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UVA Health Pharmacy Medication Safety Team — in collaboration with Nursing Medication Safety Partner and University Hospital Nursing Lead for Medication Safety Programs Amy Johnston, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC — is proud to recognize additional University Medical Center team members in 2026 with the Medication Safety Star Award. "This award celebrates our outstanding partners who go above and beyond to advance medication safety and support safer patient care,” says Medication Quality, Performance Improvement, and Safety Pharmacist Rachael Capp, PharmD, BCPPS.

Leveraging Technology + Innovation

UVA Health Pharmacy Medication Safety Team is recognizing three Health Information Technology (HIT) partners for their contributions to improving medication safety through Epic system design and optimization:

• Andrew Barros, MD, MS, Associate Chief Medical Information Officer
• Laurie Brock, MSN, RN, Nurse Informaticist
• Marissa McKay, MSN, RN, Nurse Informaticist

They're selected for their continued dedication and active involvement in medication safety initiatives. 

"We're honored to be recognized by UVA Health Pharmacy Medication Safety Team for our partnership in advancing medication safety," says McKay. "This recognition reflects the strong collaboration among Pharmacy, Clinical Informatics, and operational teams to optimize Epic workflows that support safe, efficient, and high-quality patient care. We're grateful for the collaboration that leverages technology and innovation to enhance medication safety and improve outcomes across UVA Health."

In addition, all three are engaged members of the Medication Use, Safety, and Informatics Committee (MUSIC), collaborating with colleagues to enhance our systems and workflows. Their work helps ensure that making the safe choice is the easiest choice — every time!

'Truly Commendable'

UVA Health Pharmacy Medication Safety Team also recognizes Care Team on 6 Central for their improved and sustained use of key medication safety tools including Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA) and Smart Pump Interoperability. "Their dedication to strengthening safe medication practices and improving patient safety is truly commendable," says Capp. "We're proud to celebrate every member of this team for their contributions and ongoing commitment to keeping our patients safe!" 

"Thank you for this wonderful recognition!" reacts Ashley H. Fink, BSHP, BSN, RN. Nurse Manager, 6 Central. "Our team is honored to receive a Medication Safety Star Award, and I'm incredibly proud of the team's commitment to patient safety and continuous improvement. This achievement highlights our team's dedication to consistency in using medication safety tools — including the BCMA and Smart Pump Interoperability — to reduce risk, strengthen our safe medication practices, and provide the highest quality care to our patients."

Sustainable Solutions — and Beyond

Supporting our UVA Health strategic plan initiative of superior quality, patient safety, and outcomes — UVA Health Pharmacy Medication Safety Team continues to recognize and celebrate team members who speak up for safety in the moment, champion best practices, and partner to develop and implement sustainable solutions that enhance medication safety across UVA Health.

Congratulations to all the recipients — and thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to medication safety! 

Read more on Connect about the first recipient of the Medication Safety Star Award, earlier in 2026 — Ashley Graham, BSN, RN Transplant Unit — and how she "demonstrated outstanding critical thinking and vigilance."