Integrating Pharmacists into Primary Care

• Explain how pharmacy education and training position pharmacists to positively contribute to patient outcomes through clinical services.
• Define the continuum of opportunities for pharmacist integration in clinical practice.
• Examine pathways to expand pharmacy services within confines of state pharmacy regulations.
• Demonstrate clinical pharmacy successes within the Federal Bureau of Prisons to advance patient care and mitigate provider shortages.

Educator Bios

• Tammy Rodriguez

  

  CAPT Rodriguez received her Doctorate in Pharmacy from West Virginia University in 2006 and a Masters in Pharmacy Leadership from the University of Cincinnati in 2022.

  She began her career in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) in 2009 and became a commissioned officer in the United States Public Health Services Commissioned Corps in 2010. She is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy and HIV management and worked for over a decade providing direct patient care for patients with viral hepatitis and HIV. Her career includes serving as the Institution Chief Pharmacist in BOP facilities in WV and SC and the Chief Pharmacist for the Southeast Region from 2018 to 2022.

  In September of 2022, CAPT Rodriguez was promoted to BOP Director of Pharmacy Programs, overseeing pharmacy operations for 121 institutions and 180 pharmacists providing pharmacy services to over 145,000 adults in custody within the BOP. She is a member of the National HIV/AIDs Strategy (NHAS) Committee and multiple federal interagency workgroups and policy councils focused on the treatment of Opioid Use Disorders in the United States.

  She co-leads the BOP efforts to expand OUD treatment services within federal corrections.  CAPT Rodriguez is a certified facilitator for Arbinger Outward Leadership programs and is passionate about developing leaders to realize exceptional patient outcomes and growth and retention of high-quality employees. CAPT Rodriguez is an avid gardener, passionate fan of West Virginia University and Steelers football, and currently resides in northwest Virginia with her husband and three, very spoiled, dogs.

• CDR Josh Valgardson

  

  After completing pharmacy school at the University of North Carolina, CDR Valgardson joined the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service as a Pharmacy Resident with the Indian Health Service in Gallup New Mexico. During his residency he was trained in many areas of clinical pharmacy including; diabetes, pain, nephrology, anticoagulation, HIV, inpatient medicine, pharmacy informatics and emergency medicine. After his residency he became the diabetes clinic coordinator, beginning his passion in comprehensive diabetes management.

  After 5 years working for the IHS, CDR Valgardson transferred to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) at Butner North Carolina. At Butner he had opportunities to continue to advance his practice in diabetes management, was selected as pharmacy residency director, and worked as an oncology pharmacy specialist.

  Recently CDR Valgardson was selected to lead the BOP clinical pharmacy program. He is responsible to oversee clinical pharmacy activities, providing education and empowering BOP clinical pharmacists activities.

  CDR Valgardson’s hobbies include cooking, fishing, gardening, sports of all kinds, being outdoors and spending time with his family.  

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