AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack this week received the ASHP Award of Honor, which recognizes individuals outside the pharmacy discipline who have made extraordinary national or worldwide contributions to the health field. ASHP is the largest association of pharmacy professionals in the United States, representing 60,000 pharmacists, student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in all patient care settings, including hospitals, ambulatory clinics and health-system community pharmacies.

ASHP said that Pollack is a “distinguished national leader and valuable ASHP collaborator who exemplifies effective advocacy and leadership on behalf of our nation’s hospitals, the patients and communities they serve, and the healthcare professionals those organizations support. His foresight, influence, and wisdom have been instrumental in guiding efforts to improve quality and patient safety, eliminate disparities in care, and promote diversity in healthcare.” The past three recipients of the award were Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., who serves as the U.S. Surgeon General, Scott Gottlieb, M.D., former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and Anthony Fauci, M.D., former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 

The AHA has worked with ASHP on a number of efforts. These include supply chain issues — most recently the Baxter IV solutions shortage — as well as protecting the 340B Drug Pricing Program from harmful changes and rejecting so-called site-neutral payment cuts that could reduce access to care and jeopardize patient safety.