Katherine Masterson is our in-house Senior Pharmacist. Learn more about her and her role at Claims Pharmacy in our spotlight interview.
What is your background in pharmacy?
I have 15 years of Community Pharmacy experience. I have worked in pharmacies all over Sydney in a range of different pharmacy models from small family run pharmacies to large discount stores. I have experience with webster packing, methadone dosing, nursing home management, MedsChecks, and more recently COVID immunisations!
What is your role at Claims Pharmacy?
My role at Claims Pharmacy is multi-faceted. I provide Medication Summaries to insurers based on the recent dispensing history of injured people. From this I determine which claims need further review in order to prevent medication injury and addiction. I am also involved in the quality assurance checks of our reviews, mainly Medicinal Cannabis reviews. Along with this I also work closely with our Medication Counsellor in speaking to injured people about their medications, collaborate with their doctors in Case Conferences if needed and provide medication titration plans and medication reviews when required.
What attracted you to the role?
I was initially interested in working with Claims Pharmacy as a Medication Review Specialist which I did for 6 months, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Then I was offered the in-house position of Senior Pharmacist which I was extremely excited to accept! The opportunity to do what I love full-time was exactly what I have always hoped for. This role has provided me with the opportunity to make more of a difference in more injured people’s lives in a wider variety of ways.
What have you found most interesting about your new role?
I have enjoyed interacting with injured people and their doctors which enables me to problem solve and facilitate real change. It is very satisfying when you solve their medication issues and provide alternative more effective treatments that improve their quality of life.
How do you compare your work at Claims Pharmacy to your community pharmacy work?
My work at Claims Pharmacy involves helping injured people on a different level to the limited support that can be provided in Community Pharmacy. More time can be spent with the injured person and there are more avenues for more meaningful doctor contact to enable positive change.
What do you think are the greatest benefits of your work at Claims Pharmacy?
The greatest benefit of my work at Claims Pharmacy is working with such a great supportive team. Even given the current COVID lockdown situation they have managed to train and support me as we all work from home. Collaborating with such a dedicated and hard-working team has really motivated me to strive for more success in my work at Claims Pharmacy.
What do you feel is the most important thing people should know Claims Pharmacy?
The most important thing that people should know about Claims Pharmacy is that within personal injury insurance we are the only data-driven program in Australia that monitors an injured person’s progress, helps minimise their reliance on medication, and ensures they get back to optimal health as quickly as possible. We use real time data to monitor, identify and resolve risks. We provide an end-to-end medication program for injured people.