Meet Our Staff

Summary

Joel Thome, PharmD, BCACP, began teaching pharmacology in collaboration with the Heritage University Nursing faculty in 2014. In 2015, he joined the Heritage University faculty leading pharmacology education for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Physician Assistant Programs. Dr. Thome is an experienced clinical, community pharmacist and clinical pharmacy educator. He continues to teach medical students pharmacology at Pacific Northwest University (since 2008) and actively promotes interprofessional clinical teamwork of pharmacists and nurses with other health care professions to improve patient care.

Current research focuses on studying causes of medication non-adherence.  A majority of his publications are contemporary pharmacotherapy articles, intended for pharmacists, with a focus on improving medication-related outcomes; other publications include interprofessional articles on medication outcomes, cost, and safety. Future research interests include: 1-interprofessional work to increase the role of the pharmacist on health care teams; 2-interprofessional integration to increase medication safety and outcomes; 3-interprofessional efforts to increase medication adherence.

He was a major contributor to the initial negotiations that brought the WSU Doctor of Pharmacy Program to the Yakima Valley, on the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences campus.  Likewise, he successfully expanded the WSU “Save-A-Seat” program to an exclusive extramural partnership with Heritage University.  Heritage University students potentially interested in pharmacy should schedule a meeting with Dr. Thome in their freshman year.

Courses Taught

• PAM 545 – Introduction to Primary Care/Normal Patient – Pharmacology Components.
• PAM 560A – Integrated Primary Care I – Pharmacology Components.
• PAM 565A – Integrated Primary Care II – Pharmacology Components.
• NURS 300A / BIOL 435 – Pharmacology for Nursing and Biomedical Sciences
• NURS 300AL – Pharmacology for Nursing Lab
• NURS310 and BIOL 425 – Pathophysiology for Nursing and Biomedical Sciences
• PAM 505 and/or PAM 510 – Behavioral Medicine, Pharmacology Components.
• At PNWU-COM: PHARM599, CLIN 603, CLIN 617, CLIN 628, CLIN 628, CLIN 629

Education

Doctorate: Doctor of Pharmacy — Major: (PharmD) — Location: University of Washington — Date: 2005

Professional Experience

Position: Pharmacist, Director Clinical Services
Start Date: 6/20/2005
Company: Howard's Drug

Position: Assistant Professor
Start Date: 3/1/2008
Company: Pacific Northwest University

Position: Adjunct Faculty
Start Date: 1/1/2007 End Date:
Company: Washington State University

Research Interests

Current research project: PNWU IRB Study # 2016-004 Protocol date: 7/18/2016 Title: “Reliability of electronic reporting systems in identifying medication non-adherence and the most common causes of non-adherence to emphasized drug classes in an independent community pharmacy” [Presented at Academic Day, PNWU, April 2017. Manuscript to be submitted late summer or fall 2017] Additional research interests: Projects which increase pharmacist involvement on inter-professional health care teams.

Publications and Professional Affiliations

Publication: On The Cutting Edge
Title: Antihyperglycemic medications for the prevention of diabetes.
Date Published: 4/11/2011

Publication: U.S. Pharmacist
Title: Drug therapy for common parasitic infec
Date Published: 8/21/2012

Publication: Medscape Multispecialty/U.S. Pharmacist
Title: Immunizations in adults taking disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.
Date Published: 4/15/2013

Publication: U.S. Pharmacist
Title: Congenital and Acquired Long QT Syndrome: A Pharmacist’s Perspective
Date Published: 5/16/2014

Publication: U.S. Pharmacist
Title: Gastric Acid Suppressants and Association With Fractures in Women
Date Published: 9/14/2015

• Organization: Washington State Pharmacy Association
• Organization: Yakima County Pharmacists Association
• Organization: American Assosciated Pharmacies
• Organization: American College of Clinical Pharmacists – Board Certification, Peer Reviewer and Pilot Tester