Rachel Chlasta

Her Story

Dr. Chlasta received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Belmont University in Nashville, TN, in 2013. She then completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice residency with Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, WA, and a PGY2 Transitions of Care residency with Legacy Health in Portland, OR. She worked as an ambulatory care pharmacist at CareOregon in Portland, OR, before returning to Legacy Health in 2016. She is board certified in Ambulatory Care Pharmacy and is a Certified Diabetes Educator. Additionally, Dr. Chlasta is the director for Legacy Health's PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency Program.

Facility

Legacy Health is a 7-hospital health system with 25 primary care clinics and 74 specialty clinics located throughout the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington metro area. Legacy Health employs 16 ambulatory care pharmacists and 24 ambulatory care pharmacy technicians who are embedded in clinics throughout the health system. Ambulatory care pharmacists use system-wide CDTM agreements to manage patients referred for Type 1 & 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, dyslipidemia, osteoporosis, depression, asthma, COPD, and tobacco cessation. 

Recent Significant Projects

Dr. Chlasta has recently become involved with incorporating the use of continuous glucose monitors, which were once limited to endocrinology clinics, into primary care clinics through provider and staff education and training. She has also partnered with her site's medical director, clinic manager, and pharmacy technician to launch an opioid oversight committee to better support her providers and patients with management of chronic opioid therapy.

Initial Involvement in ASHP

Dr. Chlasta is serving in the Section of Ambulatory Care Practitioners as a member of the Clinical Practice Advancement Section Advisory Group. She also participates as a poster reviewer. She is involved with her state affiliated chapter, Oregon Society of Health-System Pharmacists, where she is a member of the Ambulatory Care Section Group.

Why did you become involved in ASHP?

I became involved with ASHP as a pharmacy student interested in post-graduate residency training. ASHP helped prepare me for residency and life as a new practitioner through their programming and networking opportunities at the Midyear Clinical Meetings and their many online resources. ASHP offers many opportunities to become involved in the profession no matter where you are in your pharmacy career.

Advice for Someone New to Specialty Area

It is such an exciting time to be an ambulatory care pharmacist. Many providers and staff are not fully aware of the services a clinical pharmacist can provide, so speak up and advocate for your profession! You may be the only clinical pharmacist they interact with, so embrace the opportunity to represent our profession as an active member of your multi-disciplinarian care team.

How would you explain the value of ASHP to a friend or colleague? 

ASHP fosters a sense of community between pharmacists and is an invaluable resource for best practices, from preceptor toolkits to pain management to drug shortages. I particularly enjoy the ASHP connect forums for Ambulatory Care Practitioners as well as Women in Pharmacy Leadership, which allow the opportunity to network with pharmacists with shared interests.

What is the value of ASHP for the profession?

ASHP is a driving force behind clinical practice advancement through the training and education of pharmacists and technicians. In addition, ASHP advocates for the profession on the national level through the ASHP-PAC, which partners with members of Congress on key issues for pharmacists.