NACDS Foundation awards $140,000 in grants to promote pharmacy practice, boost patient care

ALEXANDRIA, Va. New efforts to improve clinical care, disease management and other broadly based community pharmacy practice models got a big shot in the arm this week.

That boost came today when the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation announced the award of four grants totaling nearly $140,000 to help fund projects to address, identify and develop ways to promote the practice of community pharmacy and improve patient care.

Among the winners was Drake University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, for a program pairing pharmacy interns with chain pharmacy innovators; the New Mexico Medical Review Association, to fund a pilot study on improving medication adherence through Medication Therapy Management; the University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy, to fund research on pharmacist-delivered diabetes and lipid management services provided as part of the Northern California Collaborative for Pharmacist Care Services; and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy for an “Analysis of Physician Identified Medication-Related Needs in the Community: Opportunities for Pharmacist-Provided Medication Therapy Management.”

“Without the generosity of donors, we would not be able to provide aid to schools and institutions working to advance the role of community pharmacies in patient care,” said NACDS Foundation president Phil Schneider.

Letters of inquiry are due February 1, 2008 for consideration in the Foundation’s next funding cycle.