Meet the Team: Esther Lee
American Pharmacists Month is about highlighting and celebrating the contributions of pharmacists caring for our communities. Esther Lee, an Outreach Pharmacist II, is a consistent reminder of the impact pharmacists have on our lives. Her role is to review medications with Members and help resolve barriers to care through insurance plan navigation.
Esther’s journey into the world of pharmacy was inspired by her aunt, who is also a pharmacist. She was intrigued by how accessible and impactful pharmacists were, especially when they were educating consumers on over-the-counter medications, inhaler/injection techniques, side effects, and drug interactions.
In her final year of pharmacy school, Esther completed a 5-week Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotation at Transcarent, where she discovered career paths beyond traditional pharmacy settings. Inspired by her mentor John, Esther realized her passion for supporting people with medication management.
One of Esther’s most pivotal moments as a pharmacist was when she spoke with a Member who had uncontrolled depression and needed a specific medication. The Member was struggling to obtain the necessary prior authorizations.
Esther assigned herself as her dedicated pharmacist for this Member. For a month, Esther collaborated with the doctor’s office on the prior authorization steps. She was concerned about the Member’s mental wellbeing and worked together with a Behavioral Health Nurse to ensure the Member’s safety and wellness while coordinating the prior authorization. Finally, after numerous phone calls to the doctor’s office the Member was successfully able to obtain the medication
“I never forgot about this experience because it deeply troubled me that there was such a prolonged delay in treatment. Far too many people face a similar situation.”
Today, as an Outreach Pharmacist, Esther helps Members facilitate medication access, identify harmful drug interactions, and provides counsel on side effects and proper usage. “Being able to help people is the most fulfilling part of my job.”
Esther’s piece of advice to anyone pursuing a career in pharmacy is to be open-minded, because pharmacy is not limited to community or hospital settings: “Embrace opportunities to explore diverse practice settings because in a profession with many roles, the pharmacy career is constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of health and well-being.”
