OCTOBER 2022 – With more than 25 years in the business of pharmacy, Kimberly Schroeder has a passion for the profession she appreciates being able to share with other Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy board members. Here she provides her insights on why CFP is a vital part of the pharmacy landscape, now especially.
When and why did you join CFP?
I joined the Board in 2020 but had been aware of CFP at least 15 years prior to that. I learned about the Foundation through one of my retail partners, and while I’m not a pharmacist, CFP has always provided some outstanding networking opportunities and educational tools (in-person and online) to better understand the issues happening in the profession. One example is the Changing Face of Pharmacy report, which true to its name, highlights the evolution and change happening in pharmacy and puts a spotlight on the topics that are relevant and meaningful
What do you contribute as a CFP board member?
I have extensive experience in the business of pharmacy and offer education and support to facilitate information-sharing in that aspect. Most recently, I have been spending an enormous amount of time in supporting pharmacists in helping educate patients around biosimilars. I bring insights back to the Board around how pharmacy is evolving and what pharmacists need on the frontlines in terms of medication management. I’m also involved in advocacy from a policy perspective, so I’m able to share the changes we’re seeing as manufacturers and what trickle effect that might have on pharmacists in the future.
What are your goals for the Foundation going forward?
Our mission, first and foremost, is to continue to invest in the innovation and evolution of pharmacy because everyone—including patients—wins when we do that. At the end of the day, it’s about how to better support patients in the Canadian healthcare system, so it’s up to us to support pharmacists who are coming up with innovative ideas and clinical trials to help move the marker in improving patient outcomes. As a board member it is so inspiring to know that there are so many pharmacists and teams out there still actively trying to move the needle to make things better.
We also have to drive more engagement and awareness. I don’t think CFP is a household name yet and it should be! There are many talented pharmacists out there with ideas they don’t know how to take forward; as board members we are always interested in taking time to explain what CFP does and how we can support them.
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