VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System

TOPEKA:

Katie Foster, PharmD, MS, FCCM, FASHP, KCHP (Residency Program Director):

Katie Foster received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Creighton. After graduation, Dr. Foster pursued residency program at the University of Kansas Medical Center specializing in hospital pharmacy and received a Masters of Hospital Pharmacy. Dr. Foster worked at Stormont Vail Health Care for 23 years as their Pharmacy Clinical Manager, Trauma Pharmacist and Pharmacy Residency Director. Dr. Foster currently is the Associate Chief, Clinical Pharmacy services at the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System in Topeka, Kansas. Dr Foster works with multi-disciplinary teams to help improve patient care and is an informational resource for healthcare professionals as well as patients. She may be contacted via email at Katherine.Foster1@va.gov

Shannon Baltrusaitis, PharmD:

Shannon Baltrusaitis works as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Primary Care as an advanced practice provider with a scope-of-practice. Dr. Baltrusaitis earned her PharmD from the University of Kansas in 2017 and completed a PGY-1 Residency at the VA Eastern Kansas HCS in 2018. Dr. Baltrusaitis co-precepts the Drug Information and Teaching rotation. She may be contacted at Shannon.Baltrusaitis@va.gov

Michael Buck, PharmD:

Michael Buck works as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Primary Care as an advanced practice provider with a scope-of-practice. Dr. Buck earned his PharmD from the University of Nebraska in 2016 and completed a PGY-1 Residency at the VA Eastern Kansas HCS in 2017. Dr. Buck precepts as part of the ambulatory care rotation and coordinates residency social events. He may be contacted via email at Michael.Buck1@va.gov

Kerri Christian, PharmD, BCACP, CGP:

Kerri Christian is a clinical pharmacist in Geriatrics.  Her clinical duties include monitoring and providing pharmaceutical care to Veterans residing at one of the two Community Living Centers (CLCs) as well as meeting the medication-related needs of those in the Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) service.  She currently serves on various interdisciplinary committees on campus, including Palliative Care Committee, Geriatrics/ Extended Care Committee, and Dementia Steering Committee. Dr. Christian earned her PharmD from the University of Nebraska in 1998. She served as Consultant Pharmacist, Lead Consultant Pharmacist and Clinical Coordinator for Pharmerica, a national long-term care pharmacy,  for 11 years before accepting her current position at VA EKHCS in 2013. Dr. Christian has been a member of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists since 2001, a Fellow of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (FASCP) since 2006, and was recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Kansas Chapter of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.  She earned her Certified Geriatric Pharmacist Credential in 2003 and BCACP in 2013. Dr. Christian currently precepts residents for the geriatrics rotation. She is also serves as a preceptor for pharmacy  students from the University of Kansas.  Dr. Christian may be contacted via e-mail kerri.christian@va.gov.

Kathryn Dement, PharmD,BCPP:

Kathryn Dement graduated from University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 2010.  She went on to complete a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in 2011 and joined the staff at VA EKHCS in July of 2011 as an inpatient behavioral health clinical pharmacist.  She earned her BCPS in 2011 and her BCPP certification in 2015.  Since 2018, Dr. DeMent has served as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist with an advanced scope of practice for psychiatry working with the PTSD treatment program and outpatient mental health clinic. Dr. Dement may be contacted via email at kathryn.dement@va.gov.

Ashley Freeman, PharmD, BCACP:

Ashley Freeman is a clinical pharmacy specialist in ambulatory care, practicing in primary care and cardiology clinic.  Dr. Freeman earned her PharmD from the University of Kansas in 2009.  She completed her residency at VA Eastern Kansas HCS in 2010 and has remained on staff since then.  Dr. Freeman earned her BCACP in 2013. Dr. Freeman currently precepts pharmacy practice residents as a part of the ambulatory care team. She also precepts pharmacy students from the University of Kansas in ambulatory care. She may be contacted via e-mail at Ashley.freeman3@va.gov.

Micah Halton, PharmD, BC-ADM, CDCES:

Micah Halton is a clinical pharmacy specialist in ambulatory care. Dr. Halton earned his PharmD from the University of Kansas in 2009 and completed his pharmacy practice residency at the Providence VA Medical Center in Providence, Rhode Island. He joined VA Eastern Kansas Medical Center in 2010. Dr. Halton currently precepts residents for the ambulatory care rotation.He also precepts pharmacy students from the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy in ambulatory care. Dr. Halton earned his BC-ADM and CDCES in 2012. Dr. Halton may be contacted via e-mail at Micah.Halton2@va.gov

Melissa Hinrichsen, PharmD:

Melissa Hinrichsen is a clinical pharmacist, practicing on the Topeka Campus. Dr. Hinrichsen earned her PharmD from the University of Kansas in 2019. She completed her residency at VA Eastern Kansas HCS in 2020 and has remained on staff since. Dr. Hinrichsen currently precepts pharmacy practice residents as a part of the pharmacy operations experience and coordinate residency social events. She may be contacted via e-mail at melissa.hinrichsen@va.gov

Shelby Hippler, PharmD, BCACP:

Shelby Hippler graduated from University of Kansas School of Pharmacy in 2014. She completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Dr. Hippler joined the Eastern Kansas VA Medical Center in 2015 as a PACT Pharmacist. In 2017, she transitioned to a role as a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Junction City CBOC and began precepting residents in ambulatory care. Duties include assisting CBOC Teams with medication related issues and managing chronic disease states for rural Veterans. Unique duties include involvement in Shared Medical Appointments, population management, and tele-video patient visits. Dr. Hippler is the lead preceptor for the Rural Health/Population Management rotation and coordinates residency social events.

Sara Weeder-Korus, PharmD, BCPS:

Sara Weeder-Korus is a clinical pharmacy specialist practicing in Chronic Disease Management and Hematology/Oncology. Sara earned her PharmD from Creighton University in 2008 and completed a PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency at the Grand Island, Nebraska VA Medical Center in 2009. She joined VA Eastern Kansas in 2009 and earned BCPS certification in 2013. She has previously served as a clinical pharmacist and preceptor in acute medicine before transitioning back to Ambulatory Care in 2014. She currently precepts residents in chronic disease management. She may be contacted via email at  sara.weeder-korus2@va.gov.

Leavenworth:

Cynthia Copeland, PharmD:

Dr. Copeland practices as a clinical pharmacist in acute medicine at the Leavenworth campus. She earned her B.S. in Pharmacy from Southwest Oklahoma State University and her PharmD from University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has traveled extensively and during her husband active duty career, she has held a number of positions in her career including outpatient, drug information, ambulatory care, inpatient and pediatrics. She joined VAEKHCS in 2013 where precepts residents for the Acute Medicine I rotation and is a member of the ICU Committee. She may be contacted via email at Cynthia.Copeland@va.gov.

Elizabeth Debes, PharmD:

Elizabeth Debes serves as a clinical pharmacy specialist in pain management at the Leavenworth campus. She precepts the elective Pain Management rotation. In addition to her clinical roles, Dr. Debes is a member of the Pain Steering Committee and leads discussions as part of the VA Pain School. Dr. Debes earned her PharmD from the University of Kansas in 2012 and completed a PGY-1 residency at the VA Eastern Kansas HCS in 2014. She may be contacted via email at Elizabeth.debes@va.gov

Tracy Jo (TJ) McCombs, PharmD, PhD:

Dr. McCombs serves as the Associate Chief of Pharmacy Operations at VAEKHCS. She has previously worked as a clinical pharmacy specialist and assistant clinical coordinator for St. Luke Hospital in Kansas City. She precepts residents for the pharmacy leadership and administration rotation. She may be contacted via email at tracy.mccombs2@va.gov.

Melissa Bigham, PharmD:

Melissa Bigham graduated from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Pharmacy in 2014. Subsequently, she completed her PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency with VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System. She now serves as a geriatric clinical pharmacist at VAEKHCS Leavenworth working with residents of the Community Living Center and as a member of the geriatric primary care (Geri-PACT) team. She supplements her clinical role with involvement in the Dementia Steering Committee and the Community Living Center’s Quality Committee. Dr. Bigham was also a contributing author for a chapter on Human Microbiome and Aging in Nutrition and Functional Foods for Healthy Aging. Melissa co-precepts for the Drug Information & Teaching rotation and may be contacted at Melissa.Bigham@va.gov.

Emily Potter, PharmD, BCPS:

Emily Potter graduated from the Saint Louis College of Pharmacy earning her PharmD in 2010. Subsequently, she completed her PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Via-Christi Health Care in Wichita, KS. In 2011 she took a clinical pharmacist position at Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center in Internal Medicine/Critical Care with a focus on Infectious Disease where she earned BCPS certification in 2012. In 2015, she took a position as the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Infectious Disease/Antimicrobial Stewardship at the VAEKHCS. She is actively involved in local, VISN, and National Antimicrobial Stewardship Committees. Dr. Potter is actively involved in research and serves as a KCVA Institutional Review Board member and Chairs Eastern Kansas’ Research and Development Committee. Dr. Potter has recent publications in Enterococcal Bloodstream Infections and Antimicrobial Stewardship. Dr. Potter precepts the Infectious Disease/Antimicrobial Stewardship elective and coordinates the residency research rotation. She can be contacted via email at emily.potter1@va.gov

 Dorothy Williams, PharmD, BCPP::

Dorothy Williams earned her PharmD from the University of Kansas in 2007. She subsequently completed a PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Shawnee Mission Medical Center in 2008, after which she stayed on to work as an inpatient behavioral health clinical pharmacist. She joined VA Eastern Kansas HCS in 2014 as a behavioral health clinical pharmacist within the outpatient mental health clinic. She earned her BCPP certification in 2012. Dr. Williams currently works as a behavioral health Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at the Leavenworth Campus in the Domiciliary where she practices as an advanced practice provider with a scope-of-practice. Dr. Williams is involved in the Substance Use Disorder Clinical Care Committee for EKHCS, and has publications on topics involving psychotropic medications.  Dr. Williams may be contacted via email at Dorothy.williams11@va.gov