Jason Wentzell
Founder, Extend Cancer Pharmacist Network
Molly Yang
Senior Director of Pharmacy Innovation and Professional Affairs, Wholehealth
Learn how a new initiative in Ontario is reshaping cancer care by empowering community pharmacies to provide evidence-based support to patients.
According to projections from the Canadian Cancer Statistics Dashboard, nearly half of Canadians — or nearly one in two — will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Fortunately, advancements in cancer treatments, particularly novel, pill-based therapies, are making care more accessible. This shift has made community pharmacies essential in cancer care.
Long trusted as health care generalists, community pharmacists are now tasked with expanding their clinical expertise to support the growing number of patients with cancer. However, without timely access to cancer care resources, the risk of mismanaging patient care increases, particularly given the nuances of prescribing new medications.
Bridging the cancer care gap
Extend Cancer Pharmacist Network (ECPN) is addressing this gap in Ontario with a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to support pharmacists with the expertise and resources needed to provide accessible cancer pharmacy-based care in their communities. By partnering with community pharmacies that have established relationships with patients, this initiative empowers pharmacists through educational training, on-demand support, and integrated patient care.
“The pace of oncology practice is so fast that information can be outdated in three to six months,” says ECPN founder Jason Wentzell. “We connect our pharmacy partners to an oncology pharmacy team in real time, ensuring they get immediate support to help the patient in front of them.”
The program’s resources and workflows are grounded in evidence-based care for take-home cancer medications. By combining best practices from Cancer Care Ontario and the Canadian Association of Pharmacy in Oncology, partnering pharmacies can confidently rely on ECPN’s support to address potential risks, such as incorrect dosages or harmful drug interactions, and ensure optimal patient safety.
Empowering patient-centred cancer care
At the heart of this approach is empowering patients to choose the care they need. Navigating cancer can be overwhelming, but thanks to consistent support through a trusted network, patients can feel confident that their health is being closely monitored throughout their treatment journey. Additionally, this initiative is committed to reducing the financial burden of treatment by helping pharmacies connect patients to medication support programs.
To expand cancer care access, ECPN is collaborating with Wholehealth Pharmacy Partners, a collective of over 280 community pharmacies. This pilot initiative will help bring extended cancer care to Ontarians in select locations. Molly Yang, Senior Director of Pharmacy Innovation and Professional Affairs at Wholehealth, underscores the significance of this partnership: “ECPN is an innovative and collaborative pharmacy cancer care model. We continue to be impressed with how they provide white-glove service to patients — it’s truly personalized care. They have a tremendous, full-stack team that supports not just patients but their families as well.”
To learn more about which pharmacies offer this enhanced cancer care and to find one near you, visit ecpn.io.
