We Are IH: Meet a pharmacist who helps IH manage drug shortages

March 20, 2024

Kris and son Bennett enjoying the Okanagan snowfall this winter.

Name: Kris Scott (he/him/his)
Job Title: Formulary coordinator, pharmacy services
Years of Service: 7
Worksite: Kelowna CHSC (and home office)
Community: West Kelowna
Ancestral Territory: Syilx/Okanagan
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.” -Mark Twain

From the time your health-care provider writes you a prescription in hospital to the time your nurse provides it to you, there’s an intricate process that takes place, one which is always evolving. One of the people helping guide this process is Kris Scott, formulary coordinator for Interior Health pharmacy services.

“I'm passionate about quality improvement,” says Kris, who was born and raised in Prince Rupert, B.C. “Having the opportunity to work as a pharmacist in a unique regional role provides me with almost daily opportunities to contribute to system changes that can improve efficiencies for our IH pharmacy teams in supporting patient care.

"At the end of the day, it's really being able to have a positive impact on patient care that inspires me and the work I do.”

In this Story…

Learn more about Kris Scott

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Learn more about Kris Scott

A smiling man and woman with an arm around each other pose for a picture outside with flowers and a golf course in the background. — Kris and his wife Stephanie at a wedding at Sunset Ranch Golf and Country Club in Kelowna.

Kris has focused on drug shortages a lot in recent years, which he said requires proactive management locally, provincially and nationally. He is part of a committee addressing this issue for B.C. hospitals called the B.C. Health Authorities Provincial Supply Chain Subcommittee.

“I meet biweekly with colleagues from across the province to discuss the most critical drug shortages, share information and determine strategies for management,” Kris says. “In this role, I am able to influence provincial processes; I recently worked with a colleague from Fraser Health to propose a process for province-wide drug shortage memos that was implemented at the beginning of March.”

While there are a lot of challenges that come with managing the drug shortages, Kris has celebrated some victories. He played a key role in helping to manage the shortage of pediatric liquid antibiotics and acetaminophen during 2022/23 flu season.

He helped draft critical drug shortage bulletins with recommendations for conservation measures and alternatives, and helped source a temporary compounded supply of liquid amoxicillin/acetaminophen to ensure limited supply disruptions.

Some of my proudest moments have been in managing a few of the most significant drug shortages Interior Health has faced.

-- Kris Scott

Kris has always enjoyed acting and has done community theatre over the years. He embraced a unique opportunity to combine acting with health-care work, volunteering with the Southern Medical Program since 2018 as a standardized patient, using his acting skills in standardized exams.

A smiling man, woman and child, all wearing winter gear, pose for a picture outside with water and mountains in the background. — Kris, wife Stephanie and son Bennett on an Alaskan Cruise in Glacier Bay National Park.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and growing family. Their second child (another boy) was just born in March, and they plan to travel during his paternity leave in September.

“I love doing outdoor activities with our four-year-old like camping, biking, playing at the park, skating, or swimming in the lake,” Kris says. “I also enjoy exploring new places and trying new activities in and around the Okanagan.”