VCU news

By Cynthia McMullen

The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy recently hosted representatives from seven community organizations for a breakfast reception in celebration of winning the 2014 C. Peter Magrath University Community Engagement Award. The Pharmacist Collaborative Care and Outreach in the Community program, which was named the winner of the Magrath Award in November, includes academic-community partnerships with independent senior-living facilities and underserved clinics, large-scale community outreach programs and programs to train the next generation of health professionals.

On hand to celebrate and say a few words at the breakfast were VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D.; Catherine Howard, Ph.D., vice provost for the Division of Community Engagement; Joseph DiPiro, Pharm.D., dean of the School of Pharmacy; and Alan Dow, M.D., assistant vice president of VCU Health Sciences’ Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care.

Last year, Rao suggested to Howard that VCU might want to apply for the prestigious award. Applying on behalf of the PCOC program, the university ended up as part of the APLU’s regional “final four,” along with Oregon State University, Purdue University and the University of New Hampshire.

When the university received word of the win, a committee convened and decided the best way to thank community partners would be to invite them to campus, buy them breakfast and divide the rest of the $20,000 prize among them.

Recalling the excitement of receiving the award, Howard thanked the community organizations for what they do every day. “You are saving lives,” she said. “You are teaching our students to save lives. And because of this community engagement, you will continue to do so.”

The hundreds of people involved in PCOC have addressed a variety of health issues described by the Virginia Department of Health as critical in the Richmond area — particularly, the prevention and management of chronic disease. 

Rao, calling PCOC a very special program, said: “I’m very proud of it.” Over the years, Rao noted, he had gotten to know Peter Magrath, who is the former president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), for whom the Magrath Award is named. “I know he is proud of us, too,” Rao said. 

Rao sees PCOC as a model for the rest of the university. In fact, faculty, residents and students from several other VCU schools and departments were already working or have begun to work with some of the same community programs. 

DiPiro said the Magrath Award “gives external validation to the fact that we are connected to this community,” citing the grassroots efforts made by many committed individuals. He introduced and thanked representatives from each of the programs.

“It’s really exciting to see all the smiles, all the energy,” Dow said. The success of PCOC, he said, offers some valuable lessons “about who we are and where healthcare is going.”

“This is about setting the foundation for people to be successful in their lives, going forward,” Dow said.

Citing statistics surrounding the ever-aging population, Dow noted that eventually there might not be enough doctors and nurses. “But we do have enough pharmacists because they’ve been proactive in being part of the health care team,” Dow said. “We’re going to be underserved and we need models that can work, that can build the systems we’ll be using. I see us as leaders.”

The VCU administrators’ remarks were echoed by the community partners.

“In a rural area with transportation challenges and no access to health care, the diabetes management, [the PCOC] has been huge for us and life-changing for our patients,” said Sally Graham, executive director of the Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services. 

Eddie Shibley, pharmacy director for Imperial Plaza, agreed. “This has been a blessing to our practice,” he said.

The seven community partners include: the Center for High Blood Pressure, CrossOver Healthcare Ministry, the Daily Planet, Richmond Health and Wellness Program at Dominion Place, Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services, Imperial Plaza and Richmond Area Compassionate Care Pharmacy.