Alumni Profile: Jason Ryan
Jason Ryan (Class of 1998) pursued a career in pharmacy driven both by his desire to help people and his love for science – he says you’d never catch him in an English course. He’s been a practicing pharmacist for 18 years and currently works at Bonavista Pharmacy. While rural healthcare has its challenges, Jason sees the many opportunities it offers for growth instead.
The expanded scope of pharmacy practice has undoubtedly helped with accessibility to healthcare in rural communities. Pharmacists are now able to initiate new prescriptions for certain conditions, extend prescriptions for chronic medications and administer injections, which is a major advancement. It’s important to have these options available in places like Bonavista, where people could be waiting for weeks for a doctor.
In many rural areas, physicians often rotate in for short periods of time and the local pharmacist is a constant and reliable thread in filling the gap for both medical professionals and community members. Many people will visit a pharmacist for medical advice, as it reduces their wait time and helps alleviate the “worry factor” when a physician is not available. Jason has seen the true benefit that these additional services have provided in Bonavista where community members are happily taking advantage of the pharmacists’ expanded role. Last year, Jason gave over 120 flu shots, which patients can schedule a 15-minute appointment for instead of waiting in line at a clinic.
“One time, a lady was getting married who developed a cold sore just before her wedding and didn’t have time to wait in the ER. I prescribed a medication that cleared it up for her big day,” said Jason. “She came in after the wedding to share how appreciative she was, and that’s very rewarding to me.”
In addition to being in the pharmacy, Jason works with other healthcare professionals in the local long-term care facility. He participates in interdisciplinary meetings to add his perspective and knowledge, aiding in the diagnoses and treatment of the facility residents. When a resident has a specific issue, Jason meets with the physician and/or nurses to help determine the proper course of action. He also conducts medication reviews and provides medication packaging, as well as audits the facility medication room to ensure proper storage for quality and safety. Again, he has witnessed the real impact of his multi-faceted role in the community through this collaborative healthcare model.
“I had a patient who was in St. John’s for specialized treatment who raved to the physician about the advice and care I was providing so much that he was convinced that I was her family doctor, even when she was telling him I was her pharmacist,” said Jason. “When patients develop that relationship with you and they prefer to come to you for care and look to you for advice, that makes the work very special.”
Pharmacists remain among the most accessible healthcare professionals. Patients do not need an appointment to come in for advice, counselling and now additional services including prescriptions for minor ailments and injections. With three pharmacists on his team in Bonavista and looking to add a fourth, Jason sees the opportunity to grow the pharmacist role in his community even more. “With an additional pharmacist on our team, we’ll be able to schedule more clinical time into our day to do things such as antibiotic call backs and even more counselling,” added Jason. “I also hope to see more publically-funded payment models in the future that will allow more patients to access our services and alleviate the burden on rural healthcare even more.”
So while Jason may not have enjoyed English courses in his school days, he is certainly helping to write a new story for the pharmacy profession and expand its role as part of the full healthcare team.
This profile was supplied by the Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board.