Thomas E. Buckley, MPH, R.Ph., assistant clinical professor at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, is the recipient of the 2010 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and Association of Black Health-System Pharmacists (ABHP) Leadership Award. The award was presented today during the annual ABHP luncheon at ASHP's 45th Midyear Clinical Meeting in Anaheim, Calif.

Mr. Buckley's clinical and academic work focuses on health disparities, access to care issues and their health policy implications. Along with his position at the University of Connecticut, he is Clinical Consultant and Evaluator for Khmer Health Advocates, the only Cambodian-American health care organization in the United States. His work includes facilitating collaborations between pharmacists and pharmacy students with Cambodian community health workers and Cambodian faith healers to integrate Eastern traditional cultures and Western medicine. His research has focused on the impact of torture and post traumatic stress disorder on chronic disease and he has developed and implemented medication therapy management programs for patients in Connecticut and telemedicine services to patients in California.

"We are so pleased to partner with ABHP to recognize Mr. Buckley," said ASHP President Diane B. Ginsburg, M.S., R.Ph., FASHP. "It is especially gratifying to know that he is training a corps of pharmacy students to expand on his important work."

Mr. Buckley is a co-investigator of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention REACH-US grant to provide disease management, disease prevention, and health promotion services to targeted communities. He is also a co-investigator of the KHA Torture Treatment Program grant from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement. He is Executive Director of PharmNetEx, which coordinates pharmacists to provide clinical services to optimize medication use and patient outcomes.

"Mr. Buckley's work illustrates the wide-ranging scope of the problem of health disparities," said ABHP President Manouchkathe Cassagnol, Pharm.D., BCPS, CGP. "We commend him for his groundbreaking work to care for a vulnerable and underserved population."

Buckley received both his bachelor's degree in pharmacy and master's degree in public health from the University of Connecticut. He has received the Distinguished Alumnus award from the School of Pharmacy as well as the Alumni Association's Humanitarian Award. He is also the recipient of the ASHP Foundation's Literature Award for Innovation in Pharmacy Practice in Health Systems and has been named "Pharmacist of the Year" by the Connecticut chapter of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, the Connecticut Pharmacists Association, and the Connecticut Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

The ASHP / ABHP Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health care. Award recipients will have a record of demonstrating leadership in the reduction of racial and ethnic disparities in health care.

Source:
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
Association of Black Health-System Pharmacists