The expanded role of pharmacists improves patient access and increases healthcare capacity. OPA sees opportunities to expand that role even more.
Traditionally known as experts in medication management, Canadian pharmacists are playing an enhanced role in providing patient care. Over the past 15 years, their scope of practice has expanded to include administering vaccines, assessing and prescribing for minor ailments and, in some parts of Canada, helping with chronic disease management.
With some 5,000 community pharmacies across Ontario, where about one in five people are without a family doctor, this expanded scope closes some access gaps and creates capacity within the healthcare system. “Rather than going to the hospital emergency for lower acuity conditions like pink eye, patients can visit their local pharmacist who is usually just a short walk or ride away from their home,” says Jen Belcher, Vice-President, Strategic Initiatives, Ontario Pharmacists Association.
Comprhensive approach needed
While the role of pharmacy has expanded significantly across Canada, Ontario lags other provinces in letting pharmacists fully utilize their training and skills. Part of that has to do with the size of our province and complexity of our healthcare system. “We need to ensure it can work within existing systems, but the result of this incremental, list-based approach is a slowdown of the rollout,” says Belcher. One example is immunization. “We started with just flu vaccines, then added some travel vaccines, and then COVID-19 once they became available,” she says. Each time a change is made, the government needs to go through the process of amending legislation or regulations, whereas a comprehensive approach that gets everything done at once would eliminate that need,” says Belcher.
OPA leading pharmacists in improving care
As the largest professional advocacy organization for Ontario pharmacy professionals, OPA supports the currently proposed regulatory changes that would authorize pharmacists, to assess and prescribe for more minor ailments, administer more public vaccines, and order lab tests. OPA are also advocating for some larger changes to the pharmacy scope of practice that would allow pharmacists to prescribe drug substitutions and vaccines. “Drug substitutions are common practice in collaborative care settings like hospitals and a well-established area of pharmacy expertise,” says Belcher. “Giving pharmacists authority to substitute without a doctor’s authorization would help to speed up access to care, especially when there is a drug shortage. Similarly, being able to prescribe for vaccines that require a doctor’s prescription would alleviate another access barrier,” says Belcher. OPA is also advocating for pharmacists to play a more prominent role in chronic disease management.
If you’re unsure of what your pharmacist can do for you, you may not be taking full advantage of the care you could be getting. Belcher recommends going in and having a chat to learn more. “One of the most important things we can do as individuals is to try to keep ourselves healthy and avoid putting additional strain on the healthcare system,” says Belcher. This holds especially true during respiratory season. “Your pharmacist is an excellent resource to educate people on how to protect against vaccine-preventable illnesses and on whether your vaccines are up to date,” says Belcher.
Talk to your pharmacist about how to protect yourself against vaccine-preventable diseases.
