Tejal Patel

Tejal Patel is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, specializing in Medication Management and Aging. She holds the Schlegel Specialist title and is affiliated with the Faculty of Pharmacy. Her research focuses on optimizing medication use for older adults with cognitive impairment, dementia, and spinal cord injuries, emphasizing healthcare technology and interprofessional collaboration.

Her work spans medication adherence systems, polypharmacy management in vulnerable populations, and co-design of patient-centric tools like MedManageSCI. She leads studies on real-time medication monitoring dashboards and usability of smart dispensing devices. Patel also contributes to the MINT Memory Clinics model, evaluating its economic impact and patient trajectories in dementia care.

Key themes include: (1) reducing inappropriate prescribing in aging populations, (2) developing technology-driven solutions for medication self-management, and (3) advancing interprofessional team-based care models. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates clinical pharmacy, geriatrics, and rehabilitation science.

Notable projects include the OPTIMAL-SCI toolkit development and validation of assessment instruments for cognitive impairment-related medication use. She collaborates with healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers to ensure practical, scalable interventions.