School of Pharmacy Establishes New ATRIUM Cardiology Collaborative
New program focuses on the pharmaceutical care of patients with cardiovascular diseases.
By Malissa Carroll
February 29, 2016
The Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science (PPS) at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy has established the Applied Therapeutics, Research, and Instruction at the University of Maryland (ATRIUM) Cardiology Collaborative to help advance the pharmaceutical care of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Led by Kristin Watson, PharmD, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, associate professor and director of post-graduate training in PPS; Brent Reed, PharmD, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, FAHA, assistant professor in PPS; and Sandeep Devabhakthuni, PharmD, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, assistant professor in PPS, the program strives to position its members as foremost experts in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy.
“The recent launch of the ATRIUM Cardiology Collaborative exemplifies how the School of Pharmacy continues to lead pharmacy education, scientific discovery, patient care, and community engagement across the state of Maryland and beyond,” says Jill A. Morgan, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, associate professor and chair of PPS. “The program capitalizes on its members’ current efforts to provide state-of-the-art clinical pharmacy services to patients with cardiovascular diseases, engage in cutting-edge research, and deliver innovative instruction to pharmacy, medical, and nursing students. I am thrilled to support Drs. Watson, Reed, and Devabhakthuni in this new endeavor.”
Members of the ATRIUM Cardiology Collaborative currently provide clinical pharmacy services at either the University of Maryland Medical Center or the Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, specializing in the areas of general cardiology, heart failure, heart transplant, and advanced cardiovascular therapies. They conduct research on the clinical use, safety, and efficacy of medications used to treat cardiovascular disease, and often collaborate with other health care providers to help improve outcomes for patients in the areas of cardiovascular critical care, advanced heart failure, heart transplant, and mechanical circulatory support.
“In addition to advancing the care provided to patients with cardiovascular diseases, the ATRIUM Cardiology Collaborative will be instrumental in elevating existing pharmacy practice, education, and research initiatives at the School through its advanced-level clinical practice and training programs, innovative instructional methodologies, and significant contributions to science,” says Watson. “The program will play a critical role in helping the School gain recognition as a leader in the field of cardiovascular pharmacotherapy.”
The program will also help to train the next generation of clinical pharmacy specialists who specialize in the field of cardiology, with all of its members participating in the University of Maryland’s Post-Graduate Year 2 (PGY 2) Cardiology Pharmacy Residency Program.
“The ATRIUM Cardiology Collaborative builds on the School of Pharmacy’s commitment to deliver high quality training to the next generation of pharmacy practitioners, educators, and researchers,” says Reed, who serves as director of the PGY 2 Cardiology Pharmacy Residency Program. “Our members have pioneered a number of innovative instructional methodologies, including the formation of a regional cardiology pharmacy journal club, to better engage residents in their educational experience and prepare them to serve as authoritative experts on the optimal use of medications to treat patients with cardiovascular disease.”
The program’s educational initiatives also extend beyond student pharmacists and residents, with members providing educational programming for pharmacists and other health care providers. Designed for pharmacists practicing in all health care settings, the inaugural ATRIUM Cardiology Collaborative Continuing Education (CE) Program will be held on Thursday, March 10, and will provide valuable updates about the pharmacotherapeutic management of patients diagnosed with cardiovascular conditions. Individuals interested in attending this free application-based course should visit the event website to register.
Individuals interested in learning more about the ATRIUM Cardiology Collaborative are encouraged to visit the program’s website and follow the team on social media.
“The School of Pharmacy has a tremendous amount of expertise in the field of cardiovascular pharmacotherapy,” says Devabhakthuni. “With the formation of the ATRIUM Cardiology Collaborative, we are now better positioned to demonstrate this expertise to other practitioners, institutions, and individuals in the local community, bringing our team to the forefront as leaders in this field.”
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