Allina Health

Site Profile

Allina Health is a not-for-profit health care system that cares for patients from beginning to end-of-life through its 90+ clinics (primary care, urgent care, hospital-based clinics), 10 hospitals, 14 retail pharmacies, and 52 rehabilitation locations. We provide services in the Twin Cities metro area and various greater Minnesota and Wisconsin locations. In 2012, Allina Health was selected as a Pioneer Accountable Care Organization by the Center for Medicare Services. 

Allina Health Care Management

Allina currently has 16 clinical pharmacists providing ambulatory care pharmacy services to patients. These pharmacists see patients in 30 clinic locations and work under a robust Collaborative Practice Agreement in coordination with providers. Allina clinical pharmacists are an integral part of Care Management, an interdisciplinary team of professionals including registered nurses, licensed social workers, and non-clinical care guides. The team’s focus is to improve transitions of care and reduce hospital readmissions. 

Educational Experience

The majority of the resident’s time will focus on direct patient care. The resident will be providing comprehensive medication reviews, documenting recommendations, communicating with providers, and following up to ensure problems are resolved. These visits take place in clinic, over the phone, through a virtual platform, or in the patient’s home. There is a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary care as the resident will be interacting with others on the care management team and may conduct co-visits with some of these professionals. As the year progresses, the resident will have more opportunity to work with minimal supervision.

The resident will work closely with their preceptor(s) with regular opportunities to review patients and ask questions. Other opportunities include journal clubs, addressing drug information questions, participating in care management and provider meetings, and completing a residency research project. The resident will also participate in Academic Days and Residency Seminars and can teach through the University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy.

Typical Weekly Schedule (PDF)  

Site Coordinator

Jill Konstantinides, PharmD, BCACP graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2016. She completed a PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency with an Ambulatory Care Focus and a PGY-2 Ambulatory Care Residency both at Hennepin Healthcare. Her clinical interests include cardiovascular health, diabetes management, and transitions of care. Jill has been a pharmacist practitioner with Allina Health since 2018. She currently divides her time between her Lead Clinical Pharmacist responsibilities and direct patient care. She sees patients at the Shoreview clinic, as well as in patients’ homes in the north metro region through the care management initiatives at Allina.  

Preceptors 

Matt Kresl, PharmD, BCPS has worked with Allina Health since 2004. He graduated with his Doctorate of Pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota in 2004. He completed a pharmacy practice residency at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in 2005. He then worked as an acute care clinical pharmacist and manager at Abbott Northwestern from 2005-2015. He sees patients at the Allina E. Lake St and Greenway clinics for patients in the west metro region.

Amanda Garay, PharmD, BCACP graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2019 and completed her PGY-1 with University of Minnesota’s College of Pharmacy Ambulatory Care program at Allina Health. She has continued at Allina Health as a clinical pharmacist, sitting at Allina’s Cottage Grove and Hastings clinics. In addition to seeing patients in clinic, she works with an interdisciplinary team, providing in home medication reviews for complex seniors in the southeast metro area. 

Christine Larsen Kroger, PharmD, BCACPis started at Allina Health in 2017 as an ambulatory care pharmacist and then a senior clinical pharmacy specialist in pharmacogenomics. Her didactic training at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities earned her a Bachelor of Science in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development in 2012 and a Doctor of Pharmacy in 2016. She then completed a PGY-1 Residency with ambulatory care focus through the University of MN College of Pharmacy and Welia Health (formerly FirstLight Health System) in Mora, MN. Christine specializes in pharmacogenomic medication management and practices with a focus on medication safety and shared decision making. PGY-1 pharmacy residents at Allina Health can expect Christine to help them achieve their academic goals through University-required projects, education of Allina's medical and pharmacy staff, and support of their individual interests.

Mckaya Kastner, PharmD, MBA, BCPS is 2013 graduate of North Dakota State University. After graduation, she completed an ambulatory care residency at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka, Indiana. Mckaya is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and was a pharmacist practitioner with Allina Health for six years. She received her MBA in 2020 and is currently the Director of Pharmacy and Population Health for the Allina Health Group.