Karen Arthur is a pharmacy leader recognized for advancing medication safety, informatics innovation, and enterprise‑level pharmacy operations within a complex, health system. Karen is currently serving as the Associate Chief of Pharmacy for Electronic Health Record Modernization, Medication Safety, Informatics, and Procurement at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center. Karen provides strategic oversight for programs that directly shape clinical quality, operational resilience, and Veteran care across a tertiary facility.

Karen received her PharmD from Purdue University in 2001 and completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency and the Indianapolis VA Medical Center.  She has been committed to the mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs for almost 25 years.  Prior to her current role, Karen has served in clinical and administrative capacities both within and outside of Pharmacy Services.  She developed both the Surgery Clinical Pharmacy Specialist and Medication Safety Program Manager roles at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center and served as one of only two pharmacists across the entire VA health care system as the Chief of Quality.  Karen leads multidisciplinary teams through large‑scale modernization efforts, including formulary stewardship, capital asset implementation, and systemwide process redesign. She is known for strengthening organizational reliability through data‑driven decision‑making, and the development of robust contingency frameworks that support uninterrupted patient care.

A board‑certified pharmacotherapy specialist and certified professional in healthcare quality, Karen contributes to regional and national initiatives within the Department of Veterans Affairs and her local Patient Safety Coalition.  She is a committed mentor and preceptor for PGY‑1 and PGY‑2 residents, Karen champions a culture of safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement with the goal to deliver exceptional care to our nation’s Heroes.