Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Announces Pharmacy Leadership Appointments

Fort Myers, Florida, Dec. 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ray Bailey, BPharm, RPh, Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Services for Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC (FCS), will retire on December 31, 2022. Bailey joined the statewide practice in 2009 and has been instrumental in developing its comprehensive Pharmacy Services division. 

FCS President & Managing Physician Michael Diaz, MD, said, “Ray’s influence in establishing Rx To Go, our in-house oral oncolytic specialty pharmacy, introducing biosimilars and steering the industry standard in quality measures will be his legacy at FCS, benefitting our practice and our patients for years to come.” 

“Under Ray’s leadership, FCS has achieved recognition for providing an advanced level of high-quality pharmacy and disease management services to ensure our patients receive the medications and support they need to achieve optimal outcomes,” said Nathan H. Walcker, FCS Chief Executive Officer.

FCS is pleased to announce the following Pharmacy leadership appointments:   

• John Mills, FCS Vice President of Pharmacy & Centralized Procurement, will assume oversight for Rx To Go, with responsibility for pharmacy strategy, centralized procurement, practice engagement and business development.
• Sree Challa, PharmD, RPh, CPh, Senior Director of Rx To Go, will be responsible for the day-to-day oversight of Rx to Go operations.
• Austin Cox, PharmD, Senior Director of Trade Relations, will oversee pharmacy relationships, drug purchasing contracts and business development.
• Kristen Boykin, PharmD, BCOP, BCPS, Director of Pharmacy Operations, will expand her responsibilities to encompass all aspects of Pharmacy Operations.

“These experienced and capable leaders will ensure that FCS remains world-class in providing effective cancer treatment options for our patients,” said Paul Chadwick, FCS Chief Procurement Officer. “They share a true passion and commitment to best-in-class standards for pharmacy management and quality improvement with a patient-centric, value-based focus.”

John Mills joined FCS in 2019 as Director of Payer Relations and Business Strategy. He was named Senior Director of Pharmacy the following year and promoted to his current role in July 2021. John has devised and implemented numerous impactful strategies to ensure organizational effectiveness and he has been influential in strengthening payer relationships, enabling more patients to be served and eliminating delays in treatment.

Sree Challa provides strategic leadership to Rx To Go for the execution of progressive strategies to drive change and fulfill the tactical goals and vision of FCS. An accomplished pharmacy professional with more than 20 years of experience in pharmacy management, policy, risk analysis and process implementation, he has an impressive resume of accomplishments in which he challenged organizations to be the best possible while maintaining the patient as priority. Sree joined the Rx To Go team in July 2021.

Austin Cox, PharmD joined FCS earlier this year. He works to develop strong relationships with pharmaceutical companies and other trade partners to meet the needs of FCS physicians and patients. Integrating his pharmacy and medical drug experience, Austin also provides leadership to ensure compliance with pharmacy and medical boards as well as OSHA and other regulatory standards for safe, efficient and cost-effective medication use across FCS’ nearly 100 clinic locations.

A talented and respected Board-certified oncology pharmacist, Kristen Boykin, PharmD, BCOP, BCPS joined FCS in 2018 as a Clinical Oncology Pharmacist. Kristen has brought a vast knowledge of pharmacy and operational excellence to the team and takes pride in providing quality support to FCS clinics and patients. She was promoted to Director of Pharmacy Operations in January 2021. 

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About Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
Recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) with a national Clinical Trials Participation Award, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) offers patients access to more clinical trials than any private oncology practice in Florida. Over the past 5 years, the majority of new cancer drugs approved for use in the U.S. were studied in clinical trials with Florida Cancer Specialists participation.* Trained in such prestigious medical schools and research institutes as Duke, Stanford, Harvard, Emory, MD Anderson, and Memorial Sloan Kettering, our physicians are consistently ranked nationally as Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report.

Florida Cancer Specialists has built a national reputation for excellence that is reflected in exceptional and compassionate patient care, driven by innovative clinical research, cutting-edge technologies, and advanced treatments, including targeted therapies, genomic-based treatment, and immunotherapy. Our values are embodied by our outstanding team of highly trained and dedicated physicians, clinicians, and staff.

*Prior to approval

• FCS Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Services Set to Retire
• FCS Appoints New Pharmacy Leaders