Ruth E. Cassidy B.S., PharmD, MBA, FACHE, FASHP was named the inaugural chief pharmacy officer at Montefiore Health System on Monday, Jan. 6, hospital officials said. Dr. Cassidy assumed her new position the same day.

 

“Dr. Cassidy brings to Montefiore decades of pharmacy practice excellence, with an eye towards medication safety, regulatory oversight, and delivery of exceptional patient care,” Montefiore officials said, adding that she will oversee pharmacy services across Montefiore’s acute and ambulatory locations as well as its specialty pharmacy, which they said is one of the most advanced specialty pharmacies in the region, providing home delivery of medications throughout The Bronx and Westchester.

 

Peter P. Semczuk, DDS, MPH, regional senior vice president for New York City and executive director of the Moses campus and faculty practice group at Montefiore, said of Cassidy’s appointment, “There is no better person than Dr. Cassidy to be our inaugural chief pharmacy officer and member of our leadership team dedicated to enhancing patient and caregiver care and support.” He added, “Her role will be central as we continue to invest in new technologies and quality assurance strategies that streamline medication processes, reduce burden on providers, and most importantly, optimize patient outcomes.”

 

According to Montefiore officials, chronic disease exacts a significant toll on the health and well-being of New Yorkers, and more than 40 percent of New York adults suffer from at least one chronic disease. They said such statistics make medication management vital and added that Cassidy will be responsible for managing pharmacy operations at the private hospital network.

 

They said this includes spanning novel cancer breakthroughs that genetically modify a person’s own immune cells to attack cancer cells to building on successful communications strategies that support care coordination and mitigate potential drug side effects following hospital stays.

 

In the context of her appointment, Cassidy said, “I’ve been privileged to spend most of my career serving Bronx patients and families. By joining Montefiore and leading pharmacy operations, an area that touches every service, I have the opportunity to leverage existing relationships with community partners, bring forth new collaborations across the system, and ensure a consistent experience across our campuses that will benefit every provider and their patients. I can’t wait to dive in.”

 

Montefiore officials said that prior to joining the hospital system, Cassidy served as senior vice president of clinical support services and chief pharmacy officer at SBH Health System, where she designed and oversaw the system’s first outpatient pharmacy, the first specialty pharmacy, and where she launched an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists-accredited pharmacy resident program.

 

They said Cassidy earned a masters degree in business administration from West Texas A&M University, a doctoral pharmacy degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine, and a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy at St. John’s University.