2024 Award of Excellence: Kelsey Slater

The Award of Excellence recognizes individuals who have developed and/or implemented an innovative, original pharmacy program or service, which is significant to their area of practice or have had a patient encounter(s) where they have gone over and beyond for their patient and demonstrated excellence in patient care in their professional practice.

This year’s recipient, Kelsey Slater, is being recognized for her exceptional contributions to the development of pharmacist clinical practice in the General Internal Medicine (GIM) clinic at the Red Deer Regional Hospital (RDRH). Kelsey’s commitment to excellence, innovative approach and patient-centred care makes her a deserving candidate for this award.

Kelsey’s pharmacy journey is based on a continuous pursuit of improvement, self-directed learning, and providing the best patient care. When faced with unique patient conditions or drug-related problems (DRPs), Kelsey demonstrates a remarkable ability to expand her knowledge base. Her expertise has made her a sought-after resource for fellow pharmacists, showcasing her dedication to both the profession and personal development. Kelsey strikes a masterful balance between evidence-based medicine and practical application, a skillset honed through hard work and unwavering commitment.

There is a significant shortage of clinicians throughout central Alberta. Kelsey has worked with both clinicians and leadership to help develop and run the GIM clinic, caring for patients discharged from hospital and bridging the gap between acute and primary care. She is instrumental in ensuring follow-up for these patients by providing thorough initial assessments, medication reviews, and meticulous review of lab results and diagnostic tests.

Kelsey practices to the breadth of her scope and has established a clear role for pharmacist leadership in multidisciplinary clinics. The pharmacist-led follow-up is innovative, and our physician group strongly supports this new model due to the clear improvements in patients care. Kelsey has brought a passion to this position for patient advocacy, and without her leadership and guidance the clinic would not be successful and a significant gap in clinical care would result. Patient testimonials affirm Kelsey’s exceptional care, describing her as knowledgeable, personable, patient and thorough in explaining medications.

Last year, the transition to EPIC in the GIM clinic presented a significant challenge. However, Kelsey’s proactive approach ensured a seamless continuity of care for patients. Her meticulous preparation before the launch optimized workflows, and she continues implementing strategies for ongoing efficiency improvements to enhance the patient journey and streamline day-to-day operations for the clinic staff.

Kelsey’s dedication is further highlighted by her involvement in preserving the CASART branch through the GIM clinic, at times where there were barriers to medication access for patients that needed HIV PEP. She continues to be involved to this day and works to find individual solutions for each patient.

Her collaborative and easy-to-work-with demeanour is evident in the positive feedback from colleagues, emphasizing her pivotal role in bridging gaps in clinical care. In the words of her colleagues and leaders, Kelsey is the epitome of excellence in pharmacy practice. Her advocacy for patient care, leadership in multidisciplinary clinics, and innovative pharmacist-led follow-up model have redefined the role of pharmacists in ongoing clinical care.