Benjamin Pontefract, PharmD, BCPS

Benjamin Pontefract, PharmD, BCPS

Associate Professor
Pharmacy Practice
Email: [email protected]

Education

• Certificate, Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist, Board of Pharmacy Specialties
• PharmD, University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• BS, University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy

Graduate/Post-Graduate Training

• Fellowship, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Boise VA Medical Center, Boise, ID, United States
• Residency, PGY-1 Ambulatory Care, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States

Biography

Dr. Pontefract teaches in and coordinates the infectious diseases portion of the Integrated Pharmacotherapy (IP) course series. He practices as an Internal Medicine pharmacist at CoreWell Health Blodgett Hospital where he precepts APPE students during their final year of pharmacy school. Research interests include antimicrobial stewardship (inpatient and outpatient), infectious disease epidemiology, and artificial intelligence in healthcare. Dr. Pontefract is also currently serving on the E-Board of the Western Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (WMSHP) and on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (MSHP).

Publications and Intellectual Contributions

• Newsletter
  Fox, T., Briggs, M., Carriere, A., Tran, V., Pontefract, B. (2026). "OneHealth: Antimicrobial Stewardship Throughout All of Society," In M. Klepser (Ed.), MHSP Monitor.
• Newsletter
  Pontefract, B. (2026). "Stronger Together: Past Successes and Present Struggles," MHSP Monitor.
• Newsletter
  Brown, K., Hickson, M., Pontefract, B. (2026). "Challenges Facing Healthcare in 2026," MHSP Monitor.
• Journal Article
  Vo, T., Dahal, K., Klepser, M. E., Pontefract, B., Caniff, K., Sohn, M. (2025). "Collaboration to harmonize antimicrobial registry measures (CHARM) database analysis of antibiotic prescribing in urgent and non-urgent care: a retrospective study on demographic factors," Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology. 5 (1). Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://doi.org/10.1017/ash.2025.10197
• Journal Article
  Vo, T., Dahal, K., Klepser, M. E., Pontefract, B., Caniff, K., Sohn, M. (2025). "Evaluation of large language models for antimicrobial classification: implications for antimicrobial stewardship programs," Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology. 5 (1). Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://doi.org/10.1017/ash.2025.10235
• Book Chapter
  Pontefract, B. (2025). "Lower Respiratory Tract Infections," NAPLEX Review Guide 5th Edition. McGraw Hill.
• Newsletter
  Mcwain, C., Pontefract, B. (2025). "Wrestling Skin Infections: Prevention, Management, and Best Practices," In L. Hsaiky (Ed.), MHSP Monitor.
• Journal Article
  Sohn, M., Pontefract, B., Dahal, K., Klepser, M. (2025). "Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship During the COVID-19 Era: Analysis of Prescribing Trends and Guideline Compliance," Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology. 5 (1). p. e168. Cambridge University Press.
• Newsletter
  Pontefract, B. (2025). "How to “Empower, Engage, Enact” with Local and State Pharmacy Organizations," MSHP Monitor. (March 2025).
• Newsletter
  Bernknopf, A. C., Girand, H. L., Pontefract, B., VanLangen, K. M. (2024). "Elevating Education: Harnessing AI Tools for Pharmacy Faculty and Students," AACP Connect Newsletter Winter 2024. American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

Presentations

• Oral Presentation
  Vo, T. (Author & Presenter), Sampada, F. (Author), Pontefract, B. (Author), Klepser, M. (Author), Sohn, M. (Author), Making a Difference in Infectious Diseases (MAD-ID) 2026, "AI-Assisted ICD-10 Bucketing to Accelerate Antimicrobial Stewardship Surveillance:A CHARM Initiative," Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists, Orlando, FL, (May 2026).
• Oral Presentation
  Pontefract, B. (Author & Presenter), McLaren Hospital Monthly Pharmacist CE, "Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare," McLaren Hospital, Virtual, (February 5, 2026).
• Poster
  Vo, T. (Author & Presenter), Klepser, M. (Author), Pontefract, B., Caniff, K. (Author), deVoest, M. (Author), Annual Meeting and Exposition, "Antibiotic Stewardship in Transitions of Care: Concordance Pattern Analysis using Collaboration to Harmonize Antimicrobial Registry Measure Dashboard," American Pharmacist Association (APhA), Los Angelas, CA, (March 27, 2026).
• Poster
  Vo, T. (Author & Presenter), Sohn, M. (Author), Klepser, M. E. (Author), Pontefract, B. (Author), Caniff, K. (Author), deVoest, M. (Author), APhA Annual Meeting 2026, "Antibiotic Stewardship in Transitions of Care: Concordance Pattern Analysis using Collaboration to Harmonize Antimicrobial Registry Measure Dashboard," Los Angeles, CA, (March 28, 2026).
• Oral Presentation
  Pontefract, B. (Author & Presenter), Prajapati, M. (Author & Presenter), RPR April 2026, "Writing Exam Questions," Ferris Professional Development Committee, Virtual, (April 2, 2026).
• Oral Presentation
  Pontefract, B. (Author & Presenter), Worden, L. (Author & Presenter), Hsaiky, L. (Author & Presenter), Great Lakes Infectious Diseases Conference 2026, "The Monetary Benefits of Antimicrobial Stewardship," Ferris State University College of Pharmacy, Grand Rapids, MI, (March 21, 2026).
• Poster
  Caniff, K. (Author & Presenter), Dahal, K. (Author), Klepser, M. (Author), Pontefract, B. (Author), Sohn, M. (Author), National Oral Health Conference 2026, "Evaluation of Clindamycin Prescribing in Dental Encounters at Federally Qualified Health Centers," American Association of Public Health Dentistry, Oklahoma City, OK, (April 11, 2026).
• Poster
  Vo, T. (Author & Presenter), Sohn, M. (Author), Klepser, M. E. (Author), Pontefract, B. (Author), Caniff, K. (Author), deVoest, M., Michigan Pharmacist Meeting, "Antibiotic Stewardship in Transitions of Care: Concordance Pattern Analysis using Collaboration to Harmonize Antimicrobial Registry Measure Dashboard," Lansing Mi, (April 17, 2026).
• Poster
  Beck, S. (Author), Pontefract, B. (Author & Presenter), Worden, L. (Author), Making a Difference in Infectious Diseases (MAD-ID) 2026, "Wouldn't You Like to Know: Impact of Penicillin Binding Protein 2a Screenings on Staphylococcus aureus Wound Infections," Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP), Orlando, Florida, (May 15, 2026).
• Poster
  Vo, T. (Author & Presenter), Guerin, J. (Author), Gardner, M. (Author), Lakatos, C. (Author), Klepser, M. (Author), Pontefract, B. (Author), Sohn, M. (Author), Spring 2026 Conference, "Antimicrobial Prescribing Patterns in Dogs and Cats at a Michigan Veterinary Medical Center," Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), Chicago, IL, (April 7, 2026).