Michelle MacDonald works as a Clinical Practice Leader- Faculty Liaison (CPL-FL) with Alberta Health Services (AHS), Pharmacy Services and Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Alberta, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Working one day a week as the Clinical Pharmacist with Cancer Rehabilitation team, Michelle sees patients both independently and with the physicians and is available on a referral basis to the physiotherapists and occupational therapists. She is involved in many aspects of the provision of patient care such as: initial assessment, patient education and counselling, medication reconciliation, initiating medications utilized in cancer rehabilitation, creation of a care plan including possible alternate medication options, dosage titrations/tapering, monitoring and management of side effects as well as ongoing short term support and monitoring.
Michelle is passionate about providing patient centred care and following behaviour health change principles to ‘meet patients where they are at’ and to help them reach their health goals.
As provincial Faculty Liaison with AHS/Covenant Health and the Experiential Education team of the University of Alberta, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, she leads, supports, and engages with leadership and pharmacists for the recruitment of pharmacy student placements, preceptor skill development and support of students, preceptors when on placement. In her role as CPL, she is a leader with provincial AHS Pharmacy Services and with the Calgary Zone Ambulatory Pharmacy Services portfolio, mentoring and supporting pharmacists in their clinical practice and local or provincial pharmacy initiatives.