Theme 3: Patient Care

Progress to 2021

The primary focus of patient care efforts in the School of Pharmacy lies in its contributions to UCSF Health. Numerous examples of the School’s novel patient care models can also be observed with faculty and staff pharmacist contributions to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, the Veterans Administration, other UC medical campuses, community pharmacies, and beyond. The primary department responsible for fulfilling the Patient Care Strategic Plan goals is the Department of Clinical Pharmacy.

As mentioned previously, the work of the Medication Outcomes Center (MOC) addresses the patient care goal of providing the evidence for safe medication use (3.1). The MOC is responsible for all UCSF Health Pharmacy & Therapeutics decisions, including the evaluation of potential candidates for inclusion on the formulary. Furthermore, the MOC evaluates the actual use of medications to ensure safe, effective, and cost-effective utilization of these agents. In addition to its efforts with UCSF Health, the MOC collaborates with UC Health and its 5 medical campuses when appropriate.

Translating data into more precise medication decisions for individuals (3.2) has been achieved through a number of examples. Pharmacokinetic drug modeling in the Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences led to a successful clinical trial of a new drug regimen for tuberculosis, which was subsequently greenlit by the World Health Organization. The creation of a Clinical Pharmacogenomics service within the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, as well as Transitions in Care and other medication reconciliation models with UCSF Health, ZSFG, Veterans Administration systems and beyond, also focus upon the need for individualization of therapy, including the patient receiving the right drug at the right dose at the right time.

The way we influence policy that affects health science research and patient care (3.3) was most recently exemplified by the work of the School addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Faculty members influenced state law to allow for testing and vaccination of patients by pharmacists, trained pharmacists to deliver immunizations, and, in collaboration with the Department Pharmaceutical Services and PharmD students, assumed the responsibility to vaccinate the majority of early UCSF vaccinees.

The continuously strengthening collaboration between UCSF Health and the School of Pharmacy is evidenced by the recruitment of UCSF’s first Chief Pharmacy Executive (CPE), Desi Kotis, chaired by the Dean of the School of Pharmacy. The appointment of the School’s Department Clinical Pharmacy Chair, Lisa Kroon, as Assistant Chief Pharmacy Officer for Research, Education, and Clinical Services, has also heavily influenced policy and patient care.