Please see the media release below from the Canadian Pharmacists Association:
OTTAWA/FREDERICTON – Passionate about improving the health of seniors through research, innovation and quality care, the Canadian Pharmacists Association’s 2023 Canadian Pharmacist of the Year is a shining example of how dedication, compassion and perseverance can transform the way health care is delivered.
Through her work with seniors in New Brunswick, home to one of Canada’s oldest populations, Dr. Carole Goodine sees first-hand how complicated medication regimes can be for patients, especially seniors. A passionate pharmacist and avid researcher, she has devoted her career to simplifying medication management for patients and helping seniors manage their medications.
Carole is always looking for opportunities to improve pharmacy services for older adults so that they can take their medications safely and effectively, and she believes that deprescribing, or reducing the number of medications a patient is taking, is an essential part of that process. “Nearly two-thirds of adults are taking five or more medications,” she explains. “Pharmacists monitor for adverse events and, when appropriate, help people reduce or stop medications that may be causing more harm than good or are no longer needed.”
To further these efforts on a province-wide scale, Carole has secured funding and collaborated with researchers from McGill University Health Network, MedSafer and the Centre for Innovation and Research in Aging to develop and test MedReviewRx, an application designed to support deprescribing that is currently being piloted in New Brunswick nursing homes.
“CPhA is proud to recognize Carole’s passion for providing exceptional health care to seniors in New Brunswick,” says Dr. Shawn Bugden, CPhA Chair. “As Canada’s population continues to age, it’s exactly this kind of dedication to innovation and to the community that is needed to ensure that Canada’s health-care system is meeting the needs of seniors across the country. Carole’s dedication to innovation, education and collaboration is critical to enhancing safe and effective medication use for seniors, and she is an exemplary model for how pharmacists can contribute to the evolution of the profession as they address real-world challenges for their patients.”
Carole has been a pharmacist for more than 30 years. She holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Dalhousie University and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Colorado. Until recently, she was the Clinical Pharmacy Manager at Doctor Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton, NB, where she worked directly with seniors on the inpatient geriatric and rehabilitation unit, monitoring medication use in hospital and preparing them to manage medications safely at home. She is now the Project Lead on the Hospital to Home Pharmacy Project, a research study at the hospital looking at how patient experiences can be improved when pharmacists are directly involved in helping them transition home after a hospital stay.
"The most rewarding part of my practice is when I discover that I’ve made a difference,” she says. “As a clinician, it’s wonderful to help someone feel better or to explain information in a way that makes sense to them. As a researcher, it’s rewarding to present project results and add to scientific knowledge. I feel proud to be a pharmacist when I hear stories about the impact that pharmacists have on patient care.”
The Canadian Pharmacist of the Year Award is given annually by the Canadian Pharmacists Association to recognize a pharmacist who demonstrates leadership and exemplifies the evolution of the pharmacy profession toward an expanded role in health care.
Meet all the 2023 CPhA Award Winners.
About the Canadian Pharmacists Association
The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) is the uniting national voice of pharmacy and the pharmacist profession in Canada. As pharmacists undertake an enhanced role in the delivery of health care services, CPhA ensures that the profession is recognized as a national leader in health care, influencing the policies, programs, budgets and initiatives affecting the profession and the health of Canadians.