Judith Lovince, PharmD, MS, BCPS Where Science Becomes Hope® Spotlight
We are using the technology and the resources that are available to us to further optimize the care for our patients and reduce the cancer burden.
Judith Lovince, PharmD, MS, BCPS, is the pharmacy manager for Winship Cancer Institute at Emory Midtown. She also oversees the non-oncology infusion center at Emory University Hospital Midtown. She aims to serve patients with cancer and strives to provide support throughout their experience, particularly with their medications. She was motivated to pursue a career in oncology because of how it is constantly evolving and because there is a need for support in terms of patient access and assistance throughout the process.
In the below Q & A, Lovince explains the role of specialty pharmacy and how it helps Winship inspire hope.
Lovince speaking to members of the specialty pharmacy team at Winship at Emory Midtown.
What specialized services does an infusion pharmacy offer oncology patients?
Infusion pharmacy is an outpatient service for cancer treatment. Patients see their care team in clinic to discuss the medications they'll receive by infusion and the cycle duration. Then our nurses, pharmacists, advance practice providers and clinical pharmacy specialists work together to provide that infusion treatment, making sure that the patient is on the right treatment regimen and receiving the labs that they need to proceed with treatment. We also make sure we dose the patient correctly for their needs.
What do you want people to know about your team and the people you work with at Winship?
I have such a great team. I know that when I walk through that door, I'm going to be met with an amazing team that have smiles on their faces and have my back. Having that family culture and environment is what keeps me here. We spend most of our lives at work, so who you work with is important. If I have a vision that ultimately affects the way we do operations and only improves it, my leadership team, my direct manager and system executives are willing to listen to that vision. So, being able to have that voice and it be heard is what keeps me here.
What does “where science becomes hope” mean to you?
When I think of "where science becomes hope," I think of what we're doing as an organization to conduct research and clinical trials and see what does and doesn’t work for our patients, so that we can ultimately offer the best treatments. And being on top of the newest innovative data, drugs and medical devices that are coming out is one of the things we do really well at Emory. We are using the technology and the resources that are available to us to further optimize the care for our patients and reduce the cancer burden.
What inspires hope for you?
I've had quite a few employees who have been diagnosed with cancer and have gone through treatment and overcome it, and that gives me hope, because I know that there are treatment options. And I've realized how important it is to have a community when you're going through cancer treatment.
Being involved in that experience with them continues to inspire me and only confirms that I'm in the right area, in the right field and doing the right things for our patients.
Winship is where science becomes hope.
Who have you observed inspiring hope in our patients, our team or our community? We would love to hear from you. If you have a story to share about someone inspiring hope at Winship, reach out to us using this form.