Q&A with Pharmacy U presenter Sherilyn Houle: ‘I recognized that immunizations and travel health were my passion.’

Sherilyn Houle will be presenting at Pharmacy U Toronto on April 13, 2024.Tell us a bit about your background – education and career path as a pharmacist.I received my pharmacy degree from the University of Saskatchewan and then practised in hospital pharmacy (clinical areas of psychiatry and palliative care) and as a home care pharmacist before pursuing my graduate studies. During grad school I practised in community pharmacy and received my PhD from the University of Alberta in 2014. That spring, I started at the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy where I am currently an Associate Professor. Since then, I have obtained my Certificate in Travel Health from the International Society of Travel Medicine and practised at an international travel and immunizations clinic within a family health team.What has drawn you to the areas of immunization and travel health?While practising in Alberta I embraced the full scope available to pharmacists including prescribing and administering injections; however, immunizations were a relatively new addition to Ontario pharmacists’ scope when I began at the University of Waterloo so there was a need for research and evaluation of this service in Ontario that I became involved with. Over time, I recognized that immunizations and travel health were my passion and represented areas where pharmacists could really improve access to care in their communities.Have you discovered a need in our communities to help patients in these areas? What have you heard from patients, what have they told you?Absolutely. Patients highly value the accessibility of pharmacy-based services and trust pharmacists’ clinical expertise; however, there are barriers that make the patient journey complicated and confusing, such as scope of practice differences across provinces/territories and navigating prescription requirements and coverage. Each hurdle creates an opportunity for patients who are interested in vaccination to be lost and remain vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, so I am driven to reduce or eliminate as many of these hurdles as possible to simplify the patient experience and support vaccine uptake.You are also focused on pharmacists’ practising to their full scope. Are they yet? What challenges are they facing as the professional advances?I think pharmacists are doing the best they can within the context they practise in, and this can vary across provinces, workplaces, and even within the same day based on workload and staffing. As the healthcare system and patient needs evolve, so too will our definition of ‘full scope’. We have made great progress in the last 20 years and I can’t wait to see what the next 20 years will bring!Has the pharmacist role changed in dealing with patients – whether it’s those interested in immunization or travel health? If anything good could have come from the pandemic, it is that pharmacies are now solidified as critically important primary care settings. Whether it be immunizations, prescribing for minor ailments, or pre-travel consultations, pharmacists have stepped up and proven our expertise and value to the healthcare system. Patients are increasingly requesting consultations with their pharmacist for these and other needs, and are often disappointed if scope of practice limitations for pharmacists limits their access to our expertise.In general, are you finding that pharmacists are playing a greater role in helping patients with their healthcare needs as scope of practice expands and pharmacists are increasingly recognized for their work?Yes, when pharmacists are supported with access to clinical resources and other pharmacy staff such as pharmacy technicians who are practising to their full scope, we are often a patient’s first stop for advice and care and an important member of their care team. In the current context of shortages of all healthcare professionals, I’ve also observed a notable shift in willingness of other professions to collaborate with pharmacists, which I am confident is here to stay.As a pharmacist, you are involved in a number of different specialties and growing areas. Do you see specialization as the future (the present?) of pharmacy in Canada?As with other clinical areas such as diabetes, anticoagulation, and mental health and addictions, I see a place for both generalist and specialist clinicians. As primary care providers, I think all pharmacists are equipped to provide routine care in immunizations and travel health. But there are non-routine cases that benefit from the perspective of a specialist such as complex travel itineraries or identifying immunization needs for immunocompromised patients. I think it’s important for all pharmacists to be able to recognize their personal areas of competence and to feel comfortable referring to other care providers for cases that would benefit from specialist involvement.Where do you see the profession of pharmacy moving in Canada?The profession has evolved so much in my 18 years of practice that I hesitate to make predictions! I remember glossing over immunizations content in pharmacy school thinking it would never apply to me, yet it is now my area of focus, so I am keeping an open mind to all the possibilities. I am hopeful that advances in technology will better support pharmacists’ clinical activities, including access to electronic health records and vaccination histories nation-wide, the (long overdue!) extinction of the fax machine, and the inclusion of an indication on prescriptions, to name just a few.Sherilyn Houle will be presenting at Pharmacy U Toronto on April 13, 2024.

Q&A with Pharmacy U presenter Sherilyn Houle: ‘I recognized that immunizations and travel health were my passion.’

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