Kelly Sklanka

Her Story

Dr. Sklanka graduated summa cum laude from Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA in 2018 with her Doctor of Pharmacy. After graduation she accepted a position as an ambulatory care clinical pharmacist at Geisinger Health System in Wilkes-Barre, PA, specializing in anticoagulation and chronic disease state management.

Dr. Sklanka is currently the clinical coordinator for family practice ambulatory clinical pharmacy programs in the Northeast region of Geisinger Health System. Her practice site is the Community Care Kistler clinic in downtown Wilkes-Barre, PA. Her clinic is a federally qualified health center, and she specializes in management of anticoagulation and other chronic disease states, including diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, respiratory disorders, and comprehensive medication management. She is currently a preceptor for the Geisinger Clinics Northeast PGY1 residency and the Geisinger Wyoming Valley PGY1 residency programs. Dr. Sklanka also serves as adjunct faculty for Wilkes University in the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy.

Describe the facility where you work (eg. Is it a teaching hospital? Health Center?) 

Community Care Kistler clinic is a federally qualified health center located in downtown Wilkes-Barre, PA. With seven primary care physicians and four advanced practitioners on site, the clinic serves a unique patient demographic, with many patients speaking a primary language other than English. There are three ambulatory care pharmacists on site. One pharmacist specializes in pain management, while the other two specialize in anticoagulation and chronic disease management. Combined, they see about 700 patients per month practicing under a collaborative practice agreement. 

Recent Significant Projects

Dr. Sklanka is currently serving as a stakeholder in the ON TARGET PCORI study, investigating patient centered outcomes surrounding diabetes care. She also serves as a research mentor to the Geisinger Clinics Northeast residency program and assisted in the investigation of the impact on A1c and hypoglycemia in elderly adults who utilized CGM compared to traditional fingerstick monitoring. A majority of her projects currently focus on quality and practice improvement for family practice

Initial Involvement in ASHP

Dr. Sklanka has served as a member with ASHP since she was in pharmacy school. She has served as a CV reviewed for 5 years. This is her first year serving as a volunteer member for the Section of Ambulatory Care Practitioners SAG on Medication Management Services.

Why did you become involved in ASHP? 

Dr. Sklanka became involved in ASHP to connect with pharmacists throughout the country who share similar interests and are passionate about advocating for the role of the pharmacist on the healthcare team.

Advice for Someone New to Specialty Area 

I would advise to never lose sight of patient centered outcomes and what matters to the patient. When managing chronic disease states, it is easy to focus on guideline directed treatment goals and reaching them, especially when this is key performance indicator to providers and the health system. However, approaching each patient as the individual that they are and taking the time to assess their own treatment goals will forever shape the way they view their care in a positive way.