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Faculty Profiles
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photo Bonnie A Falcione, PharmD

Infectious Diseases

Associate Professor of Medicine, Clinical Pharmacist

Email: bof2@pitt.edu

Phone: 412-647-6186
Contact
Office: Falk Medical Bldg.
3601 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3A
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-647-6186
Fax: 412-648-6399
E-mail: bof2@pitt.edu
Education and Training
Education
BS, Pharmacy, Duquesne University, 1994
PharmD, Duquesne University, 2003
Training
Critical Care Pharmacy Residency, Allegheny General Hospital, 2004
Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Residency, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2005
Research Interest
Dr. Falcione aims to identify strategies to prevent and treat infectious diseases in critically ill patients as well as those at risk for critical illness due to the onset of infection or a complication of treating the infection, particularly those due to antimicrobial resistant organisms. She places particular emphasis on the use of available resources to improve empiric drug selection, dosing, and monitoring strategies for agents with high toxicity potential (vancomycin, colistin, aminoglycosides, nafcillin). She also seeks to identify concurrent drug therapies that may increase the risk of infections in these criticality ill patients or those at risk of becoming critically ill.

Dr. Falcione's research also centers on the Prevention of infectious diseases and inappropriate antimicrobial use by increasing awareness of vaccine strategies; the best use of tools to identify the presence or absence of infections, and antimicrobial-use principles most relevant to the individual patient.

Finally, she focuses on the development of teaching methods and strategies to educate pharmacy students and other healthcare professional trainees on optimal prevention and treatment strategies, including awareness of principles and strategies of antimicrobials stewardship.
Clinical Interest
Dr. Falcione's clinical training and passion for Infectious Diseases and Critical Care drive her to provide expert clinical pharmacy care to those patients at risk for infections that result in critical illness, or who have developed infections that complicate critical illness through 1) design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and modification of patient specific pharmacotherapy to ensure effective, safe, and economical therapy in patients with infectious diseases and critical illness, and 2) design, development, and evaluation of institutional and system-wide initiatives including usage guidelines for new drugs, disease management guidance documents, drug shortages, antibiogram surveillance, and patient safety initiatives.
Educational Interest
Dr. Falcione aspires to help all learners understand the underpinnings for drug therapy management of patients at risk for, or experiencing infections, that result in or complicate critical illness. She became an educator because she desires to help leaners understand concepts they find to be difficult, and with the realization that, in this way, she can impact patients beyond her own direct reach. As a clinical faculty member in the Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine with practice responsibilities at the large academic medical center at UPMC Presbyterian, she has the unique privilege to teach learners at all levels and across various disciplines. Dr. Falcione employs a variety of teaching methods to align with her learning objectives, and encompass her student's learning preferences (ie. direct instruction/didactic lecture, simulation, case-based, small group discussion, active/interactive learning, precepting/bedside one-on-one teaching, mentoring, and small/large group practica). Her scholarly work in education is focused on design, implementation and assessment of the use of newer technologies for teaching, including WIKIs and simulation, in particular for teaching principles and strategies for antimicrobial stewardship.
Publications
Selected Publications:
Jin, H, Wang, T, Falcione, BA, Olsen, KM, Chen, K, Tang, H, Hui, J, Zhai, S. Trough concentration of voriconazole and its relationship with efficacy and toxicity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2016; 71(7): 1772-85.
Falcione, BA, Meyer, SM. Development of an antimicrobial stewardship based infectious diseases elective that incorporates human patient simulation technology. American Journal of Pharmacy Education. 2014; 78(8): Article151.
Smith, MA, Hibino, M, Falcione, BA, Eichinger, KM, Patel, R, Empey, KM. Immunosuppressive aspects of analgesics and sedatives used in mechanically ventilated patients: an underappreciated risk factor for the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients. Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 2014; 48(1): 77-85.
Kullar, R, Leonard, S, Davis, S, Delgado, G, Wahby, K, Pogue, J, Sheth, A, Shah, P, Falcione, B, Rybak, M. Validation of the effectiveness a vancomycin nomogram in achieving target trough concentrations of 15 to 20 mg/L suggested by the vancomycin consensus guidelines. Pharmacotherapy. 2011; 31(5): 441-448.
Notable Achievements
UPMC Pharmacy Residency "Preceptor of the Year", 2016
Board of Pharmacy Specialties Re-Certification in Pharmacotherapy, 2014
Rho Chi Society "Innovation in Teaching Award," University of Pittsburgh School of Pharamcy, 2013
University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy "Faculty Preceptor of the Year", 2013
Board of Pharmacy Specialities Added Qualifications in Infectious Diseases, 2011

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Contact

Department of Medicine
1218 Scaife Hall
3550 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Email:  chairoff@pitt.edu
Phone:  412-648-9636
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