Ellen Scharaga Tumblr Blog

A veteran pharmacy services executive, Ellen Scharaga is an Operational Consultant for Alegria Specialty Pharmacy (www.alegriarx.com). Ellen assists Alegria in developing and delivering new innovative specialty medications to manage chronic conditions such as HIV, hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, organ transplants, chronic pain, growth disorders and infertility. Alegria’s goal is to ensure that all stakeholders, patients, physicians, managed care providers and manufacturers, have a platform to battle these conditions and ensure better patient outcomes.Before joining Alegria, Ellen Scharaga guided OncoMed Pharmaceutical Services as senior vice president of operations. She previously spent nearly a decade with Group Health, Inc., as vice president of pharmacy and director. While residing in Melville, NY, Ellen Scharaga managed a complex pharmacy benefit management transition process related to a $300 million prescription drug program. Resulting discounts and reductions in contract administration and program expenses enabled $25 million in corporate savings. Ellen Scharaga’s responsibilities with OncoMed involve recruiting and hiring staff for an expanding pharmacy dispensing and call center operation. She is responsible for the full spectrum of training activities, as well as for developing and maintaining the company’s policies and procedures. She has spearheaded initiatives that have addressed prescription processing inefficiencies and improved turnaround times by 30 percent. The Melville, NY, resident is a longstanding member of the Pharmaceutical Society of New York and the Hematology Oncology Pharmacy Association. Ellen Scharaga supports the charitable activities of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

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AMCP Foundation Announces National P&T Competition Winners

Ellen Scharaga works at the New York-based Alegria Specialty Pharmacy as an operational consultant, a position she has held since 2014. In the decades since she entered the pharmaceutical industry, Ellen Scharaga has been a member of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), an organization which focuses on improving healthcare costs and increasing patient access to affordable medicine across the country. Throughout its advocacy work, the AMCP has facilitated several programs to create new ways of improving and expanding pharmaceutical processes. One such program is the National Student Pharmacist Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) Competition, an annual event that aims to provide an immersive way for university students across the country to help create and enhance review and management processes. The competition includes participating universities from around the country, with a record of 67 institutions taking part this year. The University of Washington School of Pharmacy is the 2019 edition's big winner, taking first prize for developing a monograph and recommendations based on a product dossier that the AMCP provided. The winning team includes Eunice Kim, Michael Sporck, Hanna Kleiboeker and Erin Ichinotsubo, with the overall team being advised by Pete Fullerton. AMCP Foundation Executive Director Paula J. Eichenbrenner notes that the winning entries highlight a significant degree of professionalism and depth of understanding in the field, which is something that was on show across each of the finalists.

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Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Issues Annual Pharmaceutical Awards

An experienced pharmaceuticals professional, Ellen Scharaga serves as the operational consultant at the Alegria Specialty Pharmacy. Outside of Alegria, Ellen Scharaga is a member of several professional organizations, including the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP). The AMCP is a non-profit that aims to provide patients access to affordable medication while also improving the use of funding spent in medical care. The organization also awards a variety of professionals who have made lasting contributions to the industry through its Steven G. Avey Award. The award ceremony, which takes place every year, also includes the Grassroots Advocacy Award and the Distinguished Service Award. This year, Manjula Jayabalan was awarded the Grassroots Advocacy Award for her work with the State Advocacy Coordinators program, as well as AMCP's Legislative Regulatory Action Committee. Margaret Byun, who serves as assistant director of finance at the Ambulatory Care Pharmacy, takes the Distinguished Service Award for her work advocating the AMCP's principles to her students at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy.

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An Introduction to the Prevalence of Skin Cancer

A pharmaceutical sciences graduate of St. John’s University, Ellen Scharaga joined Alegria Specialty Pharmacy as an operational consultant in 2014. When she is not supporting Alegria in the development of specialty medications used to treat a wide range of chronic health problems and diseases, Ellen Scharaga is a supporter of various medical nonprofits, including the American Cancer Society. The American Cancer Society provides a depth of services and resources related to cancer treatment, including important cancer education initiatives. Skin cancer is arguably the most important type of cancer for the average person to learn about, as it is far and away the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease. In 2012, more than 2 million new skin cancer diagnoses were made in the US. Skin cancer can develop in several ways, each of which determines how medical professionals proceed with treatment and the likelihood of a positive outcome. Basal and squamous cell skin cancer, for example, can often be linked to exposure to the sun and typically originate along the neck, forearms, and other commonly exposed areas. Fortunately, basal and squamous cell skin cancer diagnoses are often accompanied by an optimistic prognosis. Melanoma, on the other hand, is diagnosed less often than basal and squamous cell skin cancers but has the potential to grow at a faster rate. Like all forms of skin cancer, early intervention is key to a positive prognosis. Less frequently seen skin cancers include lymphoma of the skin and Merkel cell skin cancer. To learn more about these and other kinds of skin cancer, or to find an American Cancer Society location near you, please visit www.cancer.org.

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Student Pharmacist Internships with the AMCP Foundation

An operational consultant with Alegria Specialty Pharmacy since 2014, Ellen Scharaga helps the company develop specialty medications to manage chronic conditions such as HIV, arthritis, Hepatitis C, and chronic pain, among others. A member of several professional organizations, Ellen Scharaga belongs to the Pharmaceutical Society of New York and the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. Committed to improving healthcare for all by increasing patient access to affordable medicines, the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) comprises 8,000 pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. The AMCP Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports the AMCP through research and education. The Foundation also offers internship opportunities in the areas of managed care and association management. Interns gain valuable knowledge related to health plans and pharmaceutical industry operations, as well as the management of public charities and professional associations. Since 1993, more than 200 pharmacist students have completed the internship program. For more information about the AMCP Foundation or individual internships, visit www.amcp.org/amcp-foundation/internship/.

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Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Combats Medicare Fraud

A graduate of St. John’s University in New York, Ellen Scharaga draws upon an extensive pharmacy background in her current position as an operational consultant with Alegria Specialty Infusion and Pain Pharmacy. An active member of the field, Ellen Scharaga holds membership in professional groups such as the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP). For more than 25 years, AMCP has served physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and the patients they serve through a combination of online learning initiatives, networking events, and publication and aggregation of peer-reviewed research papers. Additionally, AMCP serves the industry by advocating for important legislative and regulatory issues related to pharmacies, medication, and health care policy. Among other issues, AMCP has dedicated its advocacy efforts to combating the problem of Medicare fraud and waste in the United States. The organization actively collaborates with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Medicare fraud-prevention organizations to suggest legislation and policy specifically related to Medicare Parts C and D. As part of these efforts, AMCP has helped draft proposed legislation such as the Medicare Prescription Drug Anti-Fraud Act of 2015, which aimed to reduce fraud by suspending payments to pharmacies suspected of fraud. AMCP drafted the bill to rectify a situation in which prescription drug providers are required to pay pharmacies even in cases of suspected fraud, leading to a wasteful “pay and chase” cycle in which providers must try to reclaim fraudulent payments after the fact.

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Improving Pharmacy Efficiency

An accomplished pharmacy operations executive, Ellen Scharaga serves as an operational consultant for Alegria Specialty Pharmacy. Prior to accepting this position, she spent several years as the senior vice president of oncology pharmacy services at OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In that capacity, Ellen Scharaga gained extensive experience in overseeing pharmacy operations and training personnel. Improving pharmacy efficiency plays a key role in reducing operating costs and increasing patient satisfaction. Yet some pharmacy owners and managers struggle with figuring out the best way to accomplish this. Here are a few proven approaches. 1. Optimize inventory control Improving inventory control helps decrease operating costs while reducing delays in filling prescriptions. One of the easiest ways to manage inventory is to use analytics to count the medications as they are being bought and shipped, commonly with a barcode scanning system. By using such a system, pharmaceutical companies can chart and track medication trends throughout the year and adjust their inventory as needed. 2. Decrease travel time within the facility Technicians and other pharmacy employees operate more efficiently when they do not have to travel as far to fill a prescription. Managers should map their employees’ travel during a regular day. Medications and tools that they commonly use can be moved closer to their workstation to reduce the amount of time they spend traveling throughout the pharmacy. As a result, wasteful travel time is reduced and productivity is improved. 3. Brainstorm with staff Pharmacy employees are the best source for learning about operational problems. Since they work in the pharmacy every day, they are in the best position to notice various problems that may cause delays. By brainstorming with them, managers learn not only about these problems but about unique solutions that can improve efficiency

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Alzheimer’s Association Initiates the Walk to End Alzheimer’s

A registered pharmacist in Melville, NY, Ellen Scharaga maintains membership in the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists. Ellen Scharaga also supports a number of nonprofits dedicated to helping individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and preventing the disease through research and awareness efforts. Among the recipients of her support is the Alzheimer’s Association. In the late 1970s, a group of representatives from family support groups gathered at the National Institute of Aging. Spearheaded by Jerome H. Stone, the group explored the idea of establishing an organization to complement the government’s efforts to fight Alzheimer’s disease. A year later, the Alzheimer’s Association was formed, with Mr. Stone as its founding president. Since then, the Alzheimer’s Association has initiated fundraising programs for research, advanced care, and legislation for the benefit of people with Alzheimer’s disease. One of these programs is the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. This annual event is held in over 600 communities worldwide to raise awareness and funds to fuel the organization’s efforts. Prospective participants can visit www.alz.org to find walks near their communities, register as an individual or part of a team, and raise money to a make a difference in the lives of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

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Hepatitis C - What Causes It and How It Spreads

The former senior vice president of oncology pharmacy services at OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ellen Scharaga draws on her experience in managing pharmacy operations to serve Alegria Specialty Pharmacy as an operational consultant. With the help of Ellen Scharaga, Alegria develops and delivers specialty medications that treat chronic conditions such as hepatitis C. A contagious liver disease, hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus, which is spread through blood-to-blood contact or through sharing bodily fluids. This is the only way the disease can be transmitted from one individual to another. Casual contact, such as sharing food, does not spread hepatitis C. Because the virus is contracted through bodily fluids, individuals can catch hepatitis C by sharing needles, being stuck by needles that have been infected, or by having sex. This puts certain individuals at more risk of contracting hepatitis C, most notably those who inject drugs, receive blood from an infected donor, or have a sexual partner with HIV. The disease can also be spread from mother to child during childbirth. In the past, hepatitis C was also transferred through organ transplants. Fortunately, in 1992 medical professionals started screening organs and blood for hepatitis C, dramatically reducing the risk of patients developing the disease after receiving an organ or blood donation.

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AMCP Hands Out Awards

An experienced pharmaceutical industry professional, Ellen Scharaga brings her expertise to Alegria Specialty Pharmacy, where she serves as an operational consultant. As part of her pharmaceutical industry career, she maintains membership in several related professional organizations, including the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. During its recent Annual Award Dinner in Denver, Colorado, the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) recognized several individuals and organizations with a total of eight different awards. Here are two of them: The AMCP recognized “Patterns of Adherence to Oral Atypical Antipsychotics Among Patients Diagnosed with Schizophrenia,” as the winner of its Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy (JMCP) Award for Excellence. The study appeared in the organization’s peer-reviewed journal last November and was authored by seven individuals, including PhDs, BScs, and MDs. The ACMP additionally recognized Ashley Coleman, PharmD, with its New Practitioner Award. This honor is given to an individual who has made a significant impact in the area of managed care pharmacy in the first five years after receiving a degree in pharmacy, nursing, or medicine. Coleman serves as director of the Ohio State University Medication Management Program and is in charge of the organization’s telehealth initiative.

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About Alegria

For the past three years, Ellen Scharaga has leveraged her pharmaceutical industry experience to serve Melville, New York-based Alegria Specialty Pharmacy as an operational consultant. In her role at Alegria, Ellen Scharaga helps oversee the creation and cutting-edge medical treatments for many chronic diseases. Alegria not only focuses on medicines that are carried by most pharmacies, but also in innovating pharmaceutical treatments for some of the most difficult illnesses, such as HIV, multiple sclerosis, and hepatitis C. The company works to build a unique relationship with each patient and doctor to provide the best managed care pharmacy experience. By diligently working on the patients’ behalf and educating them about their pharmaceutical needs, Alegria aims to be the top choice for personalized medicine. For the past 25 years, the company’s pharmacists have operated with the highest safety standards. Not only does Alegria provide top-quality pharmaceutical products, but the company also ensures that all of its equipment and products are sterile. This means its clients can be assured that no bacteria or other contaminants will be found in its products.

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LLS Celebrates 30th Annual Leukemia Ball

In her work as an operational consultant with Alegria Specialty Pharmacy in Melville, New York, Ellen Scharaga helps the company develop innovative drug treatments for major diseases, including HIV, hepatitis C, and multiple sclerosis. Apart from her professional life, Ellen Scharaga is committed to supporting numerous organizations that fight against chronic illness, including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Over the past three decades, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) yearly Leukemia Ball has been one of the organization’s most successful fundraisers. A high-profile event, this year’s fundraiser was held in Washington, D.C., and brought in $4.1 million in donations from both corporate and private contributors. This number adds to the some $1 billion LLS has been able to raise through various means in its history. One of the key elements of this year’s ball was the attention given to the Beat AML (acute myeloid leukemia) Master Trial, an initiative to study the underlying genetic indicators of these cancers in the hope that patients can matched with the specific therapies that have the best chance of benefiting them. The study’s principal investigator, Brian Druker, M.D., has been a supporter of LLS efforts for more than two decades.

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Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Mobilizes Support for Medicare Bill

An operational consultant for Alegria Specialty Pharmacy, Ellen Scharaga is credited with reducing the time it takes the company to fill prescriptions. A resident of Melville, NY, Ellen Scharaga supports the work of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. According to a press release from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a new federal bill has been introduced to help Medicare Part D patients with serious illnesses, such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis, who currently face exorbitant co-pays because their medications fall into a “specialty tier” of prescriptions. The Part D Beneficiary Appeals Fairness Act, if passed, would give these patients the opportunity to appeal their "specialty tiers" designation, potentially allowing them to reduce the cost of their prescriptions and receive the treatments they need without a large financial burden. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society asks people interested in supporting the legislation to contact their elected representatives to exhort them to vote for the bill. In addition, cancer research has been cut 24 percent since 2003, according to the Society. Voters who support cancer research should tell their representatives to increase funding for the National Institutes of Health.

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Alegria Specialty Pharmacy Suggestions for Managing Multiple Sclerosis

A member of the New York State Council of Hospital Pharmacists, Ellen Scharaga is a resident of Melville, NY. Also a St. John’s University alumnus, Ellen Scharaga accepted the role of operational consultant with Alegria Specialty Pharmacy in 2014. Her main task is to improve the company’s operational efficiency, which includes turnaround time for prescription fills. Led by Kaveh Askari, RPh, Alegria Specialty Pharmacy works toward developing therapeutic medications that treat patients suffering from various illnesses, including hepatitis C, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, and multiple sclerosis. In the case of multiple sclerosis, where no therapy has proven successful in slowing the progression of the disease, Alegria Specialty Pharmacy offers medication suggestions for those in the relapsing-remitting stages of the illness. Among the drugs are fingolimod, interferon beta, and dimethyl fumarate. Because multiple sclerosis can deteriorate the nerves, it is not uncommon for diagnosed patients to express feelings of numbness in the limbs, fatigue, and partial loss of vision. In addition, symptoms of tingling and pain are common. As such, Alegria recommends the use of muscle relaxants to lessen stiffness, which often leads to pain. Further, physical or occupational therapy can help with strengthening the body and finding tools to adapt to daily tasks that are inhibited due to the disease.

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How to Support American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life

A Melville, NY, consultant in the health-care field, Ellen Scharaga is committed to helping others by contributing to various research foundations. In particular, Ellen Scharaga supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the American Cancer Society. New Yorkers looking to support the American Cancer Society can join the Relay For Life of University at Albany (UAlbany) on April 25, 2015. The event takes place at the UAlbany's SEFCU Arena in Guilderland, New York, and includes an opening ceremony, survivors lap, caregivers lap, and luminaria ceremony. The latter pays tribute to individuals who lost their lives from cancer and serves as a place for families to find hope. To ensure the event meets its goals of raising funds for research and other initiatives, the American Cancer Society offers three options for supporting Relay For Life. The first option is to register as a walker for the event and participate in fundraising. The second opportunity involves volunteering throughout the event in areas of coordination, set up, and clean up. Donating to the event or directly to an individual participant or team is the final option for supporting Relay For Life. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made online at www.relayforlife.org.

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Understanding Hepatitis C

With over three decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Ellen Scharaga is based in Melville, NY, and serves Alegria Specialty Pharmacy, which specializes in compound pharmaceuticals, as an operational consultant. Her considerable experience enables her to ensure fast turnaround times for filling prescriptions. Ellen Scharaga helps develop formulas used to treat a variety of chronic conditions, including hepatitis C. An infection that inflames the liver, the hepatitis C virus is the most serious of a family of hepatitis viruses that results in a disease that can be acute or chronic, with the former clearing on its own or responding to proper treatment. However, if the acute form goes untreated, the chronic form may develop. The disease can be acquired through needles and injections, unsafe blood transfusions, or sexual relations with an infected person. Symptoms are often non-existent, although fatigue, muscle and joint pain, tenderness in the area near the liver, and nausea can present themselves early. More severe cases may include symptoms like dark urine, abdominal swelling, itching, and weight loss. A series of antiviral treatments are administered for anywhere from 24 to 48 weeks, which can prevent relapses in many cases.

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The Alzheimer's Foundation of America

Ellen Scharaga is Senior Vice President of Operations at OncoMed Pharmaceutical Services in Great Neck, New York. In addition to her extensive experience in the field of pharmacology, she supports longtime affiliations with a variety of medical institutions and associations. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America is a health care group that is particularly near to Ellen Scharaga’s heart. Dedicated to providing expert support to people who are living with dementia and the families and caregivers who help them, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) consists of more than 1,600 member organizations throughout the United States. AFA membership is open to any government agency, medical facility, day program, public safety department or health care community that treats or otherwise assists Alzheimer's patients. The AFA also welcomes a range of grassroots advocacy groups and nonprofit organizations. The principle goals of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America are to provide early detection and proper treatment, to promote the efficient use of community resources, and to mitigate the various stigmas associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Ultimately, the group seeks to improve the quality of life for anyone facing an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. In recent years, the AFA has spawned a number of sister organizations, including the Alzheimer's Foundation for Caregiving in Canada and the Alzheimer's Foundation of Israel, which strive to address the problems associated with Alzheimer's on an international level.

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