The hospital pharmacy team are medication experts that evaluate the patient's medication needs, effectiveness and safety using patient-specific information and evidence based assessment of treatments. They work in close collaboration with the other health care professionals in the hospital and provide patients with medication information. During Pharmacy Awareness Month in March, MAHC is proud to recognize our Clinical Supervising Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Clerks.
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Pharmacists are health care providers who are equipped to help us understand the best use of medications. As an integral member of the circle of care, Pharmacists like Kelly Coker assist with drug selection and dosing. They manage drug interactions and make recommendations to alter doses based on a patient's medical condition. Pharmacists facilitate medication reconciliation from admission through to discharge. They are instrumental in communicating with a patient's community pharmacist and physician. MAHC Pharmacists also sit on clinical committees, guiding the development of order-sets and the drug formulary.
Kelly joined the MAHC team three years ago after a six-year career at the Poison Control Centre in Vancouver and 10 years of community pharmacy practise in Port Carling.
Medication is a big part of patient care during a hospital stay. Pharmacy Technicians like Vicki Clark support a team that ensures patients are receiving the appropriate medications in the safest manner. With each admitted patient they facilitate medication reconciliation on admission, using the Best Possible Medication History, which verifies their medication use, captures any conflicts and assists in evaluating future use of prescribed and over-the-counter medications. Vicki came to the hospital from the retail sector nearly 20 years ago and has enjoyed working in the hospital Pharmacy's changing environment where recent upgrades have streamlined inventory and ordering practices. She is also involved in the specialized preparation of chemotherapy infusions.
Pharmacists are experts in medication, committed to safe patient care at the hospitals through effective medication management. Susan Lang has been a pharmacist for 30 years and takes her role very seriously. From the time a patient is admitted to the hospital, Pharmacists work behind the scenes, reviewing medication history and distributing drugs. They work closely with nurses and doctors to support the most holistic approach to a patient's care. When changes are made to medications in the hospital, Susan is available to meet with the patient and review any changes before they are discharged home. Susan grew up in Bracebridge and happily returned to Muskoka to raise her two sons with her husband. She loves skiing and canoeing and taking her sailboat out on Lake Muskoka.
Joining the MAHC team was a natural progression for Pharmacy Technician Dara Pasztor. A high school co-op placement at the hospital led her to pursue a career in the Pharmacy. Born and raised locally, Dara has also inspired other young girls to study technology, science or math through the "Opening Doors" event. She says she is fortunate to learn something new almost every day. Recently she has been part of a specialized team working to prepare the MAHC Pharmacies for an electronic health record system. Her role to ensure safe patient care is part of her everyday work, entering medications that patients require into a computer system, and making sure the nursing areas are well stocked with the medications they need. Dara is a newlywed and actively supports her husband's rock band with their Chihuahua "Lucky".
Amanda Bellamy grew up in a small town where the local Pharmacist was as trusted as a physician. It was this mentorship that helped Amanda to realize her interest in Pharmacy as a career. She has been a Pharmacist at MAHC since June 2015, and was eager to return to Muskoka having spent part of her university co-op placement at SMMH. Between then and now, she has seen first-hand the advancements in the department as the Pharmacy has gone from a paper medication record to electronic clinical charting. She says the best part about MAHC is the learning experiences that have helped her professional development. Amanda enjoys playing dodgeball, curling, and getting out on the lakes.
Sarah Teutloff has been part of the MAHC family since 2010 and feels lucky to have found work in a community hospital. Sarah brings experience working in community pharmacies as well. But she always wanted to work in the hospital.
"It's a totally different side to the profession," she says.
Sarah became a Pharmacy Technician in 2007 just before the curriculum changed and required additional certification to practise in Ontario. Sarah worked very hard to complete an online bridging program and is now recognized by the College of Pharmacists. She and her husband are expecting their first child this June and look forward to raising their family in Muskoka.
Erin McKinnon loves being at MAHC as a Pharmacy Technician. Day to day, she enters medication orders, fills the orders and works with the other technicians to verify the orders. This helps to free up the Pharmacists' time so they are more available for clinical support. Techs like Erin also prepare IV solutions and ensure medication carts are properly stocked. Erin says working in the hospital setting has been a change from her 10 years in retail pharmacy. While she misses the face-to-face with patients, she appreciates the interaction with nursing staff and the learning that it has encouraged. Erin also enjoys lacing up the skates to play defense in women's hockey.
Cheryl Bennett took a chance when she left a full-time job in Fergus to move to Muskoka for a casual position as a Pharmacy Technician at MAHC. Four years later and now working full-time, it was the right move for Cheryl, who enjoys being on nature's doorstep to the best provincial parks in Ontario. Cheryl always loved math and science, and knew that a career in Pharmacy would allow her to help others as part of a team. She enjoys working alongside a variety of health care professionals every day in a collaborative effort to help provide the best patient outcomes.
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