College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Presents Buffington with Alumni Award

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ATLANTA — Mercer University’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences presented Daniel E. Buffington with its Distinguished Alumnus Award during the College’s commencement on May 2. Buffington is president and CEO of Clinical Pharmacology Services Inc., in Clearwater, Fla. The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award presented to alumni of the College who have achieved recognition for academic, scientific or leadership contributions in science, business or public service and who has shown exemplary support and service to the community and to the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Buffington, a Clearwater native, earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from Mercer in 1987 and his Master of Business Administration from the University in 1995.  Buffington completed his clinical practice residency and clinical pharmacology research fellowship at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. He is nationally recognized as a clinician, clinical researcher and educator committed to improving patient care through optimizing medication use.

Buffington’s company, Clinical Pharmacology Services, is a unique clinical pharmacology specialty practice that assists patients in managing chronic or high-risk medications by coordinating medications with the patient and their physician. The practice has grown significantly from a local consulting service to a full-spectrum health care consulting practice with expertise in patient care, clinical research and health education consulting. Buffington has also developed two additional specialty consulting groups: Conexus Health, a medical education firm, and Pharmacology Experts, which provides expert testimony on pharmacology issues, including medical malpractice, toxicology, criminal and product liability.

Buffington has been active with several national pharmacy organizations: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, American Pharmacists Association and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. In 2008, Dr. Buffington was awarded the American Pharmacists Association’s Pinnacle Individual Award for Career Achievement for his demonstration of exceptional leadership in enhancing health care quality and medication use. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists presented him with an Award of Excellence for his work to develop payment models that appropriately reimburse pharmacists for therapy-management services. 

About the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Mercer University:
Founded in 1903, the independent pharmacy school merged with Mercer University in 1959. In a bold leadership move, it became the first school in the Southeast to offer the doctor of pharmacy degree as its sole professional degree in 1981. In addition to the doctor of pharmacy degree, the college has one of the largest concentrations of Ph.D. students in pharmaceutics among colleges of pharmacy in the United States. In 2008, the college introduced a Physician Assistant program.

About Mercer University:
Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University has approximately 7,600 students; 11 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing and continuing and professional studies; major campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah; three regional academic centers across the state; a university press; two teaching hospitals — Memorial University Medical Center and the Medical Center of Central Georgia; educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta; an engineering research center in Warner Robins; a performing arts center in Macon; and a NCAA Division I athletic program. For more information, visit www.mercer.edu.
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