Coastal Medical Clinical Partnership Program KINGSTON, R.I. — August 10, 1999 — Parke-Davis has contributed $50,000 to further the work of the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy-Coastal Medical Clinical Partnership Program. “Parke-Davis’ contribution to the program signifies the commitment of this company to excellent patient care,” said Kathleen Melbourne, URI clinical assistant professor of pharmacy and director of pharmacy care management at Coastal Medical Inc. “With the availability of financial resources, software support, and patient educational materials, Parke-Davis is working closely with the clinical pharmacists to provide the best patient care services possible.” The URI-Coastal partnership, initiated in July 1998, involves the integration of clinical pharmacists and pharmacy students into the private medical practices of Coastal Medical Inc., a network of primary care practices involving 50 physicians, 13 nurse- practitioners and physicians’ assistants and three doctors of pharmacy. Coastal has 15 offices throughout Rhode Island, and has its corporate offices in Providence. Coastal Medical offers primary care and specialty care in pulmonology, cardiology and infectious diseases (HIV-AIDS). Parke-Davis, a division of Warner-Lambert since 1970, has been in existence for more than 130 years. It was through Melbourne’s leadership in large part that the College over entered into a partnership with Coastal Medical. The partnership’s objectives are to enhance patient care and to expand the role of the clinical pharmacist in the care of patients in the community. It has opened numerous opportunities for URI’s doctor of pharmacy students and residents of the College to gain experience in new practice environments and to make a significant impact on patient care. “The partnership is expected to strengthen the ties between the medical community of Coastal Medical and the URI College of Pharmacy,” Melbourne said. “It enhances the collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to patient care.” Clinical pharmacists and pharmacy students are working with nurse practitioners, physician assistants and physicians to provide pharmaceutical care to patients at Coastal Medical. Issues surrounding the medication use process, such as appropriate prescribing, appropriate use of medications by the patient, appropriate timing of refills, presence of drug-drug or drug-food interactions, scheduling of medications with meals and medication adherence are those which are of particular interest to the clinical pharmacists and medical providers in caring for patients. “This partnership program is meant to enhance the medication-taking processes, decrease medication-related problems and minimize expenses related to such problems,” Melbourne said. Melbourne said she expects the health care community at large is likely to benefit from such a partnership. Coastal has doctors of pharmacy at these three office sites: Cranston, Providence and East Greenwich. x-x-x For More Information: Dave Lavallee 401-874-2116