Category 1 Award:
Individual Award for Career Achievement
Omitted for the 2025 awards cycle.
Category 2: Team Award for Collaboration, Innovation, and Impact
WVU School of Pharmacy's Rational Drug Therapy Program
The Rational Drug Therapy Program (RDTP), based at the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Pharmacy, is dedicated to safe, rational, cost-effective, and patient outcome oriented drug therapy. Implemented in 1995, the program provides prior authorization and consultative services for the West Virginia Bureau of Medical Services’ Medicaid pharmaceuticals program and since 2005 to the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA), and West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program (WV CHIP) programs. With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the West Virginia Department of Health, RDTP launched the Safe and Effective Management of Pain Program (SEMPP). This initiative introduced West Virginia-specific opioid prescribing guidelines that adapt national guidance to the unique needs of the state’s largely rural and underserved population. SEMPP mandates participation from prescribers managing chronic, high-dose opioid therapy within the West Virginia Medicaid and Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) systems. Pharmacists at RDTP conduct clinical reviews of submitted regimens and provide feedback to ensure patient safety. These reviews have led to over 4,900 targeted interventions, significantly reducing high-risk opioid prescribing. Beyond its opioid-focused work, RDTP supports medication management across a wide spectrum of conditions. It reviews prior authorization requests for West Virginia Medicaid, WV CHIP, and PEIA. RDTP also offers Drug Utilization Review (DUR) services for the WV Medicaid and WV CHIP populations- further promoting evidence-based prescribing and optimizing fiscal resource use. RDTP has also developed an academic detailing program for statewide clinician education. In 2020, the program launched an academic detailing initiative that has since delivered over 1,800 clinician education sessions. These brief, personalized encounters help clinicians implement best practices in pain management, behavioral health, and substance use disorder care. To ensure accessibility, RDTP deployed academic detailers throughout the state, offering both virtual and in-person sessions.
"RDTP has always believed in the power of pharmacy to drive public health solutions. Our team is honored to be recognized by APhA and we feel grateful to continue our work and to serve as a reminder to others of what’s possible when pharmacists step forward to lead." -- Angela Wowczuk, Doctor of Pharmacy, BCPS Director, Rational Drug Therapy Program, Service Assistant Professor WVU School of Pharmacy
Category 2: Team Award for Collaboration, Innovation, and Impact
The Ohio State University Primary Care Clinics
The Ohio State University is an institution that recognizes the vital role of clinical pharmacists in advancing access to high-quality, team-based primary care. At the heart of the OSU General Internal Medicine (OSUGIM) and OSU Family and Community Medicine (OSUFCM) clinics, pharmacists are embedded as essential members of the interprofessional care teams.These primary care pharmacists collaborate closely with more than 180 attending physicians and advanced practice providers, over 120 resident physicians, and a dedicated network of care coordinators, nurses, social workers, dietitians, and medical assistants. Together, they provide comprehensive, patient-centered care to a diverse population of more than 150,000 individuals across Central Ohio. Pharmacists in these clinics play a critical role in chronic disease management, medication optimization, preventative health efforts, and transitions of care. Their expertise in medication therapy supports patients living with complex conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and mental health disorders through collaborative practice agreements—helping to improve outcomes and reduce health disparities. Each clinical pharmacist practicing in the primary care network is credentialed and privileged through The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. This collaborative model exemplifies Ohio State’s commitment to innovative, team-based healthcare and reinforces the value of clinical pharmacists in expanding access to care, improving health outcomes, and supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals through active teaching and mentoring.Ohio State is proud to champion the work of its primary care pharmacists as they help lead the way in transforming ambulatory care in the city of Columbus.
"On behalf of The Ohio State University Primary Care Clinics, we are honored to receive the 2025 APhA Pinnacle Award for Team Collaboration. This recognition reflects the dedication of our interprofessional teams and the transformative impact of primary care pharmacists in expanding access to high-quality, patient-centered care through our remote monitoring program. We remain committed to advancing innovative, sustainable care models that improve health outcomes for the Columbus community and look forward to continuing to contribute to the growing body of work of primary care pharmacists nationally." -- Jennifer Sabatino, PharmD, BCACP Clinical Pharmacist, OSU General Internal Medicine Clinics