Henry R. Manassi, executive vice president of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), was very impressed by his recent visit to University of Washington (UW) Harborview Medical Center, calling the programmatic pharmacy services he observed the “most progressive in the country.”
In Seattle for the American Pharmacy Association (APhA) conference, Manassi took the opportunity to see what his colleague, Cindi Brennan, assistant director of pharmacy at Harborview, had been so eager to brag about. Brennan toured Manassi through the Harborview facility, introducing him to both students and staff in the Ambulatory Care Unit. Manassi observed both student/mentor relationships as well as care-giver/patient interactions during his tour. At one point he watched with interest as a smiling patient listened attentively while a pharmacy student debriefed the resident physician on prescribed medications. The experience left Manassi highly impressed with the quality of care and interaction among patients, pharmacy staff, students and the medical center’s physicians. He concluded Harborview Medical Center to be “a mission driven organization in which the skills and energies of all are respected and utilized to the greater good of all people coming to [its] doors.” Manassi stated that he was particularly impressed by the “team spirit” and “collaborate commitments” evident within the organization.
“UW medicine, which includes UW Medical Center, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and Hall Health, provides pharmaceutical care to patients in a manner that sets an example for pharmacies around the US,” states Shabir M. Somani, director of pharmacy service for the UW Medical Center. Somani notes that Manassi’s findings represent a well agreed upon understanding of the level of expertise and commitment exhibited throughout the UW medical system. “We have an excellent staff that is very mission driven and interested in providing patient care, teaching students and conducting research.”
The UW School of Pharmacy is proud to lead the industry in programmatic pharmacy services and provide an environment in which its students and graduates are mentored as part of a progressive model of collaborative care between pharmacists and physicians.
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