Pharmacists are medication experts that are found in many settings, including hospitals, doctors' offices, outpatient clinics, and community pharmacies.
For some faculty members, their research laboratories are these types of "pharmacy practice" settings. They study how pharmacy practitioners can improve care for patients and groups of patients, and improve health care systems.
Practiced-based research creates additional roles for pharmacists. It also leads to new services for patients related to their medications. Researchers' work in this area leads to improved patient-centered, team-based care delivery across a variety of settings.

Researchers in This Area
- Design and develop new pharmacy services and interventions
- Assess whether pharmacists’ interventions are effective
- Implement innovations and new services across pharmacy settings
- Assess health policy to ensure pharmacists can best serve patients
- Study how patients can use medications more safely
- Investigate pharmacists’ roles on patients’ healthcare teams
Researchers in Action
- Jim Hoehns studied how well promising treatments for COVID-19 worked for groups of people.
- Brett Faine, an emergency room pharmacist, was part of a group studying how to reduce the risk of front-line workers contracting COVID-19.
- Korey Kennelty received a grant to see whether removing high-risk medications from older adults' regimens leads to them falling less.
- Michael Ernst was the only pharmacist on an international research study (ongoing in another form) that concluded low-dose aspirin may do more harm than good in healthy older adults.
Practice-Based Researchers

Bettering Patient-Centered Decision Making
Cole Chapman
Assistant Professor

Identifying Best Practices for Pharmacies
William Doucette
Deborah K. Veale Professor in Healthcare Policy

Slowing Down Drug-Resistant Superbugs
Erika Ernst
Associate Professor

Promoting Safe and Effective Medication Use
Mike Ernst
Clinical Professor

Helping Prevent COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers
Brett Faine
Clinical Associate Professor

Evaluating Young People’s Health Care Journeys
Amber Goedken
Associate Professor and
Interim Associate Dean of Student Affairs

Helping Ease COVID-19-Related Breathing Troubles
Jim Hoehns
Clinical Associate Professor

Bettering Healthcare Services for Complex Patients
Korey Kennelty
Associate Professor

Preventing Unwanted Reactions to Medications
Gary Milavetz
Professor and Executive Associate Dean

Utilizing Mobile Health for Pharmacist Interventions
Linnea Polgreen
Associate Professor

Helping Patients and Pharmacies Navigate the Health Insurance System
Julie Urmie
Associate Professor

Advancing Patient-Centered Communication in Pharmacy
Matthew Witry
Assistant Professor