The Pulse, February 8, 2019

I’m pleased to introduce you to S. Suresh Madhavan, MBA, PhD, FAPhA, our first (of three) outstanding Dean candidates for the System College of Pharmacy.  

Dr. Madhavan is currently a Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy at West Virginia University (WVU).  His primary areas of research interest include health services and outcomes research with particular emphasis on improving access to and quality of health and preventive care.  Since 2000, Dr. Madhavan has been involved in numerous grants and contracts exceeding $35 million (as PI) from federal and state agencies, and private corporations. To date, he has over 100 peer-reviewed publications in a variety of high impact journals on issues related to access, cost, affordability, quality, and outcomes of chronic diseases’ care in Appalachian and national populations.  Dr. Madhavan has over 150 abstracts and presentations at various national conferences and as an invited speaker.

Dr. Madhavan has substantial experience in program development and academic administration.  He heads a purposeful, cohesive and very productive group of faculty, pharmacists and staff who are recognized for their teaching and research accomplishments.  Under Dr. Madhavan’s leadership, the PhD program in Health Services and Outcomes Research was established in the School of Pharmacy in 1988-89 and to date has graduated 43 PhDs.  He has mentored over a dozen junior faculty and 23 PhD graduates in health services and outcomes research.  The PhD program, designated as a “Program of Excellence” by the WVU Board of Governors, is nationally known for its excellence in training, mentoring, and job placements. Its graduates consistently win awards in national and international meetings for their research.

Throughout his career in pharmacy education, Dr. Madhavan has been involved in developing, implementing, and evaluating innovative roles for pharmacists in the health care system. Of particular note is a Centers for Diseases Control-funded study (1995-2000) with the American Pharmacists Association that looked at expanding the pharmacist’s role in childhood and adult immunizations.  Dr. Madhavan also worked with the WV Public Employees Insurance Agency to develop, implement, and evaluate the role of the pharmacist as an academic detailer, which received the Council of State Governments’ National Award for Innovation.  Dr. Madhavan manages a pharmacist call center funded by WV state agencies that does prior-authorizations of pharmaceuticals and oversees appropriate use of opioids in the state Medicaid and government health insurance programs. It is the only such program run by a pharmacy school, and has drawn national attention for saving the state millions of dollars and enhancing the safe and cost-effective use of medications.

Dr. Madhavan has received numerous prestigious awards and recently completed a six-week visit to the National University of Science and Technology College of Pharmacy in Muscat, Oman, as a US State Department Fulbright Specialist.

Please join us for Dr. Madhavan’s campus-wide presentation on Tuesday, February 12th from Noon to 1pm in LIB 110.