 7

7:00 AM – 12:00 PM

• Fundamentals of Integrating the Specialty Drug Benefit- Spring Course

8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

• AMCP Board of Directors Meeting

8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

• AMCP Multi-Company Evolving Marketplace Account Team Training Program

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

• CER Certificate Program

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

• AMCP Foundation Board of Trustees Meeting

5:15 PM – 6:15 PM

• Specialty Pharmacy Conference Welcome Reception

Workshops and Sessions Scheduled for April 8

7:00 AM – 7:00 PM

• Registration

11:15 AM – 12:30 PM

• Specialty Pharmaceuticals in Development

1:00 PM – 2:15 PM

• Using a Financial Model to Expand MTM to Specialty Patients

1:00 PM – 2:15 PM

• Understanding the Quality Rating System in State-Based Insurance Marketplaces

1:00 PM – 2:15 PM

• Current Trends in Insurance Exchange Benefits and Formulary Design

1:00 PM – 2:15 PM

• Stakeholder Perspectives on Balancing Patient-Centeredness & Drug Costs in the Design of Pharmacy Benefits

1:00 PM – 2:15 PM

• Biosimilars and Formularies: Lessons Learned from the European Experience

2:45 PM – 4:00 PM

• Medicare Part D MTM: Intervening on Hospital Discharge Patients

2:45 PM – 4:00 PM

• Federal and State Legislative and Regulatory Update

2:45 PM – 4:00 PM

• Trends with Generic Drug Pricing and Utilization

2:45 PM – 4:00 PM

• Impacting Medication Utilization and Pharmacy Expenditures in an Accountable Care Organization

2:45 PM – 4:00 PM

• Real World Integration of the Medical and Pharmacy Specialty Benefit

4:15 PM – 5:30 PM

• AMCP Headline Session: Marketplace Trends

Workshops and Sessions Scheduled for April 9

6:00 AM

• Registration for AMCP Foundation 5K for the Future Fun-Run and 1K Walk

7:15 AM – 8:15 AM

• Welcome Breakfast for New Members and First Time Attendees

8:30 AM – 9:45 AM

• Improving Measured Outcomes in MTM

8:30 AM – 9:45 AM

• Battling Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans

8:30 AM – 9:45 AM

• Trends in Pharmaceutical Contracting: Focus on Value-Based Contracting

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM

• Understanding the Relationship Between Managed Care Pharmacy Players: A Session for Students Pharmacists

11:45 AM – 4:00 PM

• AMCP Foundation 15^th Annual P&T Competition

3:00 PM – 4:15 PM

• Tackling Barriers and Engaging Patients in Comprehensive Medication Reviews

3:00 PM – 4:15 PM

• The Changing Dynamics of How States Manage the Medicaid Pharmacy Benefit

3:00 PM – 4:15 PM

• Paying for New Breakthrough Treatments- Lessons Learned from Hepatitis C

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

• Managed Care Pharmacy Career Panel

4:30 PM – 5:45 PM

• Pharmacy Compounding and the Impact on Managed Care Pharmacy

8:30 PM – 10:30 PM

• AMCP Foundation Casino Night

Workshops and Sessions Scheduled for April 10

7:00 AM – 11:00 AM

• AMCP Foundation 15^th Annual P&T Competition Judging

8:00 AM – 9:15 AM

• Navigating Oncology Clinical Care Pathways

11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

• Brand and Generic Drugs in Development

1:00 PM

• Meeting Adjourned

San Diego Convention Center: A Facility Exploration

A quick 10-minute drive from the San Diego International Airport is the expansive San Diego Convention Center (111 West Harbor Drive; 619-525-5000; www.visitsandiego.com). It sits directly across from the San Diego Bay, holding 615,701 square feet of exhibit space, 2 ballrooms, and 184,514 square feet of outdoor terrace space.

When you arrive the first thing you’ll notice is the modern architecture, which is foretelling the cutting edge features that are housed inside. The convention center has Wi-Fi, point-to-point networking, and webcasting capabilities. It is also innovative in its green initiatives; San Diego Convention Center is focusing on waste minimization, energy efficiency, water conservation, food composting, and more. Some amenities of the structure include ATMs, catering, FedEx Office services center, concierge services, and, thankfully, 3 Starbucks’. This venue features innovative technology and convenient services that will make AMCP’s 27th Annual Meeting & Expo a comfortable experience.—Melissa D. Cooper

Dining—San Diego Style

San Diego is a forerunner of edible innovation. This city has walked to the beat of its own drum since it was established in 1769 and the food reflects this. There is an eclectic range of cuisine available in San Diego, making the selection of a dining venue an exercise in endless possibilities.

The Historic Gaslamp Quarter

In 1850, William Heath Davis built some of the first establishments in Downtown San Diego, an area now known as the Gaslamp Quarter. Designated the “Historic Heart of San Diego,” this 16-and-a-half block district is riddled with treasures from the past including ornate Victorian era architecture, which was restored in the mid-1970s. Today the Gaslamp Quarter is swarming with cultural variety, epitomized in hundreds of restaurants, shops, bars, galleries, parks, and theaters. This is where the hungry traveler should begin their San Diego dining odyssey.

Good Old Fashion Steakhouse

In the heart of this fabled Gaslamp Quarter, brisk 4-minute walk from the San Diego Convention Center, is a restaurant where the cuisine guarantees an experience that can only be summed up as divine. Donovan’s Steak and Chop House (570 K Street; 619-237-9700; www.donovanssteakhouse.com) has only 3 locations worldwide, and you’re lucky enough to be right next to one.

            Walls paneled in dark wood and romantic lighting welcome you. Floor to ceiling glass cases stocked with wine will make it irresistible to not order a bottle for your table. Donovan’s Steak and Chop House owners claim its prime steaks are its “star attraction.” Choose from Prime Filet, New York Strip, Rib Eye, and more. This menu also features cuts beyond the bovine, such as Cherry Glazed Pork Chop, Australian Rock Lobster, and Broiled Shrimp Scampi. Each dish is well deserving of its place on the menu. Donovan’s Steak and Chop House will not disappoint.

Modern American

Allure (825 4^th Avenue; 619-236-0800; www.allurerestaurantsd.com) is another Gaslamp Quarter staple that has been credited with taking American cuisine to the next level. This restaurant has been receiving a lot of buzz since its opening in March 2013. The owner’s philosophy is to serve up exquisite food while treating every guest like family.

The dishes are built on a traditional main ingredient and paired with innovative secondary ingredients. For example, the Filet is served with onion bacon jam, carrot chips, spinach, and blue cheese. Another beloved dish is the White Fish, served with lemon caper, beurre blanc (which translates to white butter), kalamata, roasted tomatoes, and watercress. Each dish is artfully displayed, so don’t be surprised if you’re compelled to whip out your phone and snap a few pictures.

California Charm

Sometimes a white-tableclothed, stuffy, gourmet atmosphere is just not what you want after a day of attending meetings and connecting with colleagues. But is it possible to forgo the pomp circumstance while savoring the high-end cuisine? Well, Table No.10 (369 10^th Avenue; 619-550-1262; www.tablenumber10.com) claims to make fine dining more approachable with laidback charm. The owners purchased a historic Carnation milk factory that was built in 1919 in the East Village, just outside the Gaslamp Quarter, and restored it to create an accessible industrial atmosphere, only a 10-minute walk from the San Diego Convention Center.

Table No. 10 has built their menu on a few core principles. Instead of

1 large entrée for each individual, this eatery encourages sharing food with the people you’re dining with. Small plates allow everyone to experience multiple adventurous dishes. The creators of Table No. 10 also believes that all ingredients should be as fresh as possible, which is why they source as many seasonal ingredients as possible from their in-house herb garden.

Table No. 10 is an ideal spot for the curious diner. Choose from small plates, such as Grilled Texas Quail with Deconstructed Cassoulette and Smoked Pork Belly or Charred Octopus with fired caper berries, grilled lemon, olive oil, and oregano gremolata. If you seek a more traditional approach to dining, large plates are also available and feature such delectable choices as Smoked Duck Ragu with parsnips, tagilatelle, and pecornio or Crispy Chicken with linguica aracini, and mustard kale. And, if by some miracle there’s room in your stomach for more, you must try a dessert. The S’mores Doughnut and the Semolina-Ricotta Cake are both scrumptious.—Melissa D. Cooper