PHARMACISTS UP CLOSE
Catie Harper,
PharmD, BCACP, CPP
“Medicine is complex. No one person can do it all. Thankfully, health systems use teams of pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and nutritionists each with our own specialization to treat difficult conditions.”
-Dr. Catie Harper
Catie Harper, Clinical Pharmacist for Population Health at Cone Health, knows she isn’t going to solve all your health issues on her own. But by adding her unique skills and medication specialization, she and her team manage even the most complex medical issues.
As a health-system pharmacist and PGY1 Residency Program Director, Catie takes on many roles.
“My physicians know that I’m a resource, not just for the patients’ medications but also patient history. The nurses turn to me to help educate patients about the drug therapies they are on. I even play a role in working with insurance to make sure we find treatments that are covered and affordable.”
My physicians know that I’m a resource, not just for the patients’ medications but also patient history.”
To Catie, the latter is an important part of her job. Health systems can prescribe all types of life-changing therapies and medications, but if the patient can’t access them due to cost or coverage, it won’t do anyone any good. Catie believes it is important for patients to see their pharmacists as not just advocates for their care, but as resources to help them access their treatments as well.
“I want you to know that if you’re struggling to afford your medicine. Or having trouble getting your therapy covered, your pharmacist is an asset you can turn to for help. We understand how to navigate the system and often know about programs or offers that can help make things easier for you.”
In addition to designing drug therapies and navigating the complexities of insurance and access, Catie also puts a heavy emphasis on her work educating patients and following up. In fact, some of her most rewarding experiences as a pharmacist have come from checking in with patients.
“I worked with a patient who was unable to leave her house – she was experiencing symptoms that made her uncomfortable in public. I immediately identified it as side effect of medications, and easily swapped for two similar options that are less likely to have those issues. I talked to her 4 weeks later, and she said her life had completely changed. She was able to leave her house, go have a day of shopping and share a meal with her son and new daughter-in-law, which she hadn’t felt comfortable doing for years.”
But it’s not just side-effects of medication that Catie educates her patients on, she takes a more holistic approach to explaining their condition. Catie makes sure to communicate things in a way that goes beyond lab numbers and blood levels.
“I work with a lot of hypertension and diabetes patients. One of the things with both of these conditions is there are a lot of numbers that really don’t mean anything to you unless you’ve studied the condition. So, I take time with my patients to explain what an A1C is or what their BP numbers mean to them, so that they understand what their medication is doing for them.”
This level of care is why her patients trust her, and allows Dr. Harper to expand the reach of pharmacists in her community.
The doctor told me they had four patients ask for a referral to work with my pharmacy. And that’s just one of the most gratifying things I think I’ve ever experienced.”
“I have a patient with diabetes that I work with constantly to educate and ensure she understands her condition. Her doctor recently reached out to tell me that this patient has told everyone in her book club about the impact her pharmacist has made in her life and how they all should get a pharmacist too.”
“The doctor told me they had four patients ask for a referral to work with my pharmacy. And that’s just one of the most gratifying things I think I’ve ever experienced.”
For Catie, being on the patients’ side, ready to bring clarity and confidence, is what it means to be your pharmacist.
