UF pharmacy alumnus appointed to lead American Society for Consultant Pharmacists

Jeffrey C. Delafuente has been installed as 2013-14 president of the American Society for Consultant Pharmacists, an international professional association whose mission is to enhance the quality of care for all older persons through the appropriate use of medication and the promotion of healthy aging. He holds bachelor’s (1973) and master’s (1976) degrees in pharmacy from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy and completed a two-year fellowship in clinical immunology (1976-78) at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

JeffreyDelafuenteDelafuente is associate dean for academic affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. His installation as ASCP president took place in November during the closing session of the organization’s 2013 Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Seattle. The meeting was attended by about 1,500 pharmacy practitioners, faculty and students.

Following his introduction by 2012-13 ASCP President Sean Jeffery, Delafuente thanked VCU School of Pharmacy Dean Victor Yanchick for all of his encouragement and also for allowing him the time to serve.

Delafuente told attendees that pharmacists must change how they practice in light of the rapidly evolving health-care system.

“We must help prepare [ASCP] members for long-term change,” he said. “Change will happen with us or without us, so let’s embrace it.” Expanding the profession and practice, he said, will provide new opportunities for pharmacists in all settings.

“Our professional future is very bright. We must work more collaboratively and collectively.”

Among Delafuente’s goals for ASCP are to make it the “go to” organization for governing bodies looking for input on proposed age-related regulations and to ensure that people know what ASCP members offer to help achieve its mission of improved quality of life for seniors.

Before joining the VCU faculty in 1998, he taught at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and St. Louis University School of Medicine (1979-84) and University of Florida Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine (1984-98).

He was recruited by Yanchick to begin a geriatrics pharmacy program at VCU, which now is part of the Pharm.D. curriculum. In addition, each fourth-year Pharm.D. student is required to complete a five-week rotation in geriatrics, and students may pursue a Certificate in Aging Studies.

In a recent interview with The Consultant Pharmacist magazine, Yanchick said, “Everything [Jeff] does, he does with a passion.”

Patty Slattum, current director of the VCU School of Pharmacy’s geriatric program, said, “Jeff was one of the early practitioners of community-based pharmacy care. I didn’t know anyone else that was doing this specifically for the geriatric population.”

In 2012, Delafuente was named a distinguished practitioner and fellow by the National Academies of Practice.