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Cynthia J. Pigg Appointed Executive Director for the Foundation for Managed Care Pharmacy

The Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Managed Care Pharmacy has announced that Cynthia J. Pigg, RPh, MHA, has accepted the position of executive director for the organization, effective July 11, 2005. Rusty Hailey, president of the Board, said, "We are delighted that Cindy has accepted the position. She is a well-known and highly respected professional within managed care circles, and we know she will be a passionate and credible leader for the organization."

Pigg was formerly a member of CIGNA Pharmacy Management Senior Leadership Team, where she was the primary individual responsible for pharmaceutical contracting. Over the past seventeen years, Pigg had progressed through a number of positions of increasing responsibility, directing operations at both the regional and national levels, culminating in her appointment to vice president for CIGNA Pharmacy Management. She has also held positions outside of pharmacy, including physician contracting and management of ancillary services, such as lab and home health. Prior to joining CIGNA Healthcare, she worked in both hospital and retail pharmacy. Pigg received her Masters degree in Health Administration and Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, magna cum laude, from the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University.

Asked why she decided to leave the corporate world for the non-profit sector, Pigg said, "I believe there are so many unanswered questions we need to solve in order to meet the huge challenges of our health care system, and I think that the Foundation is the perfect organization to develop and lead the research. As a nation, we are facing some of the most enormous opportunities in our history to enhance and improve health care, and for me, it's an exceptional opportunity to make a real difference. Pharmacy is such an integral part of health care."

Pigg has long been affiliated with the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, FMCP's sister organization. She served on the Academy's Board of Directors from 1998 through 2002, as president-elect in 2000, president in 2001 and past president in 2002. In 2002 she served simultaneously as president of the Foundation's Board. Her efforts on behalf of both organizations were recognized with the AMCP Distinguished Service Award in 2005, for sustained exemplary service to the Academy and to the profession. Judith Cahill, executive director of AMCP and secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, said, "I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to work with Cindy in her new capacity. We have always had a collaborative and fruitful working relationship, which I believe will produce dynamic results for both the Academy and the Foundation."

The Foundation for Managed Care Pharmacy is responsible for advancing the use of the AMCP Format for Formulary Submissions, a standardized methodology for gathering and evaluating drug information, and the AMCP Framework for Quality Drug Therapy, a continuous improvement process for health care providers in virtually any practice setting. The AMCP Format was introduced in October of 2000, and has been called the "gold standard" for drug evaluation in formulary development. The AMCP Format is now the most widely used formulary management tool employed by managed care organizations providing coverage for more than 150 million Americans.

The AMCP Framework for Quality Drug Therapy, released in April, 2002, has been adopted by several major health plans, pharmacy benefit management companies and government agencies to measure, improve and promote the practice of health care. The AMCP Framework was developed in concert with over 100 recognized experts in a variety of health care settings over a period of three years, and will shortly be re-launched in a new web-based interactive format that is even more adaptable and easier to use. Both are available on the Academy's and the Foundation's websites.

Cahill stated, "Cindy was actively involved in both the Format and the Framework projects and is extremely familiar with both. I am delighted to welcome her and I am sincerely looking forward to working side-by-side with her to further develop and promote these critically needed health care tools."

The Foundation for Managed Care Pharmacy (FMCP) is a non-profit charitable trust recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as the educational and philanthropic arm of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP). The Foundation supports the goals of and mission of AMCP and exists to advance the knowledge and insights of interested individuals and groups on major issues associated with the practice of pharmacy in a managed health care setting.

The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's mission is to empower its members to serve society by using sound medication management principles and strategies to achieve positive patient outcomes. AMCP has more than 4,800 members nationally who provide comprehensive coverage and services to the more than 200 million Americans served by managed care. More news and information about AMCP can be obtained on its website, at www.amcp.org.

Distributed by Market Wire