Robert Lester, RPh., pharmacist at Cary Medical Center, was recently awarded the Maine Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ highest and most prestigious award, the Marco Gasbarrone Lifetime Achievement Award. Lester, who has been with Cary Medical Center since 2005, was nominated by three of his hospital pharmacy colleagues in Aroostook County, Jason Tremblay, Pharm D, RPh, Cary director of pharmacy; Scott Richards, RPh, director of pharmacy at Northern Maine Medical Center, (NMMC), in Fort Kent; and Sam Barrett, RPh, pharmacist at The Aroostook Medical Center, (TAMC), in Presque Isle.
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Robert Lester, RPh, pharmacist at Cary Medical Center, is the recent recipient of the Maine Society of Health-System Pharmacist’s highest and most prestigious award, the Marco Gasbarrone Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lester graduated from Northeastern University’s pharmacy program in 1967. He was the first pharmacist hired at TAMC, where he spent a distinguished 40-year career as pharmacy director, growing the department from a staff of one, to a staff of 15-16 pharmacists and technicians. He also served as TAMC’s assistant administrator for five years in the mid-1970s, and was appointed to the Maine Board of Pharmacy in 1997.
Although Bob attempted retirement in 2005, idle time just didn’t agree with him, hence he brought his experience, expertise, and commitment to excellence to both the NMMC and Cary pharmacies working on a part-time basis. In 2008, he drafted a five–year strategic plan for the Cary pharmacy, with plans for the department to become a center of excellence, and recognized role model of outstanding rural hospital pharmacy practice.
Kris Doody, R.N., CEO at Cary Medical Center said that Lester came to Cary at an ideal moment in time.
“When Bob arrived at the Cary Pharmacy we were in need of strong leadership to transition the hospital to an advanced medication dispensing system including computerized physician orders, pharmacy verification, automated dispensing and bed side medication bar coding. Bob’s wealth of experience, his skills as a pharmacist and his leadership ability were vital to the ultimate success of this transition.”
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Robert Lester, RPh., pharmacist at Cary Medical Center, was presented with congratulatory gifts from the hospital Board of Directors at their February meeting for receiving the Maine Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ highest honor, the Marco Gasbarrone Lifetime Achievement Award. Presenting Lester with, a framed watercolor sketch of the hospital, is Cary Board Chairman Robert Kieffer.
Lester’s professional legacy has been his leadership and commitment to building all three hospital pharmacies in Presque Isle, Fort Kent and Caribou.
“During his time at Cary Medical Center, the pharmacy department has grown exponentially in staff, as well as reputation,” Tremblay, who was named the 2009 Maine Pharmacist of the Year, wrote in his nomination letter. “Although Bob would state otherwise out of modesty, his mentorship has been a driving factor in the success of the department.”
Referring to himself, Tremblay continued, “He recruited a pharmacist just over three years out of school for the director’s position. Bob remembered this pharmacist as a student at TAMC from his director’s days and sensed potential in him. Over the three years since my hiring, Bob has provided me with not just guidance, but challenged me on multiple levels to perform to my fullest potential. The results have been the maturation of a department and director, leading to a culture in which pharmacy is a major player at the table in organizational structure. Patient safety initiatives, such as IV ‘smart-pump’ drug libraries, CPOE, bedside medication bar coding, and the development of an after-hours off-site order entry service have been initiated with pharmacy providing key input and development from the beginning,” Tremblay wrote.
Shawn Anderson, chief operating officer at Cary and administrator for pharmacy services, noted in his supporting nomination letter, “I’ve always found Bob to be the consummate professional. He is profoundly passionate about patient safety, and leaves no stone unturned in ensuring that his patients are well cared for within the realm of medication management. Bob has a tremendous caring spirit which I have appreciated numerous times over the years we’ve worked together.”
In acknowledging his lifetime achievement award, Lester said that it was a total surprise, very humbling, very emotional, and at this point in my career it felt good, he said.
Reflecting and commenting on his distinguished career, Lester said modestly that there are a “couple of things” that kept me in it for so long.
“A hospital pharmacy director is the safety net for dealing with the lives of your community, and you have to be comfortable that you’ve done your very best at ensuring that safe medication use process. During my career I felt we’ve always strived for putting and keeping that process in place. And, if you’re going to sustain that, you have to work with really good people; people who are steadfast about excellence and safety. I’ve been fortunate to find good people who had unrealized potential and was able to help enable and mentor their growth. I like to think that some of my colleagues would say, ‘I’m where I am today because this guy helped to shine a light on my path,’ and I feel pretty good about them letting me share in their commitment to our profession and our patients.”
Commenting about Cary Medical Center, Lester said, “Cary has that same commitment to excellence and patient safety. With the hospital’s investments in state-of-the-art technology, administration has made it an institutional imperative leading the way down that path.”
The Maine Society of Health-System Pharmacists is a professional organization consisting of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and other related professionals who practice in health-system (hospital, home health care, etc.) and community pharmacy settings. MSHP was established in 1972 and is an affiliated state chapter of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
