River Parishes Hospital announced that Scott Dantonio, RPh, was recently named the Health System Pharmacist of the Year by the Louisiana Society of Health-System Pharmacists at their annual conference. Dantonio was presented with a plaque by the emcee, Dr. Paul Knecht, a pharmacist at Earl K. Long Medical Center and a former president of LSHP. 

Since joining River Parishes Hospital as its pharmacy director, Dantonio has been instrumental in completing several necessary projects in the pharmacy department, including a major renovation and installation of a new computer system. He guided the staff through each of these changes and assured that the pharmacy passed its annual Board of Pharmacy inspection with no citations. Because of his successful leadership at River Parishes Hospital, Dantonio was promoted to regional director of pharmacy, overseeing the pharmacy departments at River Parishes Hospital and Teche Regional Medical Center located in Morgan City.

Dantonio not only shares his expertise by mentoring new pharmacists in his department, but he also serves as a preceptor for high school students at Hahnville High School and Destrehan High School’s School-To-Career Job Shadow Programs. In his tenure as president of the Louisiana Society of Health-System Pharmacists, he was able to increase his chapter’s membership by 20 percent, in part by providing members with continuing education opportunities. Additionally, Dantonio has served as a pharmacy spokesperson at several school career day programs, participated in the annual St. John Parish Relay for Life and in the annual River Parishes Hospital Health Fair and is a member of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 8342 in Prairieville.

“We are proud to have Scott as a member of the River Parishes Hospital team,” said Charlotte Dupré, River Parishes Hospital chief executive officer. “He is one of the best examples of service excellence at River Parishes Hospital and throughout the River Parishes community as he was recently selected as the clinical employee of the year at the hospital’s annual Service Award Banquet.”