The Center for Pharmacy Care is part of the Duquesne University Pharmacy and is a pharmacist-coordinated provider of disease prevention and disease management services for the Duquesne University campus and Pittsburgh community.

The Center for Pharmacy Care, established in October 2002, provides wellness, disease prevention and medication therapy management programs, focusing on hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes asthma, chronic pain, depression, travel health and osteoporosis.

We offer campus and community health screenings, lifestyle counseling, educational seminars, drug therapy review and management, disease state management and outcome reporting for certain health conditions.

Our educational programs, presented by experienced clinical pharmacists and pharmacy residents, enhance the awareness of health and wellness issues. We provide an individualized assessment of current medication therapies and assist our patients in choosing self-care treatment options.

Our screening professionals are student pharmacists under the supervision of our staff. The Center is dedicated to the education of the public in an effort to promote wellness, increase awareness of risk for chronic diseases, medication therapy management, and improve health outcomes. We are driven by the desire to improve the health outcomes and well-being of Pittsburgh and surrounding communities.

Programs

The MTM program offers free prescriptions for eligible employees and spouses for the following conditions upon completion of a comprehensive health assessment and educational training:

  • Cholesterol
  • Chronic Pain Management
  • Depression
  • Diabetes
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Asthma*
    *Eligible children enrolled in the University CVS Caremark prescription plan will receive a $10 copayment for their covered asthma prescriptions

Participants Receive:

  • An initial health assessment; you will be responsible for making any follow-up appointments
  • Comprehensive review of all your medications
  • A personalized medication treatment plan
  • Education and training to enhance your understanding of medication use
  • Coordination of the medication therapy management services with your other health care providers to ensure your best outcomes
  • No copay for prescriptions as listed above
  • Wellness in Motion dollars upon enrollment, completion and follow-up with the MTM program

Eligibility:

  • Employees and spouses with Cigna OAP or UPMC EPO plans
  • Due to Affordable Care Act regulations, employees with a High Deductible Health Plan are not eligible for the zero copay, however they are still eligible for education and counseling

Both medical plans offer customized wellness programs and provide their own online wellness platforms:

  • Cigna's MotivateMe Platform
  • UPMC Health Plan's HealthyU Platform

Each healthy activity, such as biometric screenings, online health assessment, and participation in various online coaching programs, has a corresponding Wellness in Motion dollar value. 

Eligibility:

  • To be eligible to participate in the Wellness in Motion program, you and your eligible spouse must be active members of a Duquesne University medical plan.

Rewards:

  • Employees may earn up to $300 in Wellness in Motion dollars
  • Eligible spouses may earn up to $300 in Wellness in Motion dollars
  • Contact The Center for Pharmacy Care to schedule a free on-campus screening. This confidential screening will include cholesterol and blood pressure assessments and a body composition analysis

The NDPP Prevent T2 curriculum is a CDC recognized, evidence-based lifestyle change program which has shown to cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%. The NDPP program is designed for people who have prediabetes or are at risk for type 2 diabetes, but who do not already have diabetes, and supports healthy eating and physical activity interventions. Any eligible resident of Allegheny County can participate. Participation is no cost.

Key Components:

  • Standardized curriculum
  • Giveaways to support weight loss
  • Trained team of interdisciplinary lifestyle coaches to help set goals, learn new skills, and keep you motivated.
  • A support group of people with similar goals and challenges.

Program Length: 1 Year

  • During the first 6 months of the program, you will meet about once a week.
  • During the second 6 months, you’ll meet once or twice a month.

Patient Responsibilities:

  • Attend all classes (combination of meeting in-person and via zoom)
  • Contribute to the group discussion
  • Track body weight weekly
  • Track minutes of physical activity weekly (tools will be provided to assist with tracking, i.e. scales, fitness trackers, pedometers, etc.)

Learning Outcomes:

  • Eat healthy without giving up all the foods you love
  • Add physical activity to your life, even if you don’t think you have time
  • Deal with stress
  • Cope with challenges that can derail your hard work—like how to choose healthy food when eating out
  • Get back on track if you stray from your plan—because everyone slips now and then
  • Enhance the skills you’ve learned so you can maintain the changes you’ve made

Curriculum:

  • The PreventT2 curriculum promotes weight loss (5-7%) and increased physical activity through a 12-month lifestyle change program
  • Incorporates new literature on self-efficacy, physical activity, and diet.
  • See a list of topics covered throughout the program listed below

 

Eligibility

Must meet all of the following:

  • 18 yrs old+
  • BMI >/= 25
  • NOT diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes
  • Not currently pregnant

Must meet at least one of the following:

  • High risk result (>5) on a prediabetes risk test – take the risk test here to find out if you are at risk
  • Previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes (during pregnancy)
  • Had a blood test result in the prediabetes range within the past year (includes any of these tests and results):
  • Hemoglobin A1C: 5.7–6.4%.
  • Fasting plasma glucose: 110–125 mg/dL.
  • 2-hour plasma glucose (after a 75 g glucose load): 140–199 mg/dL.

Class Details

  • Group Zoom meetings will be held on Fridays Zoom link and calendar invites will be created for all virtual meetings and emailed prior to meeting date
  • Call (412) 396-2166 for upcoming dates or to request more program information.

Services

Performed via the Hgb Pro device utilizing a small blood sample obtained by fingerstick. Hemoglobin is an accurate measurement used to assess anemia risk and severity. Low hemoglobin is an indication of anemia. Your doctor can perform additional tests to determine the cause and best treatment for your anemia. If you already have a diagnosis of anemia it is important for you to get hemoglobin levels checked regularly to assess the effectiveness of your current treatment.

One Touch Ultra glucometers are used to, report current blood sugar level. This value allows us to check for possible diabetes or monitor treatment of diabetes.

With the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disease it is more important than ever to have your blood pressure regularly assessed. Measuring your blood pressure and keeping a record of the measurements will show you and your doctor how much your blood pressure may change. Your doctor can use your record of measurements to see how well your medicine is working to control your high blood pressure. Also, measuring your own blood pressure is a good way to take part in managing your own health and recognizing changes.

The Tanita Body Composition Analyzer provides patient values for Body Mass Index, Fat %, Basal metabolic Rate, Total Body Water, Fat Mass, and Free Fat Mass. It also gives individualized desirable ranges. You and the pharmacists can discuss your weight loss goals and lifestyle changes based on your results.

At our facility, a single finger prick can provide a wealth of information about your health. We measure total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, and glucose in a single test. These levels help us to determine your risk level for developing cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Already have a diagnosis? It's even more important for you to get these levels checked regularly to assess the effectiveness of your current treatment.
For patients who are at risk for developing diabetes or are already diagnosed, The Bayer DCA 2000 can provide a picture of your blood sugar control over the past few months. Our pharmacists can then offer counseling on what you should continue doing and what you can change to get an optimum level.
Lunar Achilles Express measures the bone density of the heel used as a screening tool to assess risk for osteoporosis . Osteoporosis is a disease where bones become fragile and more likely to break or fracture due to loss of bone density.
Pre-travel appointments will include an assessment of what vaccines are needed, education on how to try to prevent or handle illnesses while traveling, and assistance with obtaining necessary medications. Most travel vaccines, including yellow fever, will be offered.

Immunizations are available on campus at the Center for Pharmacy Care. Getting vaccinated is a lifelong, life-protecting job. For a list of recommended vaccinations, please speak with a pharmacist at the Center for Pharmacy Care, a healthcare provider or visit cdc.gov/vaccines.

The Center for Pharmacy Care accepts most major insurances.

CDC-recommended vaccinations available at the Center for Pharmacy Care:

  • COVID-19 (Janssen, Pfizer, and Moderna)
  • Chickenpox (Varicella)
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
  • Influenza
  • Japanese Encephalitis
  • Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
  • Meningitis (MCV4) & Meningitis B (Trumenba)
  • Pneumonia
  • Polio
  • Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
  • Tetanus, Diptheria + Acellular Pertussis (Tdap)
  • Typhoid (IM) & Oral Typhoid
  • Yellow Fever

Contact

Elizabeth Bunk, Pharm.D.

Director, Center For Pharmacy Care

Kelly Cooke, BSN, RN

Registered Nurse

Abigail Harvey, Pharm.D.

Clinical Pharmacist

Robert Laux, Pharm.D.

Clinical Pharmacist

Julianne Oplinger, Pharm.D.

Clinical Pharmacist

Courtney Sivrich

Operations Coordinator

 

Healthcare Compliance

Notice of Privacy Practices

Duquesne University takes Healthcare Compliance very seriously. The University abides by all Federal, State, and Local laws and ordinances. If you would like to discuss a healthcare compliance, includes HIPAA, complaint, please contact the Duquesne University Chairperson of Healthcare Compliance at (412) 396-4419 or mail a letter to:

Duquesne University
Office of HIPAA and Healthcare Compliance
600 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15282

You may also hand deliver a note to Room 436 in Fisher Hall. All will be kept strictly confidential.

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