FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2005

CONTACT: Sandra Dirks at (515) 271-4620 or Charles Phillips at (515) 271-3018, Wellmark Foundation, Matt McGarvey at (515) 245-4819.

WELLMARK GRANT HELPS DRAKE PHARMACY MONITOR MEDICATION

A $5,000 mini-grant from the Wellmark Foundation will help a team of Drake University pharmacy students monitor the effects of prescribed medication on patients and how well patients take their meds.

The project, which will be supervised by Sandra Dirks, Drake assistant professor of pharmacy, will create a mobile pharmacist practice model in which 10 pharmacy students will rotate between a variety of community locations, including a traditional pharmacy, a physician clinic or an activity center in a senior apartment complex.

The students will provide pharmaceutical consultation to patients with chronic diseases such as depression, asthma, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. They will monitor the effectiveness of prescribed drugs, the severity of any side effects and the regularity with which patients take their medicines.

"It's a more proactive model for pharmacists that allows them more time to monitor patients. The pharmacists are able to keep a closer eye on the side effects of medicines, monitor whether patients take their medicine when they are supposed to, and whether the drugs are having the desired effect for each patient," said Charles Phillips, Drake associate professor of pharmacy. "It's about the pharmacist being more active in the role of patient treatment and wellness."

The project is also made possible by the donation of office space at Fifield Pharmacy, 501 University Ave., and Broadlawns Medical Center’s donation of specially developed software designed to document medication management services for patient care.

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