Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Sterling Elliott, PharmD, BCMTMS, Clinical Pharmacist Lead, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Northwestern Medicine & Affiliate Faculty Member, Purdue University College of Pharmacy
Dec 24, 2025
Sterling Elliott, PharmD, BCMTMS, serves as the Clinical Pharmacist Lead at Northwestern Medicine and teaches at Purdue University. He delves into how pharmacists are taking on vital roles in ambulatory and procedural care amidst evolving healthcare dynamics. Topics include innovative strategies for opioid stewardship in orthopedics and the importance of pharmacist-led care in improving patient outcomes. Sterling also discusses the challenges faced by pharmacists and advocates for systems that amplify their contributions in value-based care.
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Pharmacy As A Cost-Optimization Resource
- Rising healthcare costs and shrinking revenue streams force systems to prioritize cost management and efficiency.
- Sterling Elliott argues pharmacy can be a key resource to optimize costs and reinvest in care.
Value-Based Care Amplifies Pharmacists' Impact
- Value-based care emphasizes outcomes tied to payment and creates openings for pharmacists to improve medication use.
- Elliott sees pharmacists improving outcomes and reducing penalties by managing drug therapy across care settings.
Use Functionality-Based Pain Education
- Teach patients to evaluate pain by functionality rather than numeric scores to reduce opioid reliance.
- Instruct on scheduled acetaminophen/NSAID use and how to access safe disposal options.