USC was one of six winning teams to be honored for their work in improving patient care at the opening session of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists midyear meeting in Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 8.

Winners were recognized for successfully creating and implementing innovative approaches to improve the delivery of patient care within their practice settings. Sponsored in cooperation with Amgen, the award recognizes leadership in the enhancement of patient care and other areas of pharmacy practice.

The USC winning team included Kathleen Johnson, holder of the William A. and Josephine A. Heeres Chair in Community Pharmacy; associate professors Steven Chen and Mel Baron; Cecilia Wu and Elizabeth Cervantes, clinical pharmacists practicing full-time in the clinics; and Sally Lu, director of pharmaceutical services at the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, previously a clinical pharmacist with USC.

The group also previously won the American Pharmacists Association Foundation Pinnacle Award for their work in the safety net environment.

The USC group provides clinical pharmacy services at seven safety net clinics in Los Angeles. Before they launched these services, the clinics lacked pharmacists and the clinical services and formulary oversight that they provide.

Since its incorporation in the clinics, the group has successfully improved patient outcomes while saving health care dollars. Among other services, the team provides medication therapy management for patients, typically working with those who have chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma.