Check out the winners of our Interprofessional Initiative Award: Holland Bloorview Psychopharmacology Clinic
Offered through the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto—the largest in Canada for kids with disabilities and developmental differences—the Psychopharmacology Clinic provides psychopharmacology consultation and medication management for children and youth with complex developmental and medical conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy—and related behavioural or developmental concerns. It also facilitates successful transition from hospital services to community-based care via interprofessional collaboration. Pharmacists Nathan Ho, Tamara Milicevic and Claudia Janiszewski lead the clinical pharmacist team, who collaboratively manage medications, identify drug therapy issues and co-design effective treatment plans for patients.
Why they won
By embedding pharmacist expertise into the workflow starting in 2014, the clinic was able to better streamline medications and elevate the quality of care. The success of this pharmacist integration also laid the foundation for a pharmacist and nurse practitioner-led Interprofessional Transition Clinic designed to support patients as they move from specialized hospital-based psychopharmacology services back to their community providers.
In providing structured, interprofessional follow-up for patients preparing for transition, the clinic reduced wait times by over 50%, allowing hundreds of children/youth to get earlier access to expert care they desperately needed. The team has also strengthened the continuum of care through better, more seamless transitions back to community providers. Families using the clinic said they got more clarity, reassurance, and a well-communicated plan that honoured their child’s needs.
What the judges said
“A great demonstration of collaboration leading to decreased wait"
We asked the team
Do you have any tips for pharmacists who wish to practise more cooperatively with other healthcare professionals?
“As patient needs become increasingly complex, collaboration among healthcare professionals is essential. At Holland Bloorview, more than half of the patients we support through interprofessional teams have three or more clinical diagnoses. In today’s often fragmented system, integrated team-based approaches deliver more holistic solutions for patients. Building trust and respecting each team member’s expertise fosters strong partnerships, while leveraging individual strengths ensures timely and personalized care. To sustain and expand these models, it is critical to measure their impact on outcomes and patient experience. We encourage pharmacists to embrace their role as collaborative medication experts and lean into every opportunity to provide interprofessional patient-centred care.”