Reducing Environmental Impacts on Climate Change. One Step at a Time.
Speaker: Phuong Hoang and Brandi Newby
DATE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6TH AT 12:00PM
About: PHUONG HOANG and BRANDI NEWBY will be presenting on recent initiatives within their pharmacy departments that can help to reduce environmental impact on climate change. Initiatives include proper disposal of metered-dose inhalers, reducing and/or recycling the use of plastics within the department, and establishing strategic times for mixing IV’s to reduce unnecessary waste
About the Speaker:
Phuong works in the Fraser Health Authority as the Pharmacy Distribution Coordinator for Royal Columbian Hospital, an acute tertiary centre in New Westminster, BC. Phuong has 22 years’ experience in hospital practice after completing her residency at St. Paul’s Hospital. She has worked in various clinical settings, but has really enjoyed providing pharmacy leadership and management over the past decade.
Brandi is the Pharmacy Coordinator for the Neonatal and Pediatric Pharmacy at Surrey Memorial Hospital in the Fraser Health Authority. She also works as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Surrey, and develops regional resources for Fraser Health. She is passionate about participating in projects with opportunities to improve patient outcomes
Out of the Box: Non-Traditional Career Paths in Pharmacy
Speaker: Dr. Clifford Lo, Dr. Elaine Chong, Dr. Eric Lun, Dr. I fan Kuo
DATE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13TH AT 12:00PM
About: In this presentation, the panel of pharmacists will share their journeys and experiences in non-traditional career pathways in pharmacy. Through real-life examples and insights, attendees will gain an understanding of the different potential paths to apply a pharmacy background to make a meaningful impact in the health system.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Clifford Lo is the Director of Formulary Management in the Pharmaceutical, Laboratory & Blood Services team. Cliff’s team leads the assessment of drugs for coverage through BC PharmaCare. He spent most of his career in Lower Mainland Pharmacy Services starting as a Dispensary Pharmacist, then working as a Clinical Pharmacist, a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist and then a Regional Manager. He was also the Provincial Pharmacy Lead for Special Projects & Initiatives for BC Renal. In addition to his work experiences, Cliff has completed a master’s in health administration, a master’s in health economics, management & policy, and a 2-year administrative fellowship, all of which he will share in more detail for pharmacists who are thinking about non-traditional roles.
Dr. Elaine Chong is the Director of the Regional Medical Office at the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines in Manila since 2022, and she leads Canada’s migration health screening program across 23 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. She previously held executive roles in government at the federal level (with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Health Canada), as well as at the provincial level (Pharmaceutical Services Division at the British Columbia Ministry of Health). She has a long history with the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, serving as a member and then chair of
the national education committee for a number of years. Elaine is keen to share her insights on her career path that led from pharmacist to diplomat.
Dr. Eric Lun is currently the Executive Director, BC Transplant, Clinical Policy and Provincial Specialized Programs with the Provincial Health Services Authority. Eric has worked previously with the Pharmaceutical Services Division with the Ministry of Health as Executive Director, Drug Intelligence, Optimization, Outcomes and Strategy. Eric has also held various roles with regional pharmacy services at Capital Health (Alberta) and Vancouver Coastal Health, was a pharmacy program lecturer at the University of Technology, Jamaica, and was an industry finance analyst in health care and biotechnology with a major Canadian bank.
Dr. I fan Kuo is currently the Director of Optimal Use and Evaluation in the Pharmaceutical, Laboratory and Blood Services Division, BC Ministry of Health. She started out as a clinical pharmacist and clinical pharmacy specialist at Providence Health, then pursued further research training including a Master of Science and a post-doctoral fellowship at UBC. She held a tenure-track faculty position at the College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba and later worked as a pharmacist consultant for a large insurance company before joining BC Public Service.
Hospital at Home: Putting the “Patient” back in Patient Care
Speaker: Dr. Sean Spina and Sukhi Sidhu
DATE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20TH, AT 12:00PM
About: In 2020, Island Health launched a Hospital at Home (HaH) program to address capacity issues and ease the burden on our hospitals. HaH allows for a subset of acutely ill, clinically stable patients to choose a safe and effective alternative to traditional brick and mortar based in-patient care. HaH patients have 24/7 access to treatment, diagnostics, and hospital-level expertise from the comfort of their own home.
This presentation will discuss the background to the HaH initiative, lessons learned over the past 4 years, highlight the integral role pharmacy provides within the program, and outline how the use of Patient Oriented Research methods informed its design and evaluation
About the Speaker:
Dr. Sean Spina graduated from the University of British Columbia Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences with his BSc in Pharmacy in 2000 and his Doctor of Pharmacy in 2007. He is currently the Regional Clinical Pharmacy Manager for Island Health in Victoria, BC, Canada. Additionally, he serves as the National Past President for the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP), an organization that represents hospital pharmacy professionals across Canada. He is also a Clinical
Associate Professor with the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and an Adjunct Assistant Professor with the University of Victoria Health Information Sciences Faculty. Sean is the Principal Investigator of Alternatives to Traditional Hospital Care Offered in Monitored Environments (AT-HOME). Since the beginning of his career, Dr. Spina has been interested in incorporating technology into clinical practice, and is committed to engaging patients, families clinicians, and decision makers in the research process. He has authored several published articles on these topics and has received numerous local, provincial, and national awards for his work in formally evaluating the impact innovation has on clinical practice and patient care. Website: http://profiles.islandhealth.ca/sean-spina
Sukhi Sidhu graduated from the University of British Columbia Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences with her BSc in Pharmacy in 2013 and completed her PGY1 residency with Interior Health in 2014. Sukhi has been with the Hospital at Home program in Victoria since its inception in fall of 2020. Outside of work, Sukhi enjoys walks with her dogs, finding new hobbies and exploring new recipes.
Exploring Niche Roles in Hospital Pharmacy
Speaker: Dr. Stephanie Garland, Dr. Joan Ng, and Dr. Felicia Yang
DATE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27TH AT 12:00PM
About: In this panel discussion, participants will learn about the role of pharmacists in new and developing areas of hospital pharmacy. The panelists include Clinical Pharmacy Specialists providing inpatient consulting services such as Addiction Medicine and Anticoagulation Stewardship, as well as ambulatory care services in clinics such as the Adult Red Cell Disorders Program. A spotlight will be shined on the new Road to Recovery Substance Use Stabilization Unit. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss current pharmacist roles and future directions in pharmacy practice.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Stephanie Garland completed her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy through the University of British Columbia before going on to complete an accredited pharmacy residency through Lower Mainland Pharmacy Services. After spending a few years as a rotating clinical pharmacist with a passion for Hematology and Oncology, she went on to complete a Doctor of Pharmacy degree through the University of Alberta. She is currently the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Hematology and Thrombosis at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver where she divides her time between the Anticoagulation Stewardship Program and the Adult Red Cell Disorders Program of BC/Yukon. When she’s not working, she enjoys singing, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.
Dr. Joan Ng completed her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy at UBC, and then furthered her training with a LMPS pharmacy residency. After working as a rotating clinical pharmacist at St. Paul’s Hospital for a short time, she went back to school to complete her 2-year Post-graduate Doctor of Pharmacy degree at UBC. Since then, she has worked as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Psychiatry at Surrey Memorial Hospital and Vancouver General Hospital. Currently, she is the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist with the Addiction Medicine Consult Team at SPH. Outside of work, she enjoys making memories with
her husband and toddler son, playing ultimate frisbee, and finding good deals on Facebook Marketplace.
Dr. Felicia Yang completed her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy at UBC and worked as a clinical pharmacist with Correctional Service Canada before completing the LMPS pharmacy residency. She also went on to complete the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Alberta, and has worked as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at St. Paul’s Hospital covering various areas including Opioid Stewardship and Addiction Medicine. She currently works with the Road to Recovery program supporting the Substance Use Stabilization unit.
