Podcast Summary: Expanding Ambulatory Pharmacy Access and Mission Driven Care at UVA Health
Becker’s Healthcare Podcast | Host: Laura Deardle
Guest: Dr. Justin Vester, Director of Inventory Pharmacy, UVA Health
Release Date: January 24, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode features Dr. Justin Vester from UVA Health, who shares how their ambulatory and retail pharmacy services are evolving to meet patient needs, especially after the challenges of COVID-19. The conversation focuses on mission-driven care, operational expansion, overcoming healthcare headwinds, and the growing leadership role of pharmacy in healthcare organizations.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Dr. Vester’s Background and UVA Health’s Pharmacy Landscape
[01:08 – 02:44]
- Dr. Vester has been with UVA Health for 12 years, transitioning from retail pharmacy to managing ambulatory and retail operations.
- UVA Health operates nine (soon to be 11) retail pharmacies, integrated with clinics and community hospitals across central and northern Virginia.
- Pharmacy is deeply embedded in UVA’s care model:
- Over 270 pharmacists and almost 300 pharmacy technicians.
- Ambulatory clinic pharmacists help manage chronic diseases and navigate financial barriers to medication.
- Dr. Vester emphasizes UVA’s pharmacy-friendly environment and their mission to be the “pharmacy of choice” for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
2. Recent Initiatives and Growth
[02:50 – 06:11]
- Over the past year, UVA Health “checked the box” on longstanding resource and staffing gaps, expanding their team and support services:
- Team Expansion: Added three pharmacists in non-specialty ambulatory clinics (e.g., family medicine) to improve chronic disease management.
- Med Access Support: Grew support teams for pediatric and non-specialty patient assistance, helping overcome insurance/cost burdens for medications.
- Retail Pharmacy Resilience: Unlike many pharmacies that cut hours post-COVID, UVA Health increased access—more time, locations, and smoother experiences.
- Achieved a record 1 million+ prescriptions filled across all sites in a single fiscal year.
- Quote:
“Our mission has been... we made our offerings more—more time, more people, more locations, more ways to get in touch with us...”
– Dr. Vester [05:20]
3. Building a Mission-Driven, Adaptive Team Culture
[06:54 – 10:03]
- UVA’s mission to “transform health and inspire hope to all Virginians and beyond” guides recruitment and daily work.
- Dr. Vester values clarity and tangibility in the mission:
“When you talk about inspiring hope, that's something that you can sell to your team.” [07:18]
- Dr. Vester values clarity and tangibility in the mission:
- Recruiting professionals who believe in healthcare’s intrinsic value, not just metrics or financial goals.
- Change is constant—success hinges on unified purpose:
“Our mission stays the same. And so that helps us get through that change.” [09:41]
- The pace of change is “shocking,” but a clear mission and strong team spirit offer confidence.
4. Industry Headwinds and Strategic Priorities
[10:26 – 12:54]
- Financial Headwinds:
- Rapidly changing Medicare reimbursement, increased scrutiny of medication costs, and political and regulatory uncertainty.
- Patient Impact:
- Medication affordability is critical—patients face difficult decisions when costs rise.
- Pharmacy teams help patients navigate “really complicated” financial and insurance systems.
- Advocacy:
- UVA Health advocates for patient-supporting policies (e.g., 340B program), emphasizing practical impacts on the vulnerable.
“We need to... help patients navigate these really complicated systems... that's our job.”
– Dr. Vester [11:22]
5. The Year Ahead: Challenges and Innovations
[13:18 – 15:56]
- Central Fill Pharmacy Launch:
- Centralizing prescription fulfillment using automation—a “monster lift” that will streamline operations across growing retail locations.
- Adapting to Political, Financial, and Supply Chain Volatility:
- Commitment to patient-centered care despite external pressures.
“We always tell our folks if we can live first for the patients and we can make everything we do about them, then all the money will work out.”
– Dr. Vester [14:26] - Vaccine Access:
- Ensuring access for vulnerable populations despite increasing regulatory and logistical barriers.
6. Organizational Growth and Expanding the Pharmacy Footprint
[16:44 – 19:03]
- Dr. Vester stresses that pharmacy professionals are uniquely positioned to take on leadership roles beyond the pharmacy silo due to their cross-system involvement and expertise.
“Pharmacy is one of the few parts of the health system that is in every part of the health system...”
– Dr. Vester [16:46] - Opportunities for pharmacists to ascend into C-suite and other organizational leadership roles are increasing, leveraging clinical and operational skillsets.
- Informatics and technology expertise are accelerating this trend.
- The future is “way outside of that little box”—greater community engagement and broader organizational impact.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On fulfilling the mission during adversity:
“We made our offerings more... more ways to get in touch with us, more ways to have a smoother, you know, experience... That led to us being able to dispense across all of our sites, including our home delivery and specialty pharmacy, over 1 million prescriptions.”
– Dr. Vester [05:11] -
On mission-driven recruitment:
“If you want your work to be something... come and work with us... Our mission is to transform the lives of the people that come to us...”
– Dr. Vester [08:26] -
On resilience in the face of constant change:
“The pace of change is just shocking right now. Trying to keep up is very difficult. But I'm confident... our mission stays the same.”
– Dr. Vester [09:37] -
On the expanding role of pharmacy in health systems:
“I would love to see more pharmacy leaders kind of move into roles that maybe aren't specifically within the pharmacy silo...”
– Dr. Vester [17:25]
Key Timestamps Index
- 01:08 – Dr. Vester’s background and UVA Health’s pharmacy structure
- 02:50 – Recent initiatives and what’s been accomplished
- 06:54 – Team culture and leading through change
- 10:26 – Industry headwinds and financial challenges
- 13:18 – Central fill pharmacy and upcoming challenges
- 16:44 – Growth opportunities & pharmacy leadership beyond pharmacy
Conclusion
This episode showcases UVA Health’s proactive, mission-driven approach to pharmacy services and organizational leadership. Dr. Vester’s insights underline the pivotal, growing role of pharmacy in patient care delivery, extending beyond the pharmacy counter to systemic leadership, advocacy, and community engagement—all while navigating significant external pressures and rapid change.