Employees

Michael J. Tocco R.Ph., M.Ed.

Michael has over 30 years of experience in the health care industry including: consulting and developing programs for managed care organizations and state DUR Boards; consulting to pharmaceutical manufacturers on operational, professional, and marketing issues; owning a community pharmacy chain; and holding executive level positions in two major pharmacy chains. He currently works with managed care organizations to assist them in maximizing the benefits of fully integrated pharmaceutical management.

As President of Pharmaceutical Strategies, Michael uses his experience to provide innovative and practical solutions to today's most difficult pharmaceutical care problems and their impact upon the health care delivery industry. Specific experience and interest includes:

Assessing, evaluating, redesigning and implementing pharmaceutical care delivery programs.
Designing and implementing health system issue management strategies for managed care and public health organizations.
Designing and developing capitated risk management programs.
Developing disease management initiatives in the areas of depression, peptic ulcer disease, H. pylori, asthma, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS.
Testifying and speaking at state drug utilization review boards, pharmacy andtherapeutic committees, and national managed health care conferences on contemporary pharmacy and health care issues.

Michael graduated from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences with a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy and completed a Masters in Education and Integrated Studies at Cambridge College. He is a member of several state and local pharmacy associations as well as political organizations. With the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, Michael currently serves as Co-Chair of the Industry Relations Committee and has served on the Leadership Team as a Committee Chairman. He has published a number of articles related to pharmacy and has spoken at a number of national health care conferences. Michael also has served on the editorial boards for Nursing Home Economics and Disease State Management.

Vincent Christiano, R.Ph.

Mr. Christiano has over 25 years in the health care industry specializing in a wide array of pharmacy practices. His multi-disciplinary pharmacy background includes consulting, mail service, DUR, managed care, long term and retail providers as a trainer and educator in clinical psychiatric settings, establishing formularies, DUR program operations and clinical disease state management - working with physicians as a telecommunications facilitor trainer. He is also a former owner of a large, independent, community based retail pharmacy.

As Director of DUR and Audits for Pharmaceutical Strategies, Vincent uses his experience to help clients achieve optimal solutions for better, safer, and more costeffective health care for their members.

Specific health care and related experienc includes:

Developing and operating drug utilization systems using retrospective, prospective and concurrent models.

Designing pharmaceutical based models in disease state management in the areas of arthritis, peptic ulcer disease, pain management, drug addiction.

Clinical trainer for mail service pharmacists in Managed care and Geriatric medicine.

Developing audit criteria for clinical and fiscal analysis in systems based management models.

Developing SOP approaches for quality enhancement systems for health delivery personnel in long term, mail service and retail pharmacy settings.

Planning and implementing operational systems for new and existing health care and pharmacy ventures.

Vincent graduated from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Services with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy and graduated from Brandeis University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology. He is a member of the Faculty at Brandeis University and is a memeber of AphA. Vincent is a 6th Degree Black Belt (RokuDan) and holds a Master Rank (Renshi) in Uechi-Ryu Karate with over 30 years experience as instructor and practitioner in the martial arts.

Linda Wasylak, R.Ph., R.A.C., M.S.

Linda has over 20 years of experience in pharmacy working in a variety of settings including hospital, retail pharmacy and managed care. Since receiving her Master degree in Health Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Linda has turned her attention to the increasing need for quality improvements in pharmacy services through the use of new technologies and innovative thinking.

Due to her varied background, Linda is available to consult on:

Recruitment and training of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and other health professionals
Management of pharmacy operations in retail, long term care and hospital settings
State and Federal regulatory compliance for the handling, storage and dispensing of medications
Federal Food and Drug regulations and policies
Drug utilization management stratefies to optimize desired outcomes including the review of pharmacoeconomic data and studies
Development and implementation of Standards of Operation to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Ms Wasylak is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences with degrees in Pharmacy (B.S. 1983) and Drug Regulatory Affairs and Health Policy (M.S. 2002) with affiliations with the American PHarmacists Assocation, the Massachusetts Independent PHarmacists Association and the Regulatory Affairs Profressionals Society. Linda achieved RAPS certification in the US FDA regulatory affairs in 2001. In her spare time, Linda volunteers for the Girl Scouts of America as a troop leader and educator with an emphasis on civic pride, community service, and the sciences. Linda also participates with the Parent-Teacher Organization of her child's school, assisting in fund raising ideas, activities and social functions.

HenryJ. Pheifer, R.Ph, MBA

Mr. Pheifer is an experienced pharmaceutical executive with over 23 years of experience in industry development, portfolio and project management in the fields of urology, oncology, anti-infectives and respiratory products. Design, implementation and management of projects in Marketing, Marketing Research and New Product Development departments, resulting in promotional campaigns for sales forces, and new product introductions.

Henry's experience includes positions as:

Senior Manager of Strategic Planning for the North American Division of Bayer Pharmaceutical;
Independent Marketing Strategy Specialist, through which his work included the launch of the Infectious Disease series for Decision Resources, assistance in expanding the pain control product line of Bard MedSystems, and assistance in the development of a business plan for a new information service for Cardinal Health;
New Product Concept Manager, Marketing Research for ASTRA Pharmaceutical Products, Inc.;
Project Manager, Pharmaceutical Research, and Clinical Research Associate at Fisons Corporation