Zein Askar
Calgary,AB
Summary
Dynamic pharmacy care leader with extensive experience at King Fahad Specialist Hospital, excelling in strategic planning and operations management.
Skilled in budget preparation and clinical protocol development, fostering team excellence and optimizing patient outcomes.
Resourceful Assistant Director possessing sound knowledge of financial oversight, protocol development, and process improvement.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
3
3
Certifications
Work History
Deputy Director of Pharmacy Administration/Consultant
King Fahad Specialist Hospital
Dammam, Saudi Arabia
01.2008 - 11.2025
- Responsible for the effective direction, management, and operation of pharmaceutical care services administration to support the provision of safe, efficient, and effective patient care delivery.
- Secures all Ministry of Health authorizations for all narcotic, controlled, and psychotropic drugs.
- Directs operations in accordance with the Joint Commission International (JCI), the Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions (CBAHI), hospital, and relevant governmental regulations.
- Oversees the preparation of the annual and supplemental budget, as well as annual medication acquisition planning, budgeting, and procurement.
- Directs and controls personnel functions of assigned staff, including recruitment, orientation, appraisals, and recommendations for promotion or disciplinary action.
- Follows all hospital-related policies and procedures. Participates in emergency and disaster procedures. Performs other duties within the realm of his or her knowledge and ability, as required.
- Individualize the medication regimen, using sound principles, accounting for pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic variations in drug therapy.
- Provide written communications of the pharmacotherapeutic interventions in a timely and professional manner.
- Investigate all suspected or verified adverse drug effects, submitting findings and conclusions to the appropriate committee for review.
- Prepare a clinical evaluation of new drugs and/or a monograph for review.
- Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor - King Abdulaziz University - Faculty of Pharmacy.
- Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor - King Faisal University - Faculty of Pharmacy.
- Lecturer at King Saud University, Faculty of Pharmacy.
- PharmD Preceptor.
- Monitored departmental budget performance and cost control measures to optimize resource utilization and reduce waste.
- Assessed medication usage patterns to inform formulary decisions and improve patient outcomes.
- Engaged in risk assessment activities to identify and mitigate potential medication-related errors.
- Supported the implementation of technology solutions to enhance pharmacy operations and ensure effective medication management.
- Led quality improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical care services.
- Developed educational materials for staff and patients related to medication management and safety protocols.
- Participated in multidisciplinary rounds to provide clinical expertise and optimize pharmacotherapy plans for patients.
- Ensured compliance with applicable laws and regulations regarding operations.
- Developed and implemented strategic plans for the organization.
- Recruited, trained, supervised, coached and evaluated personnel.
- Monitored and evaluated program effectiveness, making adjustments as necessary.
- Developed strategies to maximize resources while minimizing cost.
- Liaised with company executives to elucidate business strategies, cross-cutting company departments or branch boundary operations to streamline operations and improve outcomes.
- Managed development and execution of marketing and networking strategies, contextualizing within business growth objectives to meet or exceed business volume and expansion targets.
Senior Clinical Pharmacist Pediatric Critical care/Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Saad Specialist Hospital
Khoabr, Saudi Arabia
01.2004 - 01.2007
- Senior Clinical Pharmacist Pediatric Critical care/Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
- Senior Clinical Pharmacist Parenteral Nutrition
- Implemented clinical pharmacy services to enhance medication safety and efficacy through evidence-based practice.
- Monitored patient responses to medications, adjusting treatment plans based on clinical evidence and patient needs.
- Developed and maintained pharmacy protocols to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and best practices.
- Trained pharmacy staff on clinical guidelines and protocols to enhance their competency in patient care.
- Served as a resource for drug information, answering inquiries from medical staff regarding pharmacotherapy.
- Facilitated medication therapy management services to improve patient outcomes and reduce hospital readmissions.
- Participated in continuing education programs to stay current with advancements in pharmacotherapy and practice.
- Assessed clinical outcomes of pharmacotherapy to identify opportunities for practice improvement and patient education.
- Monitored drug therapies by reviewing laboratory values and adjusting medications as needed.
- Assessed medication appropriateness using evidence-based guidelines along with patient specific factors such as age, weight, concurrent diagnosis.
- Developed policies and procedures related to clinical pharmacy services at the facility.
- Provided drug therapy recommendations based on current clinical guidelines.
Pharmacy Operations Manager
Alwafa Pharmacy
Lebanon
09.1996 - 12.2003
- Managed daily pharmacy operations, ensuring compliance with all regulatory standards and internal policies.
- Implemented inventory management systems to optimize stock levels and minimize waste.
- Analyzed operational data to identify trends and improve pharmacy service delivery.
- Established and maintained relationships with suppliers to secure favorable contract terms.
Education
Master of Sciences - Clinical Pharmacy
Queen's University Belfast
England01.2018
Advanced Critical Care Therapeutics (ACCT) -
Creighton University
United State of America, USA01.2015
Infectious Diseases Pharmacists Certificate - Antimicrobial Stewardship Certificate for Pharmacists
SIDP
USA01.2013
Bachelor degree - Pharmacy
Lebanese University
Lebanon01.1996
Skills
- Leadership and supervision
- Strategic planning
- Excellent organizational skills
- Operations management
- Clinical protocol development
- Budget preparation
- Evidence-based practice
- Quality improvement
- Risk assessment
- Pharmaco-utilization
- Formulary decisions
- Program implementation
- Policies and procedures
Personal Information
- Nationality: Canadian
- Gender: Male
- Marital Status: Married
- Mobile:
+966566329926( Saudi)
+1 403 485 4848 (Canada)
- Email:zein14@hotmail.com
Affiliations
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
- American Society of Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition (ASPEN)
- European Association of Hospital Pharmacist (EAHP)
- European Society Of Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition (ESPEN)
- American Society of Hospital Pharmacist (ASHP)
- Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP)
Languages
- English
- French
- Arabic
Number Of Dependents
4
Research Training Certificates
- Good Clinical Practice for Clinical Trials Involving Drugs, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program), 01/01/22
- Clinical Research Training (CRT), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 01/01/13
- Protecting Human Research Participants (PHRP), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 01/01/13
- Biomedical Research - Basic/Refresher, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program), 01/01/12
- Biomedical Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR-Biomed), Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program), 01/01/12
- Health Information Privacy and Security (HIPS), Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program), 01/01/12
Languages
English
Professional
French
Professional
Arabic
Professional
Certification
Basic Life Support (BLS)
Timeline
Deputy Director of Pharmacy Administration/Consultant
King Fahad Specialist Hospital
01.2008 - 11.2025
Senior Clinical Pharmacist Pediatric Critical care/Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Saad Specialist Hospital
01.2004 - 01.2007
Pharmacy Operations Manager
Alwafa Pharmacy
09.1996 - 12.2003
Master of Sciences - Clinical Pharmacy
Queen's University Belfast
Advanced Critical Care Therapeutics (ACCT) -
Creighton University
Infectious Diseases Pharmacists Certificate - Antimicrobial Stewardship Certificate for Pharmacists
SIDP
Bachelor degree - Pharmacy
Lebanese University