Richard Arndt
I serve as the Regional Pharmacy Director for the Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin and hold the Assistant Professor of Pharmacy position within the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. In these roles, I lead inpatient and subspecialty pharmacy practices across five hospitals, including four critical access hospitals. My educational background includes a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Florida, and a Master's in Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota.
I actively participate in PSW, serving as a founding member of the Wisconsin Pharmacy Residency Conference Steering Committee and the PSW Sponsorship Committee. Beyond my professional endeavors, I find fulfillment in outdoor activities such as mountain biking, water sports, and traveling with my wife, Lori, and our two sons.
Statement of Purpose
I am excited to run for the PSW Board of Directors. My experience in rural community healthcare delivery, especially in Northwest Wisconsin, will bring an essential perspective to the Board and the future direction of PSW initiatives.
The closure of hospitals in our communities highlighted the pressing need for accessible and comprehensive healthcare services. As a pharmacist deeply embedded in this landscape, I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact these closures have had on our communities and pharmacy's critical role in addressing this gap in care and access.
Locally, we have strategically grown pharmacist and pharmacy technician roles in various settings to provide new and innovative care, such as virtually supporting critical access hospital emergency departments via our hub ED pharmacy team and the hospital-at-home program. By expanding pharmacy-led services, fostering collaboration with healthcare providers, and advocating for innovative delivery models, we can ensure that our communities receive the care they deserve by bridging the healthcare desert through pharmacy.
PSW is essential to driving positive change and advancing the profession. I am committed to providing strategic direction, fostering collaboration, and advocating for policies supporting pharmacy’s healthcare delivery role. I am dedicated to advocating for policies that enhance patient care, improve access to healthcare services, and empower the role of pharmacists and technicians through PSW and the Wisconsin Hospital Association Advocacy Days.
It would be my privilege to serve as a PSW Board member and support and encourage the advancement of pharmacy services.