Todd D. Lemke, PharmD, CPEL, DPLA, FASHP, (Todd.Lemke@CentraCare.com) is the regional director of pharmacy services for seven rural hospitals. He graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy in 1999. He completed a postgraduate year one patient care residency through the University of Minnesota at a rural health system in Paynesville, Minnesota, focusing on ambulatory care management of patients with chronic diseases.
Lemke’s first role was building a pharmacy department in a critical access hospital. He maintains a presence at this first hospital and has led expansions of the system’s medication therapy management program to 30 clinics and the anticoagulation program to cover over 3000 patients. Lemke is integrating pharmacy services at the seven hospitals in his latest role.
This rural background led him to be part of the Section Advisory Group on Small and Rural Hospitals as a young practitioner, leading this group as vice chair and chair, as well as planning the Midyear small and rural programming. Todd was later elected to the Section of Inpatient Care Practitioners (SICP) executive committee and served as vice chair, chair, and past chair. Most recently, he has served on the Council of Pharmacy Practice as vice chair and chair, finishing up his three-year term this June. Besides serving on sections and councils, Todd has been active in ASHP through Midyear presentations, podcasts, and virtual roundtables. He has served on the SICP Committee on Nominations, two ASHP advisory committees, as a student mentor, residency preceptor, poster judge, and “the guy they call to ask questions about rural pharmacy.”
Meet Todd D. Lemke
These are the philosophies that ground me as I tackle each new day:
- Rural care is exceptional care. I am committed to creating excellent patient-centered care experiences for every member of our community through innovative use of resources and the strength of our rural spirit.
- Grab the opportunity and make it yours. All that I have and have achieved has come from seeing an opportunity and not being afraid to say, “Let me try!”
- I am only as good as the people who work with me. Building up others and providing leadership opportunities at all levels creates forward momentum and enhances the engaged culture.