ACP council will welcome Taciana Pereira as its newest member from District 3 (Edmonton). Taciana holds a pharmacy leadership role with Alberta Health Services. Her three-year term will begin on July 1. Welcome Taciana!
Describe your pharmacy practice interests.
My practice interests are in mental health, working with vulnerable populations, and the impact that pharmacists can make in improving patient’s quality of life and health outcomes.
I practiced in mental health for 6 years, which really enforced the importance of the pharmacist as part of the healthcare team. I was proud of my role as I was able to play a critical part in ensuring these patients are able to manage their medications once discharged from the hospital setting.
In my current position, I ensure AHS Pharmacy Services is able to demonstrate the benefit of pharmacists in direct patient care in Alberta Health Services. My experience with provincial roles, including the development of pharmacy policy, financial planning and leadership in the program, provides a provincial perspective that I can bring to council.
Personally, I am interested in how the introduction of technology can aid a pharmacist’s ability to provide patient care by allowing timely access to information to support decision making. Technology can increase efficiencies in a demanding work environment in the community, hospital and ambulatory clinic settings. Technology can enable pharmacists and other health professionals to collaborate in novel or innovative ways and can improve access for patients to their primary care team.
What are your personal goals and objectives as a councillor?
Leading pharmacy practice – Over the last 20 years, pharmacy has made considerable changes in shifting from a product-centered to a patient-centered profession. This is an exciting time for pharmacy, as pharmacists are now moving from making treatment recommendations to making treatment decisions. My objective as a councillor is to encourage and support continued expanded scope of practice. This includes identifying the barriers to additional prescribing. Practising at full scope for both pharmacy technicians and pharmacists is vital in ensuring increased direct patient care in all models of practice.
Introduction of innovative practice models, leveraging technology to support pharmacists and enable access to patients in novel ways. Pharmacists are valuable to the health care system and play an integral role in ensuring the sustainability of our limited health care resources.
To ensure that the views of registrants are presented to council, and also to share and discuss council decisions and their impacts with registrants.
