PBN Health Care Heroes 2024
Pharmacist: GINGER LEMAY
University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy clinical professor and community pharmacy program director; Walgreens community pharmacist
What led you to choose health care as your profession? When I was 16 years old, I started working as a cashier at Osco Drug, now Walgreens pharmacy. I remember watching the pharmacists counsel their patients and admired their intelligence and kindness. When I turned 18, I was promoted to pharmacy technician and the rest is history. I have been a registered pharmacist for almost 24 years and feel so grateful to be a source of accurate and compassionate information for my patients, students, friends and family.
How have you helped boost the quality of or access to health care? Providing the highest-quality health care is one of my core values. It is never lost on me how much my patients and students trust my knowledge and recommendations. I am a committed lifelong learner and educator.
What is the biggest challenge you and your organization are facing this year? Pharmacists are the medication experts and often the first, and sometimes only, health care workers as patient consultants. Our greatest challenge is a lack of reimbursement for providing direct patient care services.
What more do you feel the state can do to help further support the health care sector in Rhode Island? We need to shift from a sick care system to a health care system. Too much effort is placed on “fixing things when they’re broken” rather than preventative medicine. Integrative health practices focusing on conventional medicine alongside holistic modalities help people feel better in their body, mind and spirit.
