Two pharmacists at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre have been recognized for their outstanding dedication by the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association.
Kelsey Slater received the Award of Excellence at the 2024 Alberta Pharmacy Excellence Awards, and Dr. Sabrina Lorico was named one of this year’s Future of Pharmacy award winners.
The Award of Excellence recognizes those who have developed and/or implemented an innovative, original pharmacy program or service which is significant to their area of practice, or have gone above and beyond for patients.
Slater received the award for her exceptional contributions to the development of pharmacist clinical practice in the General Internal Medicine (GMI) clinic at the Red Deer hospital and by showing commitment to excellence, innovative approach and patient-centred care.
With a significant shortage of clinicians throughout Central Alberta, Slater 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 patient follow-up by providing thorough initial assessments, medication reviews, and meticulous review of lab results and diagnostic tests.
Slater’s expertise has made her a sought-after resource for fellow pharmacists, showcasing her dedication to both the profession and personal development.
Patients have described her as knowledgeable, personable, patient and thorough in explaining medications.
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The Future of Pharmacy Award is presented to up to three pharmacists each year who have a passion for pharmacy and offer extraordinary promise to the profession.
Recipient Dr. Lorico, a clinical pharmacist at Red Deer hospital specializing in palliative care within a general medicine unit, consistently exhibits exceptional clinical acumen, a profound dedication to patient welfare, and an unwavering passion for advancing the pharmacy field.
Between spring 2022 and fall 2023 when there was a lack of dedicated palliative physician presence on the unit, Lorico continuously took the initiative to serve patients with palliative conditions and helped bridge the coverage gap. When the hospital recruited a new palliative care physician, she viewed this as an opportunity to ensure a collaborative rounding team was reformed on the unit. As a result of her commitment, the unit has a thriving interdisciplinary palliative care-focused practice.
During the pandemic, Lorico’s adaptability and clinical knowledge played a crucial role in supporting the Intensive Care Unit team. Her willingness to undertake a critical role with limited re-training showed her commitment and resilience while maintaining a positive and energetic demeanour.
Lorico also led the development and initiation of the hospital’s Pharmacy Quality Council tasked with reviewing medication safety incidents and processes to develop strategies to reduce medication errors and improve patient safety.
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The 2024 Alberta Pharmacy Excellence Awards recipients were nominated by their peers for providing exceptional patient care to Albertans and contributing to the advancement of pharmacy practice.