Latest / Becker’s Healthcare Podcast / Kuldip R. Patel, PharmD, FASHP, Senior Associate Chief Pharmacy Officer at Duke University Health System

Transcript

Kuldip R. Patel, PharmD, FASHP, Senior Associate Chief Pharmacy Officer at Duke University Health System · Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

0:00
This is Laura Dirdo with the Becker's Healthcare
0:02
podcast.
0:03
I'm thrilled today to be joined by doctor
0:04
Kuldeep Patel, senior associate chief pharmacy officer and
0:08
director of residency programs at Duke Health. Doctor
0:11
Patel, it's a pleasure to have you on
0:12
the podcast today.
0:14
Hey, Laura. Thank you so much for having
0:15
me. Absolutely. No. I'm looking forward to our
0:18
discussion because I know pharmacy is such an
0:21
important aspect of health care in any health
0:23
system.
0:24
And and truly some of the things you're
0:25
doing there at Duke are really unique. So
0:27
I'm looking forward to learning more about that
0:29
as well as how you're thinking about the
0:30
future. But before we dive in, can you
0:32
tell us a little bit more about yourself
0:34
and your background?
0:35
Yeah. Thanks, Laura. I'm definitely looking forward to
0:38
our chat. So my name is Goli Patel.
0:40
I am a senior associate chief of pharmacy
0:43
at Duke Health. And,
0:46
as part of that role, I'm on the
0:47
front lines of pharmacy leadership,
0:50
at a large academic health care system, which
0:53
is Duke
0:54
University,
0:55
health system.
0:56
We're based right here in Raleigh Durham area,
0:59
North Carolina, and that is in the heart
1:01
of the what we call the research triangle.
1:06
And what really draws me into Duke every
1:09
day is how,
1:11
we bring together top tier clinical care,
1:14
groundbreaking research, innovation,
1:16
and education all under one integrated health system.
1:20
So we handle everything from routine primary care
1:23
to robust
1:24
complex specialized treatments,
1:26
but we're always focused
1:28
on clinical excellence and just making sure
1:31
the highest quality of care reaches every patient
1:34
that we serve.
1:35
So, again, I'm really thrilled to be here
1:38
with you today, and it's truly an exciting
1:40
time to be in health system pharmacy,
1:43
especially with all the rapid changes we're seeing
1:45
in health care
1:46
and the impactful difference the our pharmacy profession
1:49
is is making in in improving health care
1:52
across the country.
1:53
Well, that's amazing to hear. And, you know,
1:55
to dig a little bit deeper there, what
1:57
was the most important initiative that you led
1:59
last year? What did you do and what
2:01
were the results?
2:02
That's a great question. So first of all,
2:05
I guess I'll just kinda take a step
2:06
back and
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mention how
2:09
incredibly lucky
2:10
I am to be working shoulder to shoulder
2:13
with some of the brightest pharmacy leaders that
2:15
are out there. In addition,
2:17
I also have,
2:18
amazing backing and support from our senior executives
2:22
here at Duke Health.
2:23
And we have, an amazing team, of people
2:26
who deliver care.
2:28
So certainly anything that I
2:30
mentioned today is the work that comes from
2:33
a team that is really
2:35
unified
2:36
in strategically executing our shared objectives. So
2:40
with with that said,
2:41
this past year, we've
2:44
pushed the boundaries
2:45
to expand our services, reaching more patients than
2:48
ever before.
2:49
And the growth has been nothing short of
2:51
historic.
2:52
Our past several years,
2:54
our organization
2:55
has focused on reaching more patients across North
2:58
Carolina.
2:59
Some of the big,
3:00
milestones,
3:01
which you may have seen or heard in
3:03
the media include acquisition of a community hospital
3:06
in Lake Norman Park and and then additional
3:09
partnerships with other health systems in the state
3:11
as well.
3:13
And then more partnerships,
3:14
through this past year, we've
3:16
seen tremendous growth in,
3:19
just the organic growth in the population in
3:21
this region.
3:23
So the challenge we faced,
3:25
was how do we maintain our quality standards
3:28
and accommodating more patients
3:30
who need our care? So in addition to
3:32
this, we've been challenged to improve efficiency,
3:35
especially in the acute care side of things.
3:37
So in that setting,
3:39
so that patients who truly need that level
3:42
of care
3:43
is never turned away.
3:45
And I think we're probably
3:47
not an exception. I think many health systems
3:49
across the country are also facing similar challenges.
3:52
So this past year,
3:54
we've,
3:55
deployed primary care and specialist pharmacists in a
3:58
variety of ambulatory care settings in different parts
4:01
of the community.
4:03
So what we're trying to do there is
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just,
4:06
caring for more patients
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in conveniently
4:10
accessible locations,
4:11
for them.
4:13
So this not only
4:14
helps accommodate the growth, but it also allows
4:17
us to,
4:18
focus bringing care closer to where the patients
4:20
need it and addressing the problems,
4:24
clinical problems or health care problems before they
4:26
get bigger
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where higher levels of care like acute care
4:30
settings are are required. So our,
4:33
clinical pharmacists and the ambulatory care settings, for
4:36
example, this past year have seen nearly 20,000
4:40
some patients directly.
4:42
And that has been done through collaborative practice
4:45
agreements with,
4:47
physicians.
4:49
These team members are
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truly impacting the outcomes measured unlike anything that
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I've certainly seen in my career,
4:57
especially in caring for patients with,
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chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension,
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coronary artery disease, and also,
5:06
cancer care as
5:07
well. In addition,
5:09
our inpatient,
5:11
clinical pharmacy leaders have expanded services in the
5:14
and, for patients requiring anticoagulation
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medicines,
5:20
and also cardiometabolic
5:22
pharmacy services across the continuum,
5:25
that are driving a positive and meaningful impact
5:27
in terms
5:28
of outcomes,
5:29
and reducing harm at the same time. So,
5:34
another challenge that we faced, and it's certainly
5:37
not limited just to Duke
5:39
was the integrity and vulnerability of the
5:43
pharmacy supply chain. And that's something that I
5:45
think healthcare community in general has been dealing
5:48
with, for many, many years,
5:50
especially for,
5:53
medications that are difficult to prepare or not
5:56
readily commercially available. So
5:59
our organization,
6:02
invested in a,
6:04
establishing a highly reliable
6:07
service unit. So we proudly opened a new
6:09
state of the art compounding facility right here
6:12
on campus in Durham.
6:15
And we did that with the intention of
6:16
maintaining resilience during supply chain disruptions and improving
6:20
the integrity
6:21
and quality of sterile compounded medications.
6:24
So this,
6:25
facility really puts Duke at the forefront
6:28
of standard setting pharmacy services.
6:31
And then
6:32
last but
6:34
certainly not the least
6:35
was a key strategic priority for our health
6:38
system,
6:39
which was to expand the reach of our
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retail and specialty pharmacy
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to all the patients who receive care within
6:47
our system and within our region.
6:50
So we've been able to move,
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we've been able to, double the the reach
6:55
to many of our new patients
6:57
who now receive their outpatient prescriptions through one
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of our highly ranked,
7:02
retail and specialty pharmacy services. So like I
7:05
said, again, just going back to what I
7:07
started with, this team effort has delivered the
7:11
real win. And and we
7:13
will always remain a work in progress, and
7:15
there's still so much to learn and do,
7:18
but the buildup of
7:20
this level of care on this scale,
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is really massive and something that I'm really
7:25
proud of.
7:26
And, honestly, like I've said before, none of
7:28
this happens without the unbreakable collaboration,
7:31
across our teams and work units. Their commitment
7:33
is truly the
7:35
the,
7:36
key behind our growth and success.
7:39
Oh, that's really cool to hear. And, definitely,
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it seems like you've taken such a proactive
7:43
approach to solving some of the big problems
7:46
that so many health systems are are focused
7:48
on today. Thinking about,
7:51
different types of shortages,
7:53
and making sure that you've got high quality
7:55
products as well. So,
7:57
that type of, you know, problem solving and
7:59
then collaboration
8:00
between team members and outside partners too,
8:04
really sets you up for success. I think
8:06
looking ahead, what are some of the big
8:08
priorities and headwinds you're focused on for 2026
8:10
and beyond?
8:12
Yeah. Thanks, Laura. So I really love that
8:14
question. So thank you for asking that, because
8:17
it kinda
8:18
touches both on what we're working on and
8:21
what we're also looking forward to. And,
8:23
you know, it's,
8:24
always
8:26
too easy to just get lost in the
8:28
day to day hustle,
8:30
and forget to look beyond and see what's
8:33
ahead. Right? So especially now with the pace
8:36
of change in health care,
8:38
really staying tuned to our North Star where
8:41
we
8:43
where we're assessing where we are currently and
8:46
where we're headed, it's just absolutely necessary.
8:51
So for 2026,
8:53
we're focused on navigating through the disruptions that
8:55
are shaking up,
8:58
health care systems,
8:59
like
9:01
government shifts and reimbursement, which has always been
9:03
evolving, but I think the shifts are,
9:06
pretty significant.
9:08
And then,
9:09
pharma pricing change dynamics that are ongoing right
9:11
now.
9:13
And then,
9:14
lastly, of course, the tech and the AI
9:16
boom that's
9:18
reshaping how we work every day and, things
9:20
are gonna gonna look very different, in the
9:23
next few years. So at at the core,
9:26
our priorities are delivering world class care to
9:30
as many patients as possible,
9:32
staying laser focused on clinical excellence,
9:35
and improving health and well-being in our communities.
9:39
Our industry has always faced strong headwinds.
9:42
I'm thinking of the relentless
9:44
pressures on financial sustainability,
9:48
operational efficiencies,
9:50
skyrocketing
9:51
costs of care, in general, whether it's supply
9:54
or facility maintenance, management, or
9:57
new tech.
9:59
And then, of course, you got,
10:01
you know, I can't think of any other
10:03
industry more than health care that's
10:06
so highly
10:07
regulated.
10:10
And and now wrapping our heads around all
10:12
of these disruptions and how they'll play out,
10:17
it's, it's a monumental
10:19
task to say the least. So
10:22
as far as priorities are concerned, my top
10:25
three would be
10:26
really continued focus on growth in ambulatory care
10:30
and,
10:32
robust support for inpatient and outpatient specialized care,
10:36
as that's
10:37
truly what differentiates Duke. And then lastly, the,
10:41
one that I'm most excited about is the
10:43
exploration of new technologies and new AI tools
10:47
that will help scale
10:49
our mission,
10:50
now and well into the future.
10:53
Well, that's amazing to hear and certainly an
10:55
exciting future that will be thinking about all
10:58
the different possibilities with that technology with the
11:00
right type of data and information and leadership
11:03
in place to carry through some of those
11:05
insights and accelerate the,
11:08
drug discovery is just incredible.
11:10
I I think, you know, in addition to
11:11
a lot of those exciting things that are
11:13
coming up, I know there's, you know, many
11:16
headwinds that we've talked about too. And so
11:18
what do you think the hardest thing you'll
11:19
have to do in the coming year will
11:21
be?
11:22
Oh,
11:23
I think that's also a great question too.
11:26
And that
11:27
for me personally, that ties into the one
11:30
area that I just mentioned, and and,
11:33
it's really the explosion of automation and technology
11:35
and pharmacy.
11:37
So as leaders, we're
11:39
staring at this incredible array of tools,
11:43
Some that are ready now and others still
11:45
in development.
11:47
And these tools are going to transform the
11:50
way we operate in the next few years.
11:52
And it's
11:53
really exciting, but it's also
11:55
a bit overwhelming too at the same time.
11:58
And
11:59
I can just imagine the future, you know,
12:01
where
12:02
robotics are handling drug preparation and distribution
12:05
with,
12:07
accuracy that we have never seen before and,
12:09
you know, cutting
12:10
error rates while also freeing up our teams
12:14
to focus on more complex
12:16
humanistic
12:17
tasks
12:18
like gathering medication histories or providing education and
12:22
counseling,
12:23
when patients are being discharged.
12:26
AI powered predictive analytics for decision support
12:29
where we can gain access to real time,
12:34
data analysis to spot risks,
12:37
help guide
12:38
decisions, whether it's clinical or administrative,
12:41
and even possibly predict where the next emergency
12:44
or crisis may come from,
12:46
so that we're better prepared.
12:49
And then there's telepharmacy
12:51
tech,
12:52
boosting pay patient engagement,
12:54
like virtual charts, smart reminders, and automated tools
12:57
that keep folks connected and on track with
13:00
their medications.
13:02
I'm barely just
13:04
scratching the surface. So getting back to your
13:07
question and trying to address that question, the
13:09
real tough part
13:11
is gonna be how do we sift through
13:14
all of this to pick
13:16
and roll out the right tools
13:18
that tackle the biggest challenges head on
13:21
and while we make sure that they're tailored
13:24
to meet
13:25
what our organization
13:26
truly needs.
13:28
So here at Duke Health, we're prioritizing
13:31
patient safety
13:34
and fighting team burnout at the same time.
13:37
So
13:38
by exploring and embracing
13:41
the AI tools and innovations, we wanna drive
13:43
quality up while making
13:45
the work day better
13:47
for all of our team members. And,
13:50
really, this is how we wanna continue to
13:53
chase excellence.
13:56
But I think that's such a great plan
13:58
and strategy to tackle,
14:00
some of the things, as you said, that
14:02
are really truly transforming the health care space,
14:05
and making
14:06
it better quality, lower cost, and all of
14:08
those other things. You know, I think the
14:11
last thing I wanted to ask you today
14:12
is where do you see some of these
14:13
best opportunities for organizational growth in the future?
14:16
How do you think about growth? Is it
14:18
different than it has been in the past?
14:19
And, you know, where do you really see
14:21
most of your attention being focused in,
14:24
growth coming from?
14:26
Yeah. That's a
14:28
yeah. When you talk about growth, I think
14:30
it's a interesting question because when when I
14:33
first think of it, I think it's just
14:34
so broad. I think the question really makes
14:37
me think, okay. What what context of growth
14:39
are we talking about? Meaning, are we talking
14:42
about reaching more patients or are we talking
14:44
about financial growth or streamlining
14:47
operations and workforce
14:48
or
14:49
fostering an
14:51
inclusive culture
14:52
and and improving quality.
14:54
So
14:55
when I think about all of those different
14:57
things, I've I think there's just tremendous potential
15:01
for every stream.
15:03
But for me personally, hands hands down my
15:05
focus
15:07
has always been and will be as we
15:09
go into the future,
15:11
to focus on culture development and and service
15:14
quality. And
15:16
one might ask why, because that's really the
15:19
heartbeat of,
15:21
our brand,
15:22
at Duke. It's
15:24
what patients care most about and what they
15:26
deserve from us
15:28
the most.
15:30
And we're in this to deliver exactly what
15:32
they expect and nothing less. So everything else
15:35
such as affiliate partnerships where we grow,
15:40
new and and build new facilities
15:42
or
15:43
financial wins.
15:44
They're just layers sort of stacked
15:47
on that
15:48
solid foundation of the patient first
15:51
culture
15:52
that consistently achieves the outcomes our community counts
15:56
on.
15:58
So I think I think I think that's
16:00
really where
16:02
we wanna focus our growth on, and that's
16:04
where our best opportunities lie.
16:07
Fantastic. I I think that makes a lot
16:09
of sense. You know, it's really, really exciting
16:11
to hear. Doctor Patel, thank you so much
16:13
for joining us on the podcast today. This
16:15
has been a really amazing conversation, and I
16:17
look forward to connecting with you again soon
16:19
and seeing you at our event in April.
16:22
I know there's, gonna be so many different
16:24
leaders from across health care in the pharmacy
16:26
field in particular,
16:28
gathering together to talk about these things, and
16:30
we'll definitely keep the conversation going.
16:33
Yeah. So I just want to thank you,
16:36
Laura, for this opportunity to join you on
16:38
the podcast. I
16:39
really can't help but feel optimistic
16:42
where,
16:43
the pharmacy
16:44
profession and health care are headed. I'm looking
16:47
forward to the conference as well.
16:49
This is a point in time where we're
16:51
seeing transformation and technologies that will make care
16:54
safer,
16:55
more accessible, more personal than ever before that
16:58
I can think of. And and, you know,
17:00
many thanks, of course, to the dedicated teams
17:02
and
17:03
innovations and that shared commitment we talked about
17:05
to put patients first. So,
17:08
for those that are listening in, if, you're
17:10
in the field or just passionate about it,
17:12
know that your work
17:14
matters,
17:15
immensely in building a a brighter future in
17:17
health care. So thank you for listening and
17:20
and letting me share a bit of my
17:22
world. It's been, a real pleasure. So thank
17:25
you again, Laura. Hope you have a great
17:26
day.