As a second year Pharmaceutical Care Leadership Resident for the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Dr. David Bunch set out to enhance pharmacy services at Geritom Medical. Located in Bloomington, MN, Geritom services over 12,000 customers and 1,600 facilities in the Twin Cities area. This program is unique in that it serves group home and waivered facility patients who are more likely to have a higher medication burden than most. On top of their dispensing and medical supply services, Geritom offers Medication Therapy Management (MTM) for their patients. Dr. Bunch’s residency year focus was to enhance the MTM program through integration of pharmacogenomics (PGx) services. Dr. Bunch worked with Dr. Jason Wachtl at Geritom and a genetic testing partner to implement a process for tests to be ordered, interpreted, reported on, and incorporated into the patient's record.
The PGx service created within this unique setting required special considerations including guardian consent and home delivery of testing kits with education for home care staff. With Dr. Bunch’s efforts over the year, Geritom has joined the University of Minnesota Pharmacy Residency Program and their future residents will continue to expand the MTM and PGx programs.