Travis Leonardi | Tumblr

Travis Leonardi founded Sentry Data Systems, Inc., in 2005. He continues to guide the company in the role of CEO, concentrating on developing technology designed to benefit the health care industry and its patients. Travis Leonardi's experience in pharmacy spans areas such as management, procurement, and specialty drugs. Consumers can go to any pharmacy and pick up over-the-counter drugs such as Nyquil and Tylenol. Specialty drugs are different. Physicians prescribe them, and pharmacists fill them, to treat chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and different forms of cancer. Patients cannot get specialty drugs over the counter because they require special handling and monitoring by several parties besides doctors and pharmacists. For example, administrators must approve specialty drugs before they can be prescribed. Once a doctor prescribes a specialty drug, the patient should learn about that drug to simplify the process of retrieving the prescription. Not all pharmacies fill all types of specialty drugs, so the doctor may need to call the patient's regular pharmacy to check on the drug's status. Some specialty drugs can be mail-ordered, saving patients the trouble of driving to a pharmacy to pick them up.                            

An executive leader in the health care industry, Travis Leonardi is the founder and CEO of the Florida-based technology company Sentry Data Systems, Inc. Under the management of Travis Leonardi, Sentry Data Systems provides pharmacies with custom-made management solutions to address compliance issues and streamline daily operations. Recently, the American Pharmacy Association created an initiative with the goal of acknowledging pharmacists as federally recognized official health care providers. The movement gained momentum in 2014 when the House of Representatives was presented with a bill to grant pharmacists with “provider status” within the Social Security Act (SSA). Medical services that are recognized as health care programs are covered in the Social Security Act. To date, physicians, midwives, psychologists with recognized qualifications, social workers, clinical social workers, and certified nurse practitioners are recognized as providers. Pharmacists do not currently have provider status in the Social Security Act. Should pharmacists be granted provider status, they would be authorized to bill for patient care under Medicare Part B. In underserved areas, some of the services billed could then be reimbursed. Unless provider status is granted to pharmacists, patients cannot receive complete access to pharmacists’ services.

Travis Leonardi serves as the chief executive officer of Sentry Data Systems Inc., a provider of technology solutions for health care businesses. At Sentry, Travis Leonardi and his team focus largely on 340B drug discount management systems. Recently, Sentry Data Systems entered into a partnership with Avella Specialty Pharmacy to better serve clients who participate in the 340B drug discount program. Providers increasingly use specialty medications to treat complex health issues and subsequently struggle to cover the costs of therapies and gain access to specialized medicines. Through its partnership with Avella, Sentry will soon have the ability to incorporate these specialty medications directly into existing 340B programs. Sentry clients will have the unique ability to capitalize on Avella’s extensive experience in the specialty pharmaceuticals sector and improve outcomes for patients while ensuring medication adherence. Ultimately, the partnership allows Sentry clients to provide a higher standard of care and minimize patient readmissions among populations with the most complex diagnoses. Learn more about the partnership between Sentry Data Systems and Avella or Sentry’s proprietary pharmaceutical technology online at www.SentryDS.com.                            

The founder and CEO of Sentry Data Systems, Inc., Travis Leonardi is based in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Under the direction of Travis Leonardi, Sentry Data Systems creates custom compliance management solutions for health care entities, including data-tracking services that simplify the data extraction process in the case of a 340B audit. Entities covered under the 340B Drug Pricing Program are obligated to ensure that their records remain accurate and that they comply continuously with program requirements. The administrating body, the Health Resources and Services Administration, reserves the right to audit any covered entity to determine compliance, reporting its findings to the Office of Pharmacy Affairs. Prior to the audit, entities are sent an engagement letter informing them of the audit and instructing them on preparation measures. In order to procure documents, policies, and procedures, a teleconference is initiated between the HRSA and the entity. The auditor then schedules the first meeting with management. An on-site audit includes a review of procedures and policy, the verification of eligibility and internal controls, and sample testing of drug transaction records. The compliance review is performed at the covered entity, as well as at any associated facilities and/or pharmacies.

Travis Leonardi is the founder and CEO of Sentry Data Systems, Inc., a company focused on health care business technology. He belongs to professional organizations including the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Outside of work, Travis Leonardi donates time and resources to Westminster Academy. Founded over 44 years ago, Westminster Academy employs teachers who educate students in both academic subjects and the Bible. Over 1,000 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade enroll at the school every year. Westminster Academy's mission statement pledges a commitment to teaching according to God's truth and wisdom. Students are encouraged to explore and embrace their talents, and to use those talents to develop their character and build a lifelong interest in learning. The school’s educators teach students that the God of the Old and New Testaments created and presides over all things. Therefore, all school activities, from sports and field trips to lesson plans, intertwine with the teachings of the Bible. Students come from over 140 Christian churches representing most major denominations. Indeed, Westminster Academy is related to the Presbyterian Church in America but provides educational instruction designed to benefit all students.

Travis Leonardi has dedicated more than a decade of his career to the health care sector. Establishing Sentry Data Systems, Inc., in 2003, Travis Leonardi leads as CEO, offering health care facilities access to software that improves pharmaceutical practices. Among the products offered by Sentry Data Systems is Hospital Pharmacy Solution, a software system that operates under the policies and procedures set forth by a user or company. The software tracks pharmaceutical activities at the 11-digit NDC level to provide detailed information of pharmacy operations. Its core features include the following: Order flow management. Hospital Pharmacy Solution uses automated prompts and allows administrators to set detailed preferences on orders and pricing contracts to replenish inventory efficiently and cost-effectively. The system also makes it easy to adjust procurement conditions. Financial reports and analysis. Monitoring pharmaceutical spending and predicting future expenditures, the software simplifies fiscal planning by generating comprehensive financial reports. Graphs are also used to illustrate historical purchase patterns and highlight potential spending going forward. Inventory tracking and breakdown. Hospital Pharmacy Solution employs a searchable interface that electronically logs all purchases and corresponding invoices. This prompts professionals to stay on top of their billings and resolve any discrepancies, resulting in improved accuracy in inventory management. Charge master. From purchase to the hands of the patient, a drug follows a path than can be easily tracked and viewed through Hospital Pharmacy Solution. This software feature not only saves money, but also helps a company maintain compliance with in-house, state, and federal regulations. Audit and search preparation. The software is designed to track, monitor, and alert users about all operational activities related to drug purchases and distribution. With a few clicks, an administrator can generate reports for internal and external audits using the Audit Tool. This gives a hospital ample opportunity to contain issues and bring them up to compliance, which makes them even more prepared for formal audits with third parties.

Travis Leonardi is a seasoned professional in the pharmacy industry and the founder of Sentry Data Systems, a data management company that markets integrated network platforms to hospitals and pharmacies to help reduce costs and improve efficiency within hospital systems. A graduate of St. Johns University in New York, Travis Leonardi earned a degree in pharmacy. He is also a member of the American Society of Healthcare Pharmacists (ASHP), a national organization that provides resources for pharmacists and their careers. Since its inception in 1942, ASHP has advocated for hospital pharmacies and its 40,000 members. ASHP focuses on improving medications and ensuring safety for patients by connecting pharmacists around the country and providing them a voice within their profession. The organization hosts numerous conferences annually, such as its annual midyear conference. The December 2014 Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition took place at the Anaheim Convention Campus in Orange County, California. The meeting was the ASHP's 49th meeting, and featured multiple symposiums, spotlight events, keynote speeches, as well as nightly social functions. A residency showcase also enabled prospective residents to have recruitment opportunities by meeting directors of residency programs around the country. The 2014 event, which drew pharmacists from across the globe, will be followed up by the December 2015 conference to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana.                            

A knowledgeable health-care and technology professional, Travis Leonardi designs and implements secure software solutions that create efficiencies while enhancing patient experience. The systems delivered by Travis Leonardi and his team at Sentry Data Systems, Inc., also provide flexibility and scalability for growing organizations. While people disagree about the effectiveness of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) as a fix for the nation’s health-care system, experts generally concurthat the legislation places considerable emphasis on technology as a means of monitoring and streamlining medical services, pharmaceuticals, and medical supplies. Compliance issues, especially those associated with patient confidentiality, require significant documentation of billing and services. In the past, this comprehensive documentation necessitated massive amounts of data storage devices. With improved security and enhanced technology, however, the cloud affords health-care providers a less cumbersome, highly available tool to promote compliance activities. In recent years, cloud services gained acceptance in such industries as government and banking. With demonstrable evidence that these software and data solutions provide ease of use as well as security, health-care organizations appear to be gaining confidence in the increased number of cloud-based applications available for medical practices and hospitals. The cloud proves especially effective with increased emphasis on such information-sharing functions as electronic medical records and health information exchanges.

Health-care organizations have traditionally kept patient information in a myriad of databases housed across a number of locations. Further, clinic doctors, pharmacies, and hospital staff might each maintain independent patient records. However, recent software offerings from entrepreneurs like Sentry Data Systems CEO Travis Leonardi enable secure gathering and study of data. Subsequently, the centralized aspect allows mathematical analysis across these large pools of data. This type of modeling has proven highly effective at predicting trends. Armed with such in-depth data analysis, health-care institutions can make decisions to reduce costs for both themselves and their patients. For example, patients who exhibit behaviors suggesting they do not always follow their doctors' orders may be called and reminded of the importance of exercising or enrolled in an automatic prescription refill plan. Such preventative measures can benefit both the patient and the providing facility and save money in the long term.  Founded by Travis Leonardi in 2005, Sentry Data Systems, Inc., offers technology-based solutions to healthcare providers. Sentry products have been used by pharmacies and hospitals to save millions of dollars.

Travis Leonardi, the Chief Executive Officer of Sentry Data Systems, ensures that healthcare organizations operate at their peak through Business Intelligence (BI) technology solutions. Using the technology engineered by Travis Leonardi’s company, individuals can access data in real time to make important decisions regarding finances, supply purchases, and even clinical diagnoses. Poor decisions can seriously injure the financial viability and reputation of an organization. With Sentry BI solutions, individuals can quickly retrieve data related to finances, operations, and clinical activity, and efficiently aggregate data from several different sources, to make well-informed decisions that take into account all relevant information. Sentry has engineered a unique, rules-based decision engine that collects, organizes, and normalizes data to ensure regulatory compliance, identify possible opportunities to cut costs, and effectively manage purchases. This technology has extensive reporting capabilities, providing individuals with all the information necessary to respond to internal and external audits. In addition, the system operates through the cloud, meaning that professionals can access information from any internet-capable device for maximum utility. A user-friendly interface minimizes the learning curve for the technology, allowing organizations to begin optimizing their operations immediately.

Travis Leonardi, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sentry Data Systems answered questions about the recent trend toward more audits by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Through his Deerfield, Florida, company, Leonardi has provided software solutions to key players in the health industry since 2005. Question: What is the 340B Program? Travis Leonardi: 340B provides drugs at a discount to health care providers who serve a high number of uninsured and underinsured patients. Originally, the program was intended to help veterans receive affordable care. However, over the last 20 years, Congress has expanded the program to include other underserved populations. The most recent expansion occurred under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPCA). Basically, the program requires drug manufacturers to provide drugs at high discounts to hospitals and medical practices that serve people living in poverty. This ensures that no one has to go without the medical drugs they need. Question: Why is there a sudden upswing in audits by the HRSA? Travis Leonardi: Whenever a program expands, opportunities for fraud expand as well. Some of the provisions of the PPCA were designed to limit fraudulent use of federal programs. The 340B program is one of the programs that has been selected for more audits. In the second part of this article, Travis Leonardi will discuss which practices tend to be selected for audits, what penalties the HRSA can impose on a negligent practice, and how his software can help patient care providers prepare for HRSA audits.

The 340B Drug Discount Program is run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that federal health care funds help as many people as possible. First introduced in 1992, 340B (as it is commonly called in the health care industry) complements a 1990 provision regarding Medicaid. The 1990 provision required all drug manufacturers contracting with Medicaid to charge Medicaid their “best” (i.e., lowest) prices. This prompted manufacturers to raise prices across the board in order to receive more money from Medicaid contracts. The 1992 amendment, called 340B, requires Medicaid contractors to provide discounts only on certain medications bought by certain government-sponsored organizations. The net effect of 340B is that federal health care dollars stretch farther, and health care facilities save money on medication. Only certain health care facilities are eligible for 340B compliance; among them are certain facilities that provide family planning services, AIDS treatment centers, and homeless services providers. In order to verify that a center has maintained its eligibility, the government conducts a 340B audit. About Travis Leonardi As CEO and President of Sentry Data Systems, Travis Leonardi supplies health care companies with technological solutions to problems of compliance, workflow, and financial issues. His pharmacy background equips him to handle 340B-related matters. 

Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Westminster Academy is a Christ-centered college preparatory school serving children from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. School enrollment is open to children of parents who hold active memberships in a local Christian church. Children must also receive a ministerial endorsement for acceptance. Currently, the school enrollment includes children from more than 100 different Christian churches. In teaching students, Westminster Academy faculty members follow five guiding principles. First, they teach and model Jesus Christ while exemplifying Him through words and work. Second, they afford students the opportunity to become lifelong learners by instilling a passion for education and for the Bible. Third, students are encouraged to achieve excellence by using their own talents for academics, athletics, fine arts, character development, service, and spirituality. Fourth, Westminster faculty instills a love and appreciation for God and Jesus Christ as well as for family, teachers, school, the community, and the country. Finally, students are helped to connect strongly to Jesus Christ and grow in that relationship to better understand and appreciate God’s Holy Word. There is more to learn about Westminster Academy, which I will explore further in the second part of this series. About the Author: Travis Leonardi contributes both his time and his money to Westminster Academy. Professionally, Mr. Leonardi is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sentry Data Systems Inc.

The ASCP Foundation has also developed the online-accessible Monitor-Rx, providing extensive resources to providers, pharmacists, and system integrators. Monitor-Rx helps prevent misdiagnosis and prescription through identifying medications that may contribute to frequently occurring geriatric problems. Monitor-Rx is also innovative as a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant website that can be integrated into electronic medical record systems. Although Monitor-Rx is not free, it offers a valuable resource to health care professionals, providing comprehensive pharmaceutical information at their fingertips. To learn more about the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists visit www.ascp.com.