Donald F. D’Aquila
Summary
Backed by a collaborative work history and reputation as a leader, innovator, researcher, and developer of program initiatives. Passionate about legislation at the state and national level focusing on quality geriatric, serious illness, and end-of-life care. My background includes experience caring for critically ill, addiction, palliative, pain management, LTC, and hospice patient populations. Most recently I have enjoyed an executive leadership role for a national hospice organization building clinical services while providing operational leadership.
My unique background encompasses multiple disciplines promoting interdisciplinary team interaction and collaboration. I am seeking out opportunities to support the educational palliative community by providing exceptional leadership, mentorship, and scholarly presence. I hope to provide servant leadership to achieve organizational goals while serving good humans and initiatives I am passionate about.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Executive Consultatnt - Chief Clinical Officer
HospiceChoiceRx
04.2023 - Current
- Strategic development of a clinical service line offering partner clients clinical expertise for serious illness and hospice populations
- Development of clinical tools that assist clients in achieving financial and regulatory goals
- Formulary development and management
- Oversight of client services department
- Oversight of partner contracting negotiations
- Oversight of pharmacy contracting philosophy and execution
- Operational leadership
Pharmacologist - Investigation Drug Services
Tidal Health Richard A Henson Research Institute
09.2022 - Current
- Oversight of Investigational Drug services at a Regional Medical Center consisting of 2 acute care hospitals and 3 regional cancer facilities.
- Leading clinical trials involving investigational pharmacology
- Cross functional leadership of physician, nursing, respiratory, research coordinator, case management and pharmacy teams
Consultant
University Of Maryland Medical System
09.2022 - Current
- Oversight of system level pain initiatives and management of the complex pain service
- Lead subject matter expert in areas of pain management, palliative care and addiction
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Consultant
Talbot Hospice
11.2014 - Current
- Leader of PharmD service line
- Subject matter expert - symptom management and serious illness pharmacotherapy
- Pharmacology policy and protocol development
- Management of medication formulary and drug budget
- Management of pharmaceutical contracting and negotiating
Chair - Pain Stewardship
University Of Maryland Medical System
01.2020 - 10.2022
- Providing leadership in the realm of comprehensive pain services within a large regional health care system consisting of 4600 affiliated providers in 150 different locations and at 12 hospitals.
- Strategic planning integrating comprehensive pain services throughout the entire medical system
- Policy and Protocol development
- Implementing tools to leverage electronic health records to achieve safe pain management practices and assuring regulatory compliance with Joint Commission Standards
Regional Coordinator - Inpatient Pain Services
University Of Maryland Shore Regional Health
11.2013 - 09.2022
- Creator and leader of inpatient regional pain service providing pharmaceutical care to three acute care hospitals and a stand-alone emergency department.
- Collaborating with key organizational and community stakeholders to implement initiatives to achieve value based outcomes and regulatory compliance.
- Consulting services to the regional palliative medicine service providing expert pharmaceutical care to serious illness populations reducing admissions and organizational mortality rates.
- Overseeing continuum of care between inpatient and outpatient pain, palliative and hospice care transitions
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Consultant
Coastal Hospice and Palliative Care
01.2016 - 12.2022
- Developing, championing, and collaborating on new policy development and implementation
- Providing symptom management consultation assisting RN and physician services achieve value-based outcomes
- Pharmaceutical contract negotiations
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Consultant
United Healthcare
06.2017 - 10.2021
- Providing nationwide hospice and palliative care consulting services to contracted hospice organizations. Average daily census of 100,000 patients.
- Providing business development in the pharmaceutical realm to assist contracted partners in achieving their financial goals.
- Participation in program development and creating business value through technology and data utilization.
- Assisting contracted organizations in achieving their value-based care initiatives offering collaborative expert pharmacotherapy services
Speaker's Bureau
Mallinckrodt Pharmaceutical
01.2017 - 01.2018
- National presenter and subject matter expert of IV Acetaminophen
Adjunct Professor
Salisbury University
01.2013 - 01.2018
- Adjunct Professor Applied Health Physiology Graduate Program
- Adjunct Professor in school of Health Sciences
Registered Respiratory Therapist III
Peninsula Regional Medical Center
01.2007 - 01.2015
- Managed a team of motivated respiratory practitioners at a level 3 trauma center
- Coordinate workflow plans, manage supply budgets and acted as a clinical expert resource
- Providing pulmonary care to patient populations in the areas of the MICU, CTICU, NICU, L&D, PACU and ER.
Education
MBA - Healthcare Management
Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, UT06.2023
Executive Management Certificate - Leadership
Yale University
New Haven, CT05.2020
Doctorate - Pharmacy (PharmD)
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne, MD05.2013
Bachelor of Science - Respiratory Therapy
Salisbury University
Salisbury, MD06.2007
Skills
- Program Leadership
- Team Leadership, Training, and Development
- Community Engagement
- Business Administration
- Relationship Building
- Strategic Planning
- Therapeutic Interventions
- Treatment Plan Development
- Healthcare Team Collaboration
- Interdisciplinary Team Coordination
- Complex Problem-Solving
Affiliations
- Richard A Henson Clinical Trial Vetting Committee
- Prison end of life quality care subcommittee – State of Maryland
- Palliative care access and advocacy subcommittee – State of Maryland
- University of Maryland Medical System Palliative Medicine Collaborative
- University of Maryland Medical System Pain stewardship committee
- Maryland Hospice and Palliative Care Network Education Committee
- Society of Pain and Palliative Pharmacist – Finance Committee
- Center to Advance Palliative Care
- National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
- Coastal Hospice and Palliative Care Ethics Committee
Certification
- Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist
- Good Clinical Practices (Research)
- Human Subject Protection Certificate (Research)
- Medication Assisted Treatment (Addiction) (SAMHSA)
- Pain Management Certified (ASHP)
- Medical Marijuana Certificate
- Registered Respiratory Care Practitioner
Leadership
- Medical Board of Advisors - HospisRX
- Board of Advisors - Maryland Council on Quality Care at the End-of-Life (Governor appointed)
- Board of Advisors - Pain Week
- Palliative Care Advisory Board - Coastal Hospice and Palliative Care
- Chair - Henson Awards Program (Richard A Henson Research Institute)
- Board of Directors (Treasurer) - Eastern Shore Mountain Bike Association
Research
- Research Coordinator
Study Title: Dissemination and Implementation of a Community Health Worker for Disparities in Palliative Care (Decide PC)
- Research Coordinator
Study Title: An implementation-based Community Health Worker Intervention to Address Disparities in Palliative Care (I TITRATE PC)
- Primary Investigator
Study Title: Expansion of the Emergent Department Drug Surveillance System
- Peer Reviewer
Journal of Respiratory Care
- Peer Reviewer
Journal of Pain and Symptom Pharmacotherapy
- Reviewer and expert consultant
Pain management chapter, Crushing Cancer “A Patient's Complete Guide to Managing a Cancer Diagnosis” by Kerry A. Forrestal MD
Community
Lacrosse Coach: Falcons Youth Sports
Lacrosse Coach: Eastern Shore Youth Lacrosse League
Lacrosse Coach: Saltwater Mid-Atlantic Lacrosse Club
Timeline
Executive Consultatnt - Chief Clinical Officer
HospiceChoiceRx
04.2023 - Current
Pharmacologist - Investigation Drug Services
Tidal Health Richard A Henson Research Institute
09.2022 - Current
Consultant
University Of Maryland Medical System
09.2022 - Current
Chair - Pain Stewardship
University Of Maryland Medical System
01.2020 - 10.2022
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Consultant
United Healthcare
06.2017 - 10.2021
Speaker's Bureau
Mallinckrodt Pharmaceutical
01.2017 - 01.2018
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Consultant
Coastal Hospice and Palliative Care
01.2016 - 12.2022
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Consultant
Talbot Hospice
11.2014 - Current
Regional Coordinator - Inpatient Pain Services
University Of Maryland Shore Regional Health
11.2013 - 09.2022
Adjunct Professor
Salisbury University
01.2013 - 01.2018
Registered Respiratory Therapist III
Peninsula Regional Medical Center
01.2007 - 01.2015
MBA - Healthcare Management
Western Governors University
Executive Management Certificate - Leadership
Yale University
Doctorate - Pharmacy (PharmD)
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Bachelor of Science - Respiratory Therapy
Salisbury University