Leading the way in pharmacy practice

Rosemary Bacovsky's curriculum vitae (BSc '74, BSc Pharm '77, M Pharm '85, MHSA '97) reminds one of the Beatles song "The Long and Winding Road." And, like the fearsome foursome was with music, Bacovsky has been a pioneer in the field of pharmacy. For those contributions, she was honoured last fall with the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Outstanding Alumni Award.

The award is presented to "alumni in recognition of outstanding contributions to their professions, their communities, to society at large, or to the University of Alberta Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences".

Bacovsky began her journey at the University of Alberta when she entered the Faculty of Science with a goal of becoming a marine zoologist.

"Once I realized that I would have to spend all my time in the lab because I couldn't swim well enough to scuba dive," says Bacovsky with a laugh, "I began to look at alternatives and, having had some friends in pharmacy, I thought it looked interesting and I applied."

Bacovsky graduated from the pharmacy program and followed up with a hospital residency. After which her career took her to the Cross Cancer Institute. While at the Cross Cancer Institute, she started up a new and innovative clinical program.

"I implemented one of the first, if not the first, clinical pharmacy-based chemotherapy IV admixture program in Canada," says Bacovsky. "Essentially, this program meant leading in pharmacy practice for the province and the country."

Her 10 years at the Cross Cancer Institute also saw her develop the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP) standards for the handling and disposal of hazardous pharmaceuticals. The standards she developed were endorsed by the Canadian Standards Association. Bacovsky is also credited with being "instrumental in establishing the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners and in the organization of its third international symposium in Toronto in 1993."

"Rosemary Bacovsky established a national profile for excellence in oncology practice for her work at the Cross Cancer," says Carole R. Chambers, director of Pharmacy, Cancer Services, Alberta Health Services. "Not only did the admixture program she created win a national award, it also serves as a strong backbone of pharmacy practice today."

Bacovsky left the Cross Cancer Institute to pursue a master's degree in Health Services Administration (MHSA) in order to "better understand why things happened the way they did in the health care system."

While pursuing graduate studies, she began doing some consulting work and was approached by Alberta Health to review its provincial drug plan. Her work led to many of the changes seen in pharmacy practice today.

"The report I provided was the basis for several changes in the drug programs," says Bacovsky. "These included the drug benefit list, the least-cost alternative policy and revised pharmacy reimbursement."

Her review of drug programs led Bacovsky to a position with the provincial government, where she helped develop pharmaceutical policy including home parenteral drug therapy programs and managing government drug programs.

A reorganization at Alberta Health provided her the opportunity to join her husband, who was working in Mexico in 1997 and live "internationally "for two years. Bacovsky set up her consulting practice, Integra Consulting, while in Mexico. Her work as a consultant saw her assist the government of Trinidad and Tobago in setting up a public drug program as well as consulting on pharmaceutical policy, including serving an expert witness in federal court proceedings on drug plans and practices. Today she continues to consult and this allows her to travel-another love.

While her legacy in oncology practice is tremendous and her work since then has been varied, perhaps what Bacovsky is most recently known for her is her advocacy and work in expanding the scope of practice for Alberta pharmacists.

"For a long time, I've believed that pharmacists should proactively use their knowledge in managing medication therapy rather than being reactive by correcting prescribing being done by others," says Bacovsky. "At the time, the Government of Alberta was writing the Health Profession Act and I saw this as an opportunity for pharmacists to expand their scope of practice, particularly in the area of prescribing."

Bacovsky started her advocacy work with politicians, pharmacy leaders and practicing pharmacists because she felt the "profession was ready for this pivotal change."

In addition to writing a number of position papers for the Alberta Pharmaceutical Association showing that, "Alberta pharmacists were already essentially prescribing through delegated activities and that their education had the most training surrounding medications", Bacovsky was also a part of a working group that created the framework for the expanded scope of practice and "this was eventually accepted by the provincial government and licensing bodies."

The expanded scope of practice became law on April 1, 2007-a career highlight for Bacovsky.

"A monumental day for Alberta pharmacy," says Bacovsky. "The framework that we developed was, to my knowledge, the most comprehensive in Canada, if not the world."

Bacovsky did not stop there. She was also a strong advocate for having the then-Canada Customs and Revenue Agency recognize pharmacists as practitioners in 2003, thus facilitating pharmacists to be paid for non-dispensing activities, including by private sector health insurance plans.

Bacovsky leaves a lasting legacy on the profession as well as a physical reminder at the faculty office. She and her husband donated a valuable mortar and pestle collection, which is currently housed in the dean's office. The mortar and pestle collection began when Bacovsky graduated from pharmacy but grew as she travelled. Their collection tallies more than 500 pieces right now, including pharmacy, food and mining related mortar and pestles and pharmacist sculptures.

What's next for Bacovsky? She and her husband continue to travel the world to "enjoy great food experiences." And the inability to swim that brought Bacovsky to pharmacy in the first place? Like all challenges she has faced, it has been roundly conquered and has become another passion of Bacovsky's life. In addition to her many achievements, she is also a certified scuba diver.

Rosemary Bacovsky is a well-recognized and highly accomplished pharmacist who has contributed much to provincial, national and international research and policy making. Some of her awards include:

• Alberta Pharmacy Centennial Award of Distinction 2011 - a recognition of 102 pharmacists who have contributed to the advancement of pharmacy in Alberta over the past 100 years

• Centennial Pharmacist Award - Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) - recognition of 100 pharmacists who have made significant contributions to leading and building CPhA and the profession of pharmacy in past 100 years.

• Isabel Stauffer - Ortho Distinguished Service Award, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists 1997