It’s been a great two months for the pharmacy residency program hosted by Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC) and MCPHS University.

Hemali Patel, PharmD, graduated recently from the one-year advanced pharmacy training program. She will be attending a second-year pharmacy residency program at VillageMD Population Health & Data Analytics in Texas.

Last month, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) awarded the program accreditation for the next eight years – the longest interval allowed by the governing body. GLFHC and MCPHS provide a Postgraduate Year One (PGY-1) pharmacy residency program. In the spring the program accepted two new residents, who began in July.

“Our pharmacy residency program provides an integrative learning environment which encompasses a unique opportunity to work in community pharmacy and ambulatory care,” said Diane Martin, RPh, Senior Vice President, Chief Pharmacy Officer at GLFHC. “We are proud to be providing our pharmacy residents with a comprehensive, hands-on experience while improving the health of our patients.”

Started in 2014, pharmacy residents in the program receive training in medication therapy management in chronic disease states such as diabetes, asthma, and anticoagulation management. They also collaborate with the medical residency team to provide transitions of care services, as well as assist with the accountable care organization formulary management.

“Clinical pharmacists are an integral part of our care team,” said Jonathan Lichkus, MD, a family physician at GLFHC. “They promote medication adherence, and answer complex questions on dosing, interactions, and adverse side effects. For my medically complicated patients, they reconcile inaccurate medication lists that occur during the transition between the health center, hospital, and back. Indeed, clinical pharmacists are essential to high value primary care and have benefited both patients and primary care physicians alike.”

GLFHC has six pharmacies in Lawrence, Methuen, and Haverhill, which are open to the public.