What motivated you to join Medbelle and the healthcare industry in general?
Joining healthcare seemed like the obvious choice back in school. I was really passionate and excited about organic chemistry and biochemistry. I always enjoyed it on a theoretical and lab level but I wanted to be able to use the knowledge in a way that could impact people’s lives. Out of all the professions, pharmacy combined it all. After years working in a hospital, I wanted a new challenge and a different environment to use my knowledge and skills. Medbelle is changing how we can provide healthcare to patients and the focus on value-based healthcare is particularly exciting, I wanted to join a health team that wants to disrupt the industry in a positive way that really benefits patients.
Your best memory with a patient
It's hard to narrow down my best memory but a particular patient stands out and sums up why I really enjoyed working in clinical pharmacy.
When I was working in respiratory medicine, a very complex patient with various immunological disorders came onto the ward for treatment of pneumonia. As she was on many specialist medications I was heavily involved in creating her new treatment plan. Her condition was so rare and complex that very few of the medical team understood it and I spent an hour researching her conditions to understand how it would interact with our care of her.
This patient stood out because in order to really help her I had to utilise many of the skills and knowledge that I had learnt over the years; pharmacology, physiology, communication and much more. The plan created for her was grounded in evidence-based medicine and tailored for her. It was helping complex patients like her that would make all the work and study worthwhile.
If there was one thing you wish everyone knew.
Healthcare professionals are human. I feel that so often in the NHS, the public hold the staff up to hero status when they are just as liable to burn out and making mistakes as everyone else. It's important to respect and have patience for healthcare teams.
One piece of advice you would give patients looking into surgery
Make sure you trust your surgeon and provider completely. If you are unsure about anything, you need to feel comfortable to voice your opinion and know that you will be heard. If you do not, then look around. Having the right team for your surgery is more important than anything else.
