ORLANDO, Fla. (March 12, 2019)—The National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) is proud to announce that Wanda K. Rogers, MS, RPh, is the recipient of its 2019 Gene Graves Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented at NHIA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, Tuesday, March 12.
Rogers is the National Director of Pharmacy for Coram CVS Specialty Infusion Services and is widely considered an icon in the field by the hundreds of home infusion students and professionals who have worked with her. She graduated from the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy in 1963 and practiced in many states and settings as she travelled the country with her Naval officer husband and two daughters. Following graduate studies in Hospital Pharmacy, Rogers worked in a major metropolitan hospital system as the Director of Sterile Production until moving to home infusion where she has worked since 1982. She joined Coram CVS in 1990, stepping into her current role in 2005.
Rogers’ dedication to pharmacy is evident in the many contributions she has made to advancing the profession. She serves as a member of the NHIA Standards Committee and the Joint Commission Medication Compounding Advisory Panel and serves as the regional past president of the Virginia Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. She has also served as a member of Coram’s USP <797> Agenda for Change Committee and as a consultant to major drug companies for extemporaneous compounding of products used in human clinical trials. In addition to playing an integral role in creating a Postgraduate First-Year (PGY-1) Pharmacy Practice Residency with a focus on Sterile Compounding with Coram CVS, Rogers is a fixture at national pharmacy meetings including APhA, ASHP and NHIA.
Rogers was nominated by a group of professional teammates, each of whom shared powerful, first-hand accounts illustrating why she is so deserving of this honor. The stories describe a warm, compassionate leader and mentor who encourages colleagues to work from their strengths and grow by recognizing and overcoming their weaknesses. She is supportive, kind, strong, and fair.
Her teammates offer examples of Rogers’ creativity in finding alternative ways to approach difficult problems, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth, and continuously looking for ways to promote innovation and progress. Rogers takes the time to learn names and establish personal connections with everyone she comes into contact with—a daunting task considering she oversees 76 branches.
Most importantly, say her coworkers, patient care is Rogers’ North Star. Safety always comes first, and empathy is a must when dealing with patients and families. “She exudes confidence and positivity with a grace that is both commanding and disarming,” said one nominator. “This has earned her both the respect and trust of countless colleagues.”
“NHIA is proud to recognize Wanda’s accomplishments and distinguished career through this award,” said Connie Sullivan, BSPharm, NHIA’s president and CEO. “The nomination by her team clearly reflects how much she means to her many colleagues throughout the country and to the patients she has touched.”
“The Gene Graves Award is a very appropriate honor for Wanda,” addded NHIA board chair Varner Richards, PharmD. “Her commitment and leadership as a professional and pharmacist in our industry has been evident over many years. We are proud to recognize Wanda’s accomplishments and acknowledge the enduring, positive influence she had on our profession. Her integrity and passion for developing young clinicians will have a ripple effect for many years to come.”
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