Sue Paul, RPh is a pharmacist, entrepreneur, and small business owner. She is the Founder of SyneRxgy Consulting LLC, a concierge pharmacy service, co-founder of PGx101, LLC, a pharmacogenomic certificate training/coaching company, and Medipreneurs, LLC, an international conference and community for pharmacy entrepreneurs. She is active in local, state and national professional organizations including APhA and also serves as Vice President of the Ohio Pharmacists Foundation Board of Trustees.
Mentioned in this episode
www.linkedin.com/in/sue-paulrph
2022 Medipreneurs Summit August 26-28, 2022
Email: suepaulrph@gmail.com
Dan Krinsky, BS, MS, RPh, FAPhA
Mariam S. Yasin (2022 PharmD/MS PGX Candidate)
Carol Bell, PharmD (KY Pharmacist)
The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile
The Annual Meeting of the Ohio Pharmacists Association
APhA (American Pharmacists Association)
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Highlights from the interview
How did Sue get into PGX?
It started with clopidogrel. Sue has experience in a number of settings: community practice, nursing homes, and hospital. While working in an outpatient pharmacy doing a “meds to beds program,” Sue noticed that cardiologists were prescribing P2Y12 inhibitors for patients post stent-placement. The patients had expensive copays. “Why not use clopidogrel?” Sue thought. She researched why and found that clopidogrel is a prodrug. According to Sue, ~30% of the population can’t metabolize clopidogrel to its active form. Cardiologists selected other options to avoid a clogged stent.
How did Sue learn about PGX?
When Sue started, she was self-taught. She learned about PGX from free resources ~ 2013-2014. She continued to learn online from the PharmGenEd™️ Program at UCSD (University of California San Diego). Her first official certificate training was at the Test2Learn™️ inaugural event (University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy), months after incorporating PGX into practice.
Sue founded a non-dispensing pharmacy business called SyneRxgy (pronounced si·nr·jee). Through SyneRxgy and working with a primary care office (via contract), Sue saw a lot of mental health issues. She pitched PGX to the practice. They were interested. She found labs that could serve her patients well and was able to get started serving patients with PGX about 4 months after joining the practice.
Filling in the gaps
Part of entrepreneurship is getting curious about something and figuring it out. Sue saw gaps in her PGX education, namely implementation. She learned how to implement PGX in her practice as an entrepreneur. PGX 101 trainings “fill in the gaps” Sue experienced.
98% of PGX101 students complete the course.
12 hours of home study
8 hours of live training
$497 investment/20 ACPE accredited continuing education credit hours
Registration deadline for the next training is February 12, 2022, because the 12-hour, self-paced part must be completed before February 26. Sue recommends breaking the 12-hours up into bite-sized chunks of 2 hours each. The LIVE online training is February 26 and 27. The next online training is April 23 and 24, 2022. Visit https://www.pgx101.com for more information.
Are all PGX101 students pharmacists?
No. Most have been pharmacists or pharmacy students, but there has also been an oncologist, some genetic counselors, and a handful of nurse practitioners.
After PGX101 training is complete, if students want a deeper dive into PGX and implementation, they can goin the PGX201 Community. To learn more, visit https://www.pgx101.com.
$297/3 months (renewable membership) or
$998/12 months
How does Sue get paid?
Sue gets paid a daily rate by the practice she works for. Sue’s home patients, on the other hand, are cash-based.
Success stories
Sue told several stories about how she has made a difference in the lives of her patients. PGX and home-visit stories were both shared.
Sue’s advice for pharmacist Moms
Sue had 4 kids in 5 years. They are all adults now. “There’s no better reward than investing in your kids. Do what you need to do to be able to do that.”
Strength in numbers
How do we get more PGX-trained pharmacists in doctor’s offices? PGX101 trainings are part of the solution. PGX Pharmacists adding more PGX pharmacists to their practices will also help.
Making a connection
Is there a way to connect prescribers with PGX-trained pharmacists? Carol Bell, PharmD (KY Pharmacist) started a PGX Pharmacists registry and is passing it along to Sue Paul and Dan Krinsky. Look for the registry to be available later this year (2022).
Referrals from other pharmacists
How can a non-PGX pharmacist refer a patient to a PGX pharmacist? It’s simple, just reach out to a pharmacist who is doing PGX. If they can’t help you, they may know someone who can.
Medipreneurs
Sue Paul, Dr. Anna Garrett, and Michelle Fritsch, PharmD cofounded Medipreneurs to support and encourage healthcare entrepreneurs. Medipreneurs is celebrating their 5th year in 2022. The annual conference is August 26-28 in Cincinnati, OH. Sue is on the Board of Advisors.
LinkedIn is the best way to connect with Sue.
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