Aaron Foster

Background

About Aaron Foster

Graduating with a Masters in Physiotherapy from the University of Western Ontario in 2004, my career began in private practice in Ontario and then later in Alberta. I practiced in small and large clinics and quickly learned the importance of multi-tasking. Looking to further my education, I took a number of orthopedic courses and the Certificate in Medical Acupuncture. In 2007 I moved to acute care as a front line clinician. This was an adjustment, but it helped me to better understand and value the multi-disciplinary team approach to patient care. During this time I was part of the physiotherapy professional practice committee, which focussed on addressing practice issues across the Calgary Health Region. Over time I expanded my horizons, first in the role of a clinical leader and then in my current role of program coordinator for Allied Health at the Peter Lougheed Centre. These roles exposed me to a much wider range of issues, such as the complexity of program development for the Allied Health disciplines, and the daily challenges of patient flow within the hospital. My experience has been further enriched by my representation on a selection of committees within the Peter Lougheed Centre. I moved from Allied Health to an acutecare unit manager position with the Geriatric Assessment and Rehabilitation Program in the Rockyview General Hospital. This position provided me with the opportunity to work with and to lead a diverse group of healthcare professionals. I had the opportunity to support the team through a time of change as the program implemented changes to medication administration practice, began a comprehensive process improvement project and began to implement the elements of a provinical initiative, CoAct. Most recently, May 2016, I moved into a role within Patient Safety as a Clinical Safety Leader for Community, Rural and Senior's Health, which focusses on supporting staff and healthcare professionals through patient safety concerns.