Ensuring Safe Transitions of Care in Patients with
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Alanna Breckenridge, Pharm.D., BCGP, is a Transition of Care Clinical Pharmacist at Northside Hospital Forsyth in Cumming, Georgia. She works with an interdisciplinary team devoted to improving the care of people with COPD or pneumonia. At this site, she also serves as a preceptor for Transition of Care APPE pharmacy students for two colleges of pharmacy in Georgia: University of Georgia and Mercer University. Within Northside Hospital, Dr. Breckenridge is involved in several committees and initiatives related to improving the care of COPD and pneumonia patients. In this role, she has collaborated with pharmacists, nursing, and providers for Medication Reconciliation process. She also provides medication management for optimizing treatments and deprescribing potentially dangerous and unnecessary medications. Dr. Breckenridge has implemented proper inhaler education with patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. She participates in health fairs and symposiums to improve health outcomes. She was a recipient of The Josie King Foundation Hero Award for promoting patient safety. Dr. Breckenridge earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2000. She is Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. She also has a Medication Therapy Management certificate through American Pharmacists Association and University of Florida.

Dr. Drummond is a board certified physician in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, and critical care medicine. He obtained his BS in Biology from Emory University, MD degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, and completed residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. In addition to being a Chief Resident on the Osler Medical Service, Dr. Drummond completed his Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. During that time he also obtained a Masters in Health Science in Clinical Research from the Bloomberg School of Public Health. He was a faculty member in the pulmonary division at Hopkins from 2010-2016. In 2016, Dr. Drummond moved to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to direct the Obstructive Lung Diseases Clinical and Translational Research Center. His clinical expertise includes chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and smoking cessation. He is also a clinical and translational researcher whose research focus includes characterizing the mechanisms for development of chronic lung disease in individuals at-risk or with COPD. He has expertise in epidemiology and clinical trials design, and has applied these skills to understand the pattern and risk factors for lung function progression in smokers as well as HIV-infected individuals. His primary project is an NHLBI-funded study of a novel biomarker in the blood and lungs of individuals with or at-risk for COPD, and examining the role of vitamin D on levels of this biomarker. Additionally, Dr. Drummond is involved in characterizing the longitudinal impact of smoking, HIV infection and tobacco dependence on long-term outcomes related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Dana Hickman, MSN, FNP-C is the Post-Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with the Northside Hospital System in Atlanta. In this role, she identifies and provides clinical oversite for complex, chronically ill patients discharged to the network of preferred post-acute care providers. Mrs. Hickman assists with the hand-off communication, root cause analysis of readmissions and monitors trend, patterns and improvement opportunities. She collaborates on condition-specific pathways for consistent, evidenced-based care post discharge and organizes ongoing continuing educational programs in the tricampus community. Her passion lies in improving the lives of individuals and families impacted by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Mrs. Hickman earned her Master’s degree in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner with over 31 years of experience. As a past president of the Gwinnett/Forsyth Chapter of the United Advanced Nurse Practitioners, she remains very active the in state organization serving on the conference planning committee and chair of the PAC Foundation. Throughout her career, she earned numerous awards and recognitions in advancing the nursing profession. Some of these include: the North Carolina Gerontological Nurse of the Year; the American Nurses Association Gerontological Nurse of the Year; the VAMC Southern Regional Award for Excellence; Senior Fellow: Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development at Duke University; Northside Hospital Excellence in Patient Care Aware and the UAPRN Organizational Leadership Award.

Dennis M. Williams, Pharm.D., BCPS, AE-C, FASHP, FCCP, FAPhA, is Associate Professor for Professional Education and Practice in the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Eshelman School of Pharmacy in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He is also a clinical specialist at UNC Hospitals.

Dr. Williams earned his Bachelor of Science in pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. He is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist, as well as a certified asthma educator. He has received fellow recognition from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, and American Pharmacists Association.

Dr. Williams focuses his practice, teaching, and research on the management of patients with pulmonary and infectious diseases. He is a member of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Coordinating Committee of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and several other boards.

Dr. Williams has published research papers and book chapters in the area of pulmonary diseases and infectious diseases, and he regularly speaks on these topics at national and international professional programs. He has trained thousands of pharmacists and students about pulmonary, infectious disease, and immunization sciences, as well as practice considerations related to these topics.