Pharmacy Perspectives - Fall 2010 - Cover4

University of Colorado Denver
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How to reach us
Pharmacy Perspectives	–	Volume	2,	Issue	3	is	published	three	times	a	year	by	 the	University	of	Colorado	Denver	for	alumni	and	friends	of	the	School	of		 Pharmacy.	Written	and	edited	by:	Dana	Brandorff.	Photos	by	Glenn	Asakawa		 and	Dana	Brandorff.	We	welcome	your	comments,	news	and	story	ideas.
University	of	Colorado	Denver	School	of	Pharmacy	–	C238-L15	 12631	E.	17th	Avenue,	Aurora,	CO	80045 SOP.alumni@ucdenver.edu	–	303.724.4618

Government Agency Lauds SOP program
The	School	of	Pharmacy’s	Apothecary/Wardenburg		 Health	Center	recently	received	an	award	from	the	Health		 Resources	and	Services	Administration	(HRSA)	for	its	work	 with	Clinica	Family	Health	Services	(CFH)	to	improve	 patient	safety	and	health	outcomes.	 Sue	Mead,	PharmD	and	director	of	The	Apothecary,		 approached	the	safety	net	clinic	in	Boulder	to	implement		 an	anticoagulation	management	program	for	its	patients.	 Currently,	the	school	partners	with	CFH	and	splits	the		 cost	of	a	full-time	pharmacist	at	the	clinic. “When	we	first	approached	them	only	38	percent	of	their	 patients	on	anticoagulation	therapy	were	under	control.	 Our	goal	was	to	achieve	80	percent	compliance	–	and	we	 succeeded!” Anticoagulation	therapy	monitors	medications	that	inhibit	 the	formation	of	blood	clots.	Such	medications	like	warfarin	 and	Coumadin	are	used	to	prevent	heart	attack,	stroke	and	 a	variety	of	conditions	including	pulmonary	embolism.	 “Because	these	drugs	are	very	sensitive,	they	need	to	be	 monitored	very	closely.	Just	a	little	too	much	or	too	little	 can	seriously	alter	the	effectiveness	of	the	medication,”	says	 Mead.	In	addition	to	monitoring	the	drug	levels,	patients	 need	to	be	educated	about	the	many	different	variables	that	 can	influence	the	anticoagulation	level	in	the	blood	such	 as	foods	high	in	Vitamin	K,	antibiotics,	steroids,	antacids,	 aspirin	and	alcohol.	 “Patient	education	and	monitoring	of	their	levels	is		 extremely	important	to	achieve	the	best	possible	outcome,”	 says	Mead. With	that	in	mind,	Mead	with	the	help	of	SOP	faculty	and	 students,	implemented	an	anticoagulation	clinic	at	CFH	 and	witnessed	measurable	results	that	are	having	a	positive	 benefit	for	patients	and	students	alike.	According	to	Mead,	 the	program	will	be	rolled	out	into	the	CFH’s	other	locations	in	Lafayette,	Westminster	and	Thornton	soon.	

Want to determine the next generation of pharmacists?
If you’re a current pharmacist, now’s your chance! You’re invited to participate in one-on-one interviews with applicants for the PharmD Class of 2015. Paired with an SOP faculty member, you will be assigned to conduct 30-minute interviews with each applicant. The total time commitment for each interview day is two hours for a total of four student interviews. Interviews will be held from 1.30 - 3.30 p.m. on the Anschutz Medical Campus. A variety of dates are available and you can choose as many or as few as you would like. Contact Beverly Brunson at Beverly.Brunson@ucdenver. edu for more information and to sign up.

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CFH People’s Medical Clinic pharmacy
UC Denver School of Pharmacy
Pharmacy Perspectives - Fall 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pharmacy Perspectives - Fall 2010
