SOP Names An Associate Dean for Clinical Services and Practice Transformation

Dr. Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner will work with the School’s leadership to cultivate and advance innovative clinical practice and practice-based research initiatives across the University and beyond.

By Malissa Carroll
September 8, 2015

Natalie D. Eddington, PhD, FCP, FAAPS, dean and professor of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, has named Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner, PharmD, BCPS, CDE, FAPhA, professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science (PPS), as the School’s associate dean for clinical services and practice transformation. In addition to maintaining her current teaching responsibilities as well as her position as executive director of the School’s Center for Innovative Pharmacy (CIPS), Rodriguez de Bittner will work with the School’s leadership in this newly created role to identify opportunities for innovative clinical practice and practice-based research initiatives, spearhead changes within the School to help streamline practice engagement across the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), and serve as a liaison to UM Ventures to establish new opportunities for clinical entrepreneurship.

“Dr. Rodriguez de Bittner has extensive experience developing and implementing new practice models to improve health care delivery, particularly in the community pharmacy setting,” says Eddington. “She has received numerous grants and contracts to develop innovative clinical practice and practice-based research programs, and has made it her goal to provide outstanding clinical services to patients, to teach students how to perform those services, and to disseminate those service innovations nationally and internationally. Her unique expertise will be invaluable to her success in this new position, and I look forward to collaborating with her and other members of the School’s leadership on many new endeavors.”

Rodriguez de Bittner joined the School of Pharmacy as an assistant professor in 1984, and has held numerous leadership positions throughout her career, including her service as associate dean for academic affairs, chair of PPS, executive director of CIPS, and director of the award-winning Maryland Patients, Pharmacists, Partnerships (P³) Program. Transitioning into this new role at the School, Rodriguez de Bittner will initially focus on establishing new partnerships, facilitating collaborations to assist with the acquisition of new grants and contracts, and streamlining initiatives that will support the cultivation and advancement of innovative clinical practice and practice-based research initiatives at the School.

She is currently working to facilitate discussions between the School and the University of Maryland Medical System to identify new areas of potential collaboration, noting that now — with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services currently piloting a new payment system in Maryland — is the perfect time to develop programs that better integrate pharmacy services into health care delivery to demonstrate the impact that pharmacists can have in assisting health care systems to improve patients’ outcomes.

“I am excited to work with leadership at both the School of Pharmacy and across UMB to advance existing clinical practice and practice-based research initiatives, while developing new initiatives to further elevate the School’s reputation as a leader in pharmacy practice,” says Rodriguez de Bittner. “There are a many opportunities across the state in which pharmacists can make a tremendous difference and truly improve health care delivery. I plan to leverage the expertise of faculty and staff from across the School and the University, as well as from other organizations across the state, to foster understanding and dialogue to help advance, and ultimately transform pharmacy practice.”

Related News Stories

More Stories About: Center Center for Innovative Pharmacy Solutions CIPS Faculty Appointments Leadership Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner P3 PPS Programs