New clinics in drug stores are thriving, say pharmacists, as review of program starts early
Pharmacists hope to pin down funding, expand to more communities
Kari Ellen Graham's workdays look different than they did six months ago and the Halifax-based pharmacist says that's a good thing for the patients she sees and for herself.
Graham's workplace, the Shoppers Drug Mart on Almon Street, is one of 25 pharmacies around the province that offer free clinical appointments for patients looking for services such as treatment of minor ailments and chronic disease.
Since the site opened in May, Graham has gone from having brief interactions with several hundred patients as they pick up medication, to spending more focused time with upwards of 30 patients each day during pre-booked or walk-in appointments.
"[It's] having full, detailed conversations with them, getting at the heart of what they consider to be their top priority in terms of health and really making a much more significant impact, I think, on their lives," Graham said during a recent interview.
60,000 services provided at pharmacy clinics
It's also led to "10 times better job satisfaction" among pharmacists working in the clinic, she said, because they're getting to work to their full scope of practice.
When the first group of clinics were announced in January, it was hoped they would help ease the burden on the health-care system at a time when emergency departments are often overwhelmed by people seeking care. More than 142,000 people in the province are still without a family doctor.
The government expanded scopes of practice for health-care professionals, such as pharmacists, with the aim of freeing up doctors to focus on more complex cases.
Allison Bodnar, CEO of the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia, said the clinics have led to a "huge improvement" in patients' access to care as awareness of the option continues to grow.
"We're upwards of 60,000 services now that have been delivered through these clinics," she said in an interview.
"So these are services that mean people aren't going to emergency rooms and urgent care centres and not having to wait three or four weeks to be seen at another clinic."
The plan had been to review the pilot project when it is scheduled to end in April. But Bodnar said the evaluation process was bumped up in hopes that it will mean no gaps in service come April. Pharmacists are also looking for a way to fund the clinics and any further expansion of the program.
The review will consider feedback from patients, participating pharmacies and officials with Nova Scotia Health and lab services, work Bodnar said could be completed in the next month.
"The purpose of that is to be able to define all the elements of a permanent program and what does this look like, how quickly can and should we expand [and] what does the financial model need to look like to work."
Consideration will also be given to what funded services can be provided at all pharmacies versus what services would be reserved for the sites with primary-care clinics. For example, right now all pharmacies offer free prescribing for uncomplicated bladder infections, shingles and birth control.
A hope to expand services
With 315 pharmacies in the province, Bodnar said she could see the current number of clinics doubling or tripling in the next year, with any further growth determined by demand and having enough staff.
Graham said she and her colleagues hope to be able to increase the services they can offer, such as diagnosing and treating ear infections, more treatment for chronic pain and skin infections and administering birth control injections.
Although Graham's site has enough staff to meet demands at both the clinic and pharmacy counter, some pharmacies have staff shortages. The provincial government recently announced it is expanding an immigration program for international students to include people who want to become pharmacy technicians.
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