Abstract
It's called Meds Check and it's the first Pharmacists' Professional Service to be launched under Ontario's Transparent Drug System for Patients Act (TDSPA).
Effective April 1, community pharmacists in Ontario became eligible to receive a $50 professional service fee for conducting medication reviews for patients covered by the Ontario Drug Benefits (ODB) Program and who are taking 3 or more prescription medications.
The road to implementation of the TDSPA has not always been a smooth one for the Ontario Pharmacists' Association (OPA) and pharmacists, many of whom remain dissatisfied with aspects of the compensation model and other provisions. The OPA believes, however, that the professional services component has started off quite well.
“We're generally pleased with the $50 fee and with the way it was calculated,” says Donnie Edwards, chair of the OPA. “The Ministry, the OPA, and the Ontario Pharmacy Council considered the OPA fee guide and what other health professionals bill for similar types of services. The rate was based on the value of the service and not on how much time it might take, which we think is fair.”
The OPA also welcomes the decision of the Ministry of Health to provide a $1,000 initial payment to pharmacies to assist with start-up costs. (This is payable after the first service is provided).
— Donnie Edwards
“This is a service that we believe every community pharmacist would feel comfortable delivering,” says Mr. Edwards. “It's something that can be integrated into their practice quite quickly.”
Throughout the first 2 weeks of April, the OPA ran information sessions across the province to explain the initiative to pharmacists and to provide advice on incorporating the Meds Check medication review into their practice. A professional services guidebook has been developed and provided to all pharmacies in the province. CPhA's PharmaCheck — developed to help pharmacists quickly identify common medication issues in adults on chronic medications — is one of the recommended practice tools for Meds Check.
The next phase
The next phase of the professional services is under development and Mr. Edwards says the goal is to launch it in the fall. In Phase 2, pharmacists will be compensated for providing patients with a more in-depth Medication Consultation service.
This service will be for more complex medication-related problems and will expand into other pharmacy practice sectors, such as long-term care and hospital outpatient services.
“The Medication Consultations will require more in-depth knowledge and will involve collaboration with other health care providers, such as physicians,” says Mr. Edwards. “An example would be a patient with diabetes who is also hypertensive and who is having trouble adjusting his insulin dosage to his lifestyle. This will take a lot of know-how and consultation with other providers.”
For now, only ODB-eligible patients are covered, but the OPA has been holding discussions with third-party payers about covering the professional service fees as well. “It may take pressure from patients and the public to expand the coverage,” says the OPA chair. “We have to accept this is an evolution and we're hopeful that expanded coverage will develop naturally over time.”
OPA's new website on professional services, which contains resources and protocols, is www.ontariorph.ca.
January 1931
“Why stick the dispensary in an out-of-the-way corner of the drug store? Drag it out of the dark and put it in the limelight.”
— Canadian Pharmaceutical Journal