Ask an Alumnus - Bill Lee, BS ’73

William T. Lee, BS ’72, MPA, FASCP

Senior Director Pharmacy System Innovations, Carilion Clinic Healthcare System / President, Koala Healthcare, LLC

As the senior director of pharmacy system innovations for a 1,200-bed healthcare system, I am responsible for managing seven hospitals, the largest an 800-bed facility with trauma level one designation, covering a catch basin of 28 counties with over 1.2 million patients. Our healthcare system is one of the pioneer ACO models and oversees more than 230 physician practices and over 50 level three medical homes.

My professional life as a pharmacist has centered on creating opportunities to allow the pharmacist to make a difference in improving patients with chronic diseases. I have owned and operated pharmacies servicing managed long-term care, assisted, and mental health facilities. I have served in various healthcare industry capacities with over 30 years in the pharmaceutical and healthcare field. My background has included experience in the development of wireless and mobile documentation tools for improving the clinical monitoring activities of pharmacists in an institutional environment and on an ambulatory retail basis. My broad experience in the managed care sector and group purchasing organizations includes the acute care hospital setting and the ambulatory and private sector. In the wholesale pharmaceutical industry, this experience has provided me the benefit of understanding the different channels for the marketing and distribution of medications and other related healthcare products within the United States and on an international level.

Q -As a pharmacist, how can I best prepare to adapt to the inevitable changes ahead in the next 20 years?

A - Embrace technology and the opportunity to increase the patient experience and to be able to use remote technology as a means of getting unbiased, direct patient feedback in real-time. Begin to be more involved beyond your area of practice and expertise; pharmacists must be involved in all aspects of the transitional care model in order to meet the needs of the patient and the continuum of care. To be truly clinical, the care of the patient may begin in the emergency room, but the pharmacist must be able to follow up on the patient as the patient continues their treatment beyond the four walls of the hospital into the community and back into their home. There is a need to develop a deeper relationship with the patient in order to establish a true covenant relationship similar to what the independent community pharmacist has created over the years with many of their patients. Pharmacy is at the most opportune time in our profession because of the unfortunate COVID-19 situation. We need to act as one profession with one voice as a whole to move the profession forward. As a piece of advice, pharmacists need to be involved with their professional associations at the local, regional, or national levels. They need to stay informed and be on top of the latest developments and issues that affect their profession.

Q - What are you working on right now, and what have you learned from it?

A - One of my many interests is continuing my efforts to advance the opportunities for pharmacists in the area of what remote technology can do for us as a profession. The ability to have patients give us direct feedback in real-time on their medication therapies related to their chronic conditions like diabetes or cardiac conditions like hypertension is a significant shift in the paradigm model. The implications are that we, as pharmacists, can make a substantial difference in the ongoing shift to preventive medicine. My other interest is in being involved with the Virginia Board of Pharmacy as a board member where we have the opportunity to work on many initiatives to allow pharmacists and technicians to practice their profession at the highest level possible and keeping in mind that we are here to serve and keep our patients safe.

Q - Given your impressive and noteworthy career, what career highlight has given you the most satisfaction?

A - I think being able to “influence” and shape many of my students’ and pharmacists’ careers, who later became directors and leaders within the profession, has given me the most satisfaction. For me, it’s not about what I can accomplish but what I can do to make a real difference in the profession and to allow others to be successful at it. I find real satisfaction and joy when some of my colleagues come back to me and thank me for being their mentor or having worked with them and allowing them to practice at the top of their licensure. For me, it has always been about what can be done to help fellow pharmacists become truly clinical and engaged with their patients and to be able to develop that covenant with their patients.

Q - What do you enjoy most about your work (or leadership)?

A - I think being able to have the opportunity to provide the experience and knowledge to an individual that has the passion and the drive to become a leader is probably the greatest enjoyment in my work. Beyond that, it would have to be the opportunity to help an organization develop strategies and initiatives that can make a difference in our patients’ lives. Presently, we’re working on rolling out across the system a substance abuse disorder initiative that can address the substance abuse disorder in our region. That the system is situated in the heart of the Appalachia region only illustrates the complexity and challenge in front of us, and we are having success with it.

Q - What do you love about pharmacy? Management?

A - Being able to truly help people and become part of their lives when they need help the most. Pharmacy gives you that opportunity.

Being in management is not meant for everyone, but my choice was because it allowed me to practice pharmacy the way I had envisioned.

Q - What has been the biggest challenge for you this year (or over your career)?

Finding the time and balancing work with the family, and identifying your priorities, especially at work.

Q - Do you have any advice for our current students and those practicing today?

A - It will only get better . . . get involved and become more of a generalist to meet the transitional care model’s needs. That doesn’t mean you can’t be a specialist, but the new practice model requires a generalist approach.

William T. Lee, BS ’72, MPA, FASCP