Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems

A student talking with a professor inside Pharmacy store

Cultivating Pharmacy Practice.
Driving Research and Scholarship.
Advancing Education.

The Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems (PCHS) advances the practice of pharmaceutical care and its role in the healthcare system for the benefit of patients & society through education, research, & service.

Featured Offerings

Cultivating Pharmacy Practice

PCHS is dedicated to the advancement of pharmaceutical care. Pharmaceutical care was originally conceptualized by faculty within our department and continues to be an integral focus to our departmental identity. Our faculty engage in a diverse array of pharmacy practice models and services in partnership with healthcare systems, health disciplines, and the community at large to provide high-quality patient-centered care. Our faculty meet this need through patient care, practice-based research, practice innovation, and education.  

Learn more about our practice faculty

Driving Research and Scholarship

Faculty and trainees within our department study the pharmacy profession, patient care behaviors, government policies, and the economic, clinical, and humanistic aspects of medications. 

  • Patient Care
  • Pharmaceuticals and Public Policy
  • Educational Research

Learn more about our research and scholarship

Advancing Education

PCHS embraces a leadership role in curricular innovation at the College. Our faculty are serving in leadership roles that are creating new learning experiences for Doctor of Pharmacy students and modeling innovative teaching and learning strategies in a variety of courses. 

  • Curricular Domains
  • PharmD Emphasis - Leadership
  • Advancement of Experiential Education
  • Innovations in Teaching
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Social & Administrative Pharmacy Graduate Program

Study the social, psychosocial, political, legal, historic, and economic factors that impinge upon the use, non-use and abuse of drugs. 

Learn more about SAPh Degree Programs

PCHS Department News

Dr. Ann Philbrick

Dr. Ann Philbrick of the Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems was elected to the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Board of Regents.

Dr. Sarah Westberg

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (5/5/25) — Dr. Sarah Westberg, associate dean for professional affairs and professor, has accepted a new position as dean of the Anderson Family College of Health Sciences at Bethel University and will be resigning from her position at the College of Pharmacy this June.

Joel Farley

Dr. Joel Farley, professor and interim head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Care and Health Systems, and the Peters Endowed Chair in Pharmacy Practice Innovation, has been named a 2026 Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Fellow.

Lucy Johnson at the SAPh 55th anniversary event.

After 44 years, three months, and seven days of working at Children’s Minnesota Hospital in St. Paul, alumna Lucy Johnson is trying to adjust to retirement.

Joel Farley

Dr. Joel Farley, professor and interim head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Care and Health Systems, and the Peters Endowed Chair in Pharmacy Practice Innovation, is the recipient of the American Pharmacists Association’s (APhA) 2026 Research Achievement in Pharmaceutical Sciences Award.

Amy Pittenger

Her term of service will be February 2026 through August 2027.

Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Jean Moon and Dr. Jody Lounsbery

Dr. Jean Moon on left and Dr. Jody Lounsbery on right Broadway Family Medicine Named Clinical Training Site of Excellence

Dr. Ann Philbrick

Dr. Philbrick leads the College of Pharmacy in COVID-19 education programs

Research Spotlight

Bryan (front) on stage with the other award winners at ICAR

Byran attended the meeting in Prague this year and represented the Wagner Lab.

Prof. Ambrose in the Lab

Prof. Ambrose was invited to speak at the event, hosted at the University of Bonn (Germany), due to her expertise with the chemical exploration and analysis of Baltic amber.