Year in Review 2015-2016 - New Brunswick Pharmacists` Association
Transcription
Year in Review 2015-2016 - New Brunswick Pharmacists` Association
Your Pharmacist. Your Partner in Health. NEW BRUNSWICK PHARMACISTS’ ASSOCIATION Year in Review 2015-2016 Table of Contents Message from the President Message from the Executive Director Who We Are Pharmacy in New Brunswick Committed to Improving your Health Contributing to our Communities Building our Profession 1 2 3 4 8 15 18 Message from the President Daniel Pike (BSc., Pharm) New Brunswick pharmacists have always been and continue to be on the leading edge in terms of scope of practice. Amid the overwhelmingly positive response we received from our minor ailments public awareness campaign, some rather blunt patient feedback came as a bit of a surprise. Comments through social media told us loud and clear that some New Brunswick patients are frustrated and even a little angry when their local pharmacists turn down requests to assess and treat certain minor ailments. Surveys have already told us that New Brunswickers want their pharmacists to take on expanded roles in the healthcare system, but the comments serve as a stark wake up call to those in our profession who are hesitant to embrace the new services they can provide under the Pharmacy Act. New Brunswick patients are not only open to pharmacists doing more for their health, they are actively seeking out these services, including minor ailments, injections and medication reviews. Our most recent survey, detailed in this report, found that 81 per cent of New Brunswickers would definitely or probably see a pharmacist for medical treatment for certain minor ailments. It also found that 61 per cent would prefer getting prescriptions for certain minor ailments from a pharmacy (25 per cent from a family doctor, eight per cent from an afterhours clinic). In the two years since the Pharmacy Act has passed, 473 practicing licensed pharmacists have registered with the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists to provide minor ailment services. That’s just over half of New Brunswick’s pharmacists. It’s a great start, but more pharmacists need to embrace our expanded scope. It’s the best step forward for patients and for the healthcare system. Here’s one example why. More than one million Canadian women seek ambulatory treatment each year for urinary tract infections. At least 20 per cent end up in an emergency room. That’s roughly 120 per day in New Brunswick. Many of those women could be treated more efficiently at pharmacies. It puts less pressure on crowded ERs and is much easier for the patient as well. new services are without a doubt an important source of revenue to pharmacy in light of numerous, significant government cuts. Compared to the rest of Canada, New Brunswick pharmacists have always been and continue to be on the leading edge in terms of scope of practice. I urge them to take full advantage of that scope – for the benefit of their patients and the betterment of our profession. Our work this year has been helped tremendously by our stronger relationship with the Canadian Pharmacists’ Association (CPhA). Our national body is working harder than ever to provide more member benefits, advocate on national issues and develop position statements on pharmacist dispensing and patient management of medical marijuana and medical assistance in dying. Serving as NBPA President continues to be a privilege and a rewarding experience which would not be possible with the support of my fellow Board members. They are capable leaders who continue to listen to pharmacists’ concerns and advocate on their behalf for patient-centered solutions. My thanks go as well to NBPA colleagues Coleen Jardine and Kathy Kaufield for their support throughout the year. Executive Director Paul Blanchard continues to be a strong voice for pharmacists, both publicly and behind-the-scenes, as he manages the challenges facing our profession and leads positive change as well. I’d like to thank him for his hard work, professionalism, tenacity, insight and positive attitude as he continues to help build our profession. The future will continue to bring change and challenge to our profession, but I’m confident New Brunswick pharmacists will continue to handle them with their usual aplomb and with their patients’ best interests at heart. Daniel Pike (BSc., Pharm) NBPA President Indeed some pharmacists are struggling to find ways to change their workflows to accommodate these new services, but many others are making this transition successfully with the help of pharmacy technicians. In the not too distant future, pharmacists will have access to patients’ Electronic Health Records (EHRs), which is necessary to support pharmacists in their expanded work. In addition, these Year in Review – 2015-2016 1 Message from the President Paul Blanchard Change is ever present. Change. Government cuts. Consumer confidence in pharmacists. These are the three constants in pharmacy in recent years. New Brunswick pharmacists are doing more for patients than ever before while pharmacies are continuing to lose significant revenue as the result of government price regulations. And in the midst of all this – patients continue to have high confidence and trust in their pharmacists. As this report details, the NBPA continues to lead positive change in pharmacy and to strongly represent its members on the many government and policy decisions that impact our profession. Change is ever present. And this is a good thing, as without change, we will never see improvements. Six years ago, pharmacists weren’t involved in immunization. Today the majority of front line pharmacists are certified to provide injections. This is having a positive impact on healthcare. Pharmacists have been prescribing and adapting prescriptions for a number of years in New Brunswick. Recent national studies have shown that 2.7 per cent of prescriptions are written by nurse practitioners or pharmacists. While this change has been important, it is a privilege that pharmacists have certainly used judiciously. Pharmacists can now access laboratory values through the Department of Health’s Electronic Health Record. An electronic Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2016. Government is also developing an Electronic Health Record that will contain a patient’s complete drug profile. As you will read in this report, this is definitely not a Drug Information System as other provincial governments have developed. Since 2014, our Pharmacy Act has enabled a broad range of new services that pharmacists can provide. While some pharmacists are still struggling to find ways to change workflows to accommodate these new services, others are successfully making this transition. We will be featuring some of these success stories at our conference this year. The Act also created a new health care profession – the pharmacy technician. We will look for new ways to support and include pharmacy technicians in our conference and practice going forward. As these services evolve, we are already identifying new potential minor ailment services that pharmacists should be providing. The assessment and actual treatment of shingles in a timely manner is an example of what could be next in that process. 2 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Government cuts have been a constant since 2011/12, when provincial governments began regulating the price of generic products and also began negotiating secret deals with brand manufacturers. The financial impacts of these cuts are discussed in this report. We can easily estimate that when compared to 2012 revenues, the average pharmacy in New Brunswick has had to make up more than $250,000 in lost revenues associated with these government decisions. We are also dealing with a 12 per cent growth in prescription volume since 2012. Pharmacists have been doing more with less for some time. Despite these challenges, consumer confidence continues to be strong. As you will read in this report, Canadians trust their pharmacists. New Brunswickers trust their pharmacists even more than the average Canadian. We see that in our surveys, and we see it reflected in the comments that followed our recent digital marketing and social media campaign promoting minor ailment assessments in New Brunswick. New Brunswickers have responded to our Facebook and Twitter posts and have visited our website. In many cases, they are complaining that they cannot get the minor ailment service being promoted in our ads. They are shopping around and looking for pharmacists who can provide an assessment for a cold sore or a urinary tract infection. They are not often complaining about having to pay a professional fee, although some are already beginning to question why these health care services are not covered by Medicare. Our greatest assets in these challenging times of change and cuts are people – pharmacists, members of their teams as well as their patients, who trust their pharmacists to provide care in a professional, accessible way. In the coming year, the NBPA will develop on a new strategic plan that will guide and re-focus our efforts as we move forward through the challenges and opportunities ahead. We will continue to advocate for funding to support assessments for minor ailments and continue to promote these services to the public. Just as pharmacists have to keep changing, we are changing and evolving as well. Paul Blanchard Executive Director Who We Are Established in 1981, the New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association is the voice of pharmacists in the province and is committed to providing leadership for the profession and to improving the health of New Brunswickers. The Association represents the professional interests of over 750 pharmacists. Our board has approved and simplified our mission, vision and goals in our most recent strategic plan. mission To help pharmacists enhance patient care through sustainable pharmacy practices goals vision • R educe total health care costs (particularly in the aging population). • P atients are diagnosed by Health Care Professionals • Increase pharmacist satisfaction • Improve productivity • P harmacists manage patient medication/therapy • P harmacies have fair returns for their expanded services NBPA Board of Directors 2015-16 Daniel Pike Andrew Brillant Nathan McCormick André Hachey Theresa Gatien Vice-President, District VII Hospital member President Director, District IV, Carleton, Victoria and Madawaska counties NBPA Staff Director, District V, Northumberland, Gloucester, Restigouche counties Secretary, District II St. John, Kings, Charlotte counties Andrew Drover Greg MacKay Dennis Abud Mike Oliver District I Albert, Westmorland, Kent counties Paula MacNeil Director, District VI Corporate member Director, District VI Corporate member Director, District III Queens, Sunbury and York counties Director, District VI Corporate member The NBPA is staffed by a dedicated team of full-time and contract individuals. Paul Blanchard Executive Director Coleen Jardine Executive Assistant Kathy Kaufield Communications Year in Review – 2015-2016 3 Pharmacy in New Brunswick New Brunswick has approximately 858 practicing pharmacists. New Brunswick has approximately 225 pharmacies but pharmacists also work in hospitals, special care homes, senior citizens’ facilities, collaborative practises, the pharmaceutical industry, universities, colleges as well as government departments. New Brunswick pharmacists fill more than 12 million prescriptions every year. New Brunswick pharmacists make roughly 20,000 prescription adaptations per month, saving unnecessary trips to the ER or after-hours clinics. New Brunswick pharmacists are valuable and knowledgeable health care professionals who provide front-line health care services at convenient times, usually without an appointment. The practice of pharmacy is evolving. Your pharmacist can do much more than manage your medications. Your pharmacist can Prescribe and adapt medications 4 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Give flu shots and other vaccines Assess treat and prescribe for certain minor ailments Review medications and provide health checks Pharmacy in New Brunswick ATHOLVILLE 2 3 2 CAMPBELLTON KEDGWICK CLAIR 4 1 EDMUNDSTON 1 DALHOUSIE 1 BELLEDUNE PETIT ROCHER BERESFORD BATHURST 1 1 LAMEQUE 1 6 3 CARAQUET ST.QUENTIN NEGUAC 1 1 HAUT-LAMEQUE SHIPPAGAN PAQUETVILLE 1 4 TRACADIE-SHEILA 1 1 1 ST.ANNE DE MADAWASKA 4 MIRAMICHI GRAND FALLS 1 2 PLASTER ROCK NEWCASTLE 1 9 1 1 ROGERSVILLE 1 ST-LOUIS DE KENT PERTH ANDOVER 1 BAIE STE ANNE RICHIBUCTO REXTON 1 2 2 1 5 SHEDIAC HARTLAND 1 1 CAP-PELE 1 STANLEY CHIPMAN MONCTON 33 7 DIEPPE 1 PORT ELGIN 5 WOODSTOCK RIVERVIEW 2 1NACKAWIC 1 PETITCODIAC 5 2 MEMRAMCOOK KESWICK 1 1 1 MINTO 3 SACKVILLE FREDERICTON 22 SALISBURY 1 HILLSBOROUGH NEW MARYLAND 1 RIVERSIDE-ALBERT 1 5 OROMOCTO 8 SUSSEX HARVEY STATION 1 2 HAMPTON MCADAM 1 1 QUISPAMSIS GRAND BAY-WESTFIELD 1 3 ROTHESAY 22 SAINT JOHN ST. STEPHEN 4 ST ANDREWS 1 1 1 UPPER LETANG ST. GEORGE WELSHPOOL 1 FLORENCEVILLE 2 1 1 Advise on cough syrup, vitamins and over the counter medications Provide device BOUCTOUCHE SAINT-ANTOINE COCAGNE 1 GRAND MANAN training for tools like blood pressure kits, puffers and blood sugar testing Help patients stop smoking Fit braces, crutches and other equipment Year in Review – 2015-2016 5 What New Brunswickers say about their pharmacists In February of 2016, the Canadian Pharmacists Association and the NBPA commissioned Abacus Data to conduct a survey that included specific questions to 500 adult New Brunswickers. The survey found: Overall Impression of Pharmacists 96% 94% 56% have a very positive or mostly positive perception of pharmacists say pharmacists play an essential or important role in the health care system of New Brunswickers call or visit a pharmacy BEFORE they seek help from their doctor or after-hours clinic NBers trust their pharmacists New Brunswick residents are more trusting of pharmacists to deliver advice on a range of health services including vaccinations (NB 69% vs. CAN 59%), managing chronic health conditions (NB 65% vs. CAN 58%), and managing common ailments like the cold or flu (NB 76% vs. CAN 53%). COMPARISON: NBers who completely trust or trust a great deal the advice from they would get from the following health care professionals Vaccinations 6 Medicine Management of Chronic Conditions Healthy Lifestyle Choices Managing Common Ailments like Cold and Flu Pharmacists 69% 84% 65% 64% 76% Doctors 71% 70% 75% 71% 71% Nurses 61% 52% 59% 59% 65% New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Pharmacy in New Brunswick Treatment of Minor Ailments 81% would definitely or probably see a pharmacist for medical treatment for certain minor ailments. 61% 68% would prefer getting prescriptions for certain minor ailments from a pharmacy (25% family doctor, 8% afterhours clinic) believe services such as vaccines, assessments of minor ailments, and prescriptions for those ailments should be covered by Medicare. NBers want their pharmacist to do more 69% likely or somewhat likely to go to a pharmacist for a vaccination 74% likely or somewhat likely to go to a pharmacist for a flu shot 55% likely or somewhat likely to go to a pharmacist to manage chronic conditions 65% likely or somewhat likely to go to a pharmacist for advice on healthy lifestyle choices like smoking cessation or weight loss 82% Pharmacists can help reduce health care costs and improve care 81% strongly or mostly agree that allowing pharmacists to do more will improve health outcomes for patients 86% strongly or mostly agree that allowing pharmacists to do more would reduce costs in the health care system likely or somewhat likely to go to a pharmacist for management of common ailments like cold and flu Year in Review – 2015-2016 7 Committed to Improving your Health Minor Ailments 2015/16 saw patients embrace pharmacists’ new scope of practice that allows them to assess, treat and prescribe for 32 common minor ailments. Pharmacists now have the authority to prescribe medication for minor ailments when necessary, although not all assessments will result in a prescription. Pharmacists may recommend other treatment options, such as over-thecounter medications, or refer patients to another healthcare provider. Pharmacists can also now prescribe for certain vaccines for preventable diseases. Many pharmacies across the province are now offering minor ailment assessments and treatments and are charging a fee for these services. To date, 473 practicing licensed pharmacists are registered with the NB College of Pharmacists to provide these services. By treating less serious conditions, pharmacists are better serving the needs of patients who are already turning to pharmacies for minor ailments and reducing the pressure on crowded ERs and doctor’s offices. 8 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Minor Ailments Allergic Rhinitis (hay fever) Calluses and Corns Contact Allergic Dermatitis (allergic skin rash) Cough Dandruff Dysmenorrhea (pre-menstrual and menstrual pain) Dyspepsia (indigestion) Emergency Contraception Fungal Infections of the Skin Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease (Heartburn) Hemorrhoids Herpes Simplex (cold sores) Impetigo Mild Acne Mild Headache Mild to Moderate Eczema Mild Urticaria (hives, bug bites and stings) Minor Joint Pain Minor Muscle Pain Minor Sleep Disorders Nasal Congestion Nausea Nicotine Dependence Non-infectious Diarrhea Oral Fungal Infection (thrush) Oral Ulcers (canker sores) Sore Throat Threadworms and Pinworms Urinary Tract Infection (uncomplicated) Vaginal Candidiasis (yeast infection) Warts (excluding facial and genital) Xerophthalmia (dry eyes) Committed to Improving your Health Year in Review – 2015-2016 9 Committed to Improving your Health The NBPA launched a significant campaign in 2016 to build awareness about minor ailment assessments and to educate about the value of these services to patients and the New Brunswick healthcare system. The NBPA developed a variety of POS materials for pharmacies, including: Our research has shown that a large majority of people get their information about pharmacies from pharmacists and from websites. Few rely on television or newspaper ads. For that reason, our campaign focused heavily on Point of Sale materials, online advertising and social media. • Buttons for staff to wear A survey of our members revealed the most popular minor ailments that patients ask about at pharmacies are: urinary tract infections, cold sores and allergies (allergic rhinitis). Our “Think Pharmacy First” campaign, which focused on those three ailments, launched in March in conjunction with Pharmacy Awareness Month and lasted until the end of May. 10 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association • Posters •General information brochure about minor ailments • Paper bag stickers • Shelf wobblers The NBPA engaged the services of Time and Space Media to assist with a comprehensive bilingual digital marketing and social media campaign that targeted specific audiences. The campaign included display ads on a variety of websites, paid social media ads on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and paid search ads (Google Adwords). Committed to Improving your Health More than one million Canadian women seek ambulatory treatment each year for urinary tract infections. At least 20 per cent end up in an emergency room. That’s roughly 120 per day in New Brunswick. Many of those women could be treated more efficiently at pharmacies. Over 16 million impressions in New Brunswick on Google AdWords, Facebook, Instagram + Twitter . JE P ID ER L P. HE Data from the first two months of the campaign show impressive results: I CAN PRELIMINARY CAMPAIGN RESULTS I R E S? U TI? IN A I C T I O NS UR E F N E U X VO US A The paid campaign was complemented by regular social media updates, which is keeping our audience engaged and driving quality traffic to our website. In just over two years, our Facebook audience has grown from 79 to 2,197. Our efforts also included targeted radio ads in Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton and a “texting” campaign with a Fredericton radio station. Because our campaign coincided with Pharmacy Awareness Month, it prompted several media interview requests. NBPA President Daniel Pike, board member Dennis Abud and Executive Director Paul Blanchard did radio interviews to explain this new scope of practice. Over 40,000 visits to the NBPA website with 2,000 considered “highly engaged” in the minor ailments content The NBPA social communities (Facebook + Twitter) have grown by over 325 people The social media ads have driven more than 12,000 actions within Facebook, Instagram + Twitter – this includes posts likes, comments, shares, page likes, website clicks, page likes etc. On AdWords, the cold sores ad is driving the highest volumes of traffic to the NBPA website On social media, the UTI ad is driving the highest number of users to the website Year in Review – 2015-2016 11 Minor Ailments Flu Shots Remain Popular at Pharmacies New Brunswickers are continuing to turn to their pharmacists to get their flu shots. Over the past six years, New Brunswick patients have embraced the convenience of this pharmacy service. It’s a terrific example of what can happen when pharmacists are allowed and encouraged to play an expanded role in our health care system. The 2015-16 season saw pharmacists give 55,124 publicly-funded flu shots. Thousands more were immunized privately. This number is down a bit compared to the 62,200 publicly-funded shots given by pharmacists the previous year. The dip in this year’s numbers likely has to do with the mild winter, as well as the media stories that reported poor efficacy with last year’s flu vaccine. There are now 549 pharmacists certified to administer drugs by injection in New Brunswick. This represents just under 65 per cent of active, licensed pharmacists. Our capacity to provide this service is continuing to grow. In addition to flu shots, pharmacists also administer injections to protect against shingles and also provide injections for birth control, travel medicine and other valuable services. We expect that the role of pharmacists will continue to evolve and become even more prominent with the seasonal flu vaccine in the future. The NBPA has urged the province to allow pharmacists to deliver all publicly funded vaccinations. 12 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Premier Brian Gallant gets his flu shot from Saint John pharmacist Greg MacIntyre. Publicly Funded Flu Shots by NB Pharmacists: Number of Pharmacists Certified to Administer Injections: FLU SEASON 85 6,000 2010-11 10,585 220 2011-12 18,093 265 2012-13 40,361 330 2013-14* 62,200 515 2014-15 ** 55,124 549 2015-16 *Data provided to Feb 2014 **Data provided to April 2015 Committed to Improving your Health This year also saw the first time a New Brunswick premier has gotten his flu shot from a pharmacist. Saint John pharmacist Greg MacIntyre gave Premier Brian Gallant his flu shot this year. Health Minister Victor Boudreau and Finance Minister Roger Melanson also got their flu shots at their local pharmacies this year. They shared the pictures on social media – a good boost to our campaign. The NBPA also issued a media release about the importance of getting a flu shot, which prompted stories in Telegraph Journal, Woodstock Bugle Observer, Miramichi Leader, Daily Gleaner and the Times and Transcript. CBC TV featured an interview on flu shots with Fredericton pharmacist Alistair Bursey. This year’s flu shot campaign cast New Brunswick pharmacists as “Flu Fighters”, a concept that performed better with audiences than previous campaigns that focused on the flu shot itself rather than the role of the pharmacist. The NBPA developed several Point of Sale items for pharmacies, including bilingual posters, stickers for prescription bags and buttons for staff to wear. The campaign also included radio ads in Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John, a texting campaign and some online ads. Our efforts included a two-month Facebook campaign featuring targeted ads promoting flu shots by pharmacists and customized graphics. The Facebook campaign performed extremely well, with an overall reach of 98,762, prompting 1,123 clicks to our website and 500 page likes. Health Minister Victor Boudreau got his flu shot from Francois Leblanc and Pierre Leblanc at the Jean Coutu in Shediac. Ask your Pharmacist NBPA President Daniel Pike has continued work on his weekly “Ask Your Pharmacist” column in New Brunswick’s three English daily newspapers. His efforts often complement our campaigns; his columns have explored minor ailments, flu shots and pharmacist education. The column is featured prominently on our website and promoted via social media. His column and an NBPA advertisement also appear regularly in Horizons Magazine, a publication aimed at New Brunswick seniors. Year in Review – 2015-2016 13 Committed to Improving your Health Medication Reviews Help Patients Adverse drug reactions are the number one reason for the hospitalization of seniors in New Brunswick. It’s not surprising, really, because almost two-thirds of seniors use five or more classes of prescription drugs for multiple chronic conditions. Moreover, New Brunswick has one of the lowest literacy levels in Canada. Recent media stories have begun to highlight the impact of overmedication within the seniors’ population. More recently here in New Brunswick, the NB Nursing Home Association is working with government and with local pharmacists to reduce the use of antipsychotic medications in seniors’ homes. This topic will be presented at our conference. That’s why the NBPA continues to believe the NB government should expand its successful NB PharmaCheck™ program to include people who have been discharged from hospital and people with chronic conditions. Having a pharmacist conduct regular medication reviews can prevent many adverse reactions and hospitalizations. Seniors covered under the New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program who take three or more prescriptions for chronic conditions are eligible to have a yearly medication review with their pharmacist as part of the NB PharmaCheck™ program. The program was expanded to include New Brunswickers who hold a valid health card from the Department of Social Development. A medication review takes on average between 20-30 minutes. The pharmacist reviews each medication a patient is taking to ensure he or she is taking it properly and to make sure none of the prescriptions interact with each other, or with over-the-counter products, natural health products or with food. The pharmacist also performs a variety of other tasks, including checking for drug duplication, ensuring that medications and diseases correspond, offering advice to better manage multiple medications and demonstrating how to take certain medications like inhalers. Patients leave the review with a complete, accurate, up-to-date personal medication record. Pharmacists also continue to collaborate and communicate with a patient’s family physician as well, if there are any changes that should be considered. Seniors or Social Development clients who aren’t eligible for coverage under the NBPDP can also ask their local pharmacists to do medication reviews for a fee. Our members say these reviews have proven to be extremely beneficial to their patients. Medication Reviews Performed by Pharmacists under the PharmaCheck™ Program 2012-2013 6,232 2013 10,086* 2014 No data available 2015-2016 12,904 *Data from April 1 to Dec. 31, 2013 14 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Contributing to our Communities Every year, the NBPA, New Brunswick College of Pharmacists and the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (New Brunswick Branch) pay tribute to New Brunswick pharmacists who make outstanding contributions to their communities and to their professions. Those honoured in 2015 include: Judith Seymour of Fredericton Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Bowl of Hygeia Award The Bowl of Hygeia is the most widely recognized international symbol for the pharmacy profession and is considered one of the profession’s most prestigious awards. This award recognizes pharmacists who make outstanding contributions to their profession and to their communities. Here are some of the ways colleagues describe Judith Seymour: “A force to be reckoned with”; “never without a project”; “smart, determined and fully committed to all she does”; “an inspiration personally and professionally”; “role model and mentor”. Judith has been helping patients, building her profession and contributing to her community for more than 40 years. A graduate of Dalhousie’s pharmacy program in 1972, Judith spent much of her career as a pharmacist and owner at Jean Coutu in Fredericton. She was instrumental in the development of the methadone program in her community; her work established guidelines and standards that would eventually be incorporated into provincial methadone policy directives. She helped update the Pharmacy Act in both 1983 and again last year, a significant contribution to building her profession. She has served as President of the New Brunswick Pharmaceutical Society, chaired Dalhousie University’s Practical Training Program committee that was responsible for writing student manuals and marking exams. She currently services on the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists’ Finance Committee. In her community, Judith has served on the Local Service District in Estey’s Bridge, is a member of 100 Women Who Care, volunteers with the John Howard Society and regularly contributes her time to committees at local hospitals. Year in Review – 2015-2016 15 Contributing to our Communities This award is given to a member of the college who has contributed outstanding service as a pharmacist for more than 40 years. Heather Varner of Saint John NB College of Pharmacists Lifetime Membership Heather Varner has dedicated more than four decades to helping patients and contributing to pharmacy in New Brunswick. It’s common knowledge that Heather could often be found at work long after her shift ended because she never left any “loose ends”. Patient care has always come first to her. Heather spent much of her career managing the Lawtons Drugs on Manawoganish Road in Saint John where she was known as an excellent manager who was always searching for the best way to serve her patients and provide the highest quality care. When Lawtons expanded its services to Long Term Care homes, Heather did not hesitate to get on board. Thanks to her dedication, leadership and resident care, her Lawtons site was able to grow to serve 29 facilities and more than 1,200 residents. Now retired, Heather has maintained her licence and continues to help out behind the pharmacy counter when needed. This award is given to a member of the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists who has made outstanding contributions to his or her profession. Tracie Blakney Paixao of Quispamsis Meritorious Service Award Tracie Blakney Paixao is leading the way in this new era of pharmacy practice, and it’s pharmacists like her who will propel this profession forward. A pharmacist at Shoppers Drug Mart in Quispamsis, Tracie is a strong proponent of the expanding role of pharmacists by practicing to the maximum scope. She certified as an injector, has taken a lead role at her pharmacy in medication reviews and is in the process of completing a Travel Health Education Program so she can add to the services she provides patients during travel consultations. Tracie has embraced pharmacists’ new ability to assess and treat minor ailments by upgrading her clinical decision-making skills and engaging other members of her team to deliver the highest quality patient care. Tracie visits local schools to educate students and staff on the use of Epipens, makes house calls to patients who can’t come to the store for medication reviews or need help using insulin pens or inhalers. She even delivers medication on occasion. She is an excellent example to other pharmacists on how to integrate enhanced scope activities within their practices. This award recognizes pharmacists who have demonstrated a commitment to lifelong learning and have completed advanced training or education. Jeannie Collins Beaudin of Cap-Pele Takeda Magnum Opus Award Jeannie Collins Beaudin is a wonderful example of a pharmacist with a lifelong passion for learning and improving both her own practice and the profession as a whole. As the former owner of a clinical pharmacy specializing in specialty compounding, Jeannie has always been enthusiastic about expanding the boundaries of community pharmacy care and services. She has studied and/or received certification in a number of specialty areas including skin care, compounding, women’s hormonal health, diabetes management, business management and practice change. As well as practicing community pharmacy to its optimal levels of personalized patient care, Jeannie was one of the first practitioners in Canada to regularly bill patients for her specialized professional services. A Pharmacist Educator for the past 12 years, Jeannie has written educational programs approved by the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy, made presentations at a variety of conferences and workshops as well as produced live and recorded webinars for pharmacists. She also worked as a Pharmacist Injector Trainer as part of a team at Dalhousie University that trained and certified pharmacists to administer injections. For nearly a decade, Jeannie has also written a regular pharmacy column for Rogers Media publications, including Pharmacy Post, DrugStore Canada and Pharmacy Practice Plus. As a consultant, Jeannie helps other pharmacies transform their practice to one based on pharmacy professional services. 16 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Contributing to our Communities This is presented to an individual or group that completes research, a project or a community venture that enhances and promotes the practice of pharmacy. Carole Goodine of Fredericton Award of Special Recognition A pharmacist for 25 years, Carole Goodine led a project that will truly benefit patients who take warfarin, a high risk medication. This project was inspired by nurses at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital who recognized that warfarin education was not consistently provided in the same way or to the same extent in the hospital. With pharmacists in short supply, the nurses saw the need for a standard teaching toolkit to help properly educate patients. Carole took the lead on the development of a standardized warfarin patient education tool kit which contained a booklet, summary sheet, warfarin dosing calendar and video. Since New Brunswick has one of the highest illiteracy rates in Canada, the video has become one of the most important tools for patients. Carole led a team of pharmacists on this project, which included collaboration with nurses, doctors and hospital communications staff. This team effort was a creative solution to help meet the medication needs of patients on warfarin. The Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists recognized it as a 2015 Success Story Winner. Given by the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP) New Brunswick Branch, this award recognizes a member who has contributed to the organization through prolonged service and involvement. Jennifer Ryan of Grand Bay-Westfield Gordon Kane Meritorious Service Award Jennifer Ryan is known as a master of fostering engagement and an inspirational mentor who inspires individuals to step outside their comfort zones to achieve their maximum potential. Jennifer has been an active member of the CSHP (NB Branch) since 1998, including serving as President, Director of Finance as well as chair of the National Advocacy Committee and the CSHP AGM Host Committee. Jennifer has been a strong advocate for hospital pharmacy practice. She was instrumental in developing nation-wide advocacy campaigns on a variety of topics including hospital pharmacist shortages and patient safety campaigns. Jennifer has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to academic excellence, both personally and in her pursuit of advanced training for her own practice and encouraging others. She helped re-establish the post-graduate residency training program at the Saint John Regional Hospital and went on to accept an inaugural role as Region Coordinator for Education and Research at Horizon Health. In this role, she has identified the educational needs of pharmacy staff and developed opportunities to meet them. She has served as a preceptor and mentor for both pharmacists and medical students to undertake research. In addition to her role at Horizon Health, Jennifer is a pharmacist/owner at Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in Grand Bay-Westfield. This award is presented to a new pharmacist (five years or less since graduation) for exceptional service through innovation or contributions to his/her community. Scott Knowles Memorial New Practitioner Service Award Ashley Sproul of Waterville Jessica Dorcas of Fredericton Sarah Alteen of Fredericton Ashley Sproul is committed to driving her profession forward and has already made important contributions to pharmacy in the five years since she graduated from Memorial University’s Pharmacy program. Ashley is the hemodialysis clinic pharmacist at the Upper River Valley Hospital where she quickly impressed colleagues with her willingness to learn and her excellent patient care. She proactively led a regional pharmacy initiative on falls prevention, earned her Certified Diabetes Educator status and has began a research project on medication compliance aids and adherence in ambulatory hemodialysis patients. Ashley is in the midst of completing a non-traditional post-graduate Doctor of Pharmacy degree with the University of Colorado and has served as a preceptor of several undergraduate pharmacy students. Jessica Dorcas has proven her ability to provide outstanding patient care, to embrace expanded roles for pharmacists and to take a leadership role in her profession. A Dalhousie Pharmacy graduate in 2013 and a pharmacy team member at Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy #192 in the Fredericton Direct Charge Co-op, Jessica has taken the lead with the store’s methadone program as well as medication reviews. She is a certified injector and has played a significant role in the pharmacy’s influenza campaigns. Jessica is known for strong research skills, her professional, caring approach, positive attitude and her ability to tackle challenging drug information questions. Sarah Alteen goes above and beyond for her patients, whether that be coming into work early, staying late and providing extra counselling for those who need it. A Memorial University Pharmacy graduate in 2011 and a pharmacist with Lawtons Drugs, Sarah is a certified injector and Humira trainer. Her attention to detail, excellent care and personable approach have earned her a regular following of customers who trust her advice and even bring her gifts on occasion to thank her for going the extra mile. Sarah is passionate about pharmacy, sees the incredible value that pharmacists bring to patients and is enthusiastic about embracing expanded scope opportunities such as injections, medication reviews and minor ailment assessments. Year in Review – 2015-2016 17 Oromocto-Lincoln MLA Jody Carr visited with pharmacist Daniel Pike at the Medicine Shoppe, Fredericton Co-Op during the NBPA’s first Take your MLA to the Pharmacy Day. Building our Profession Pharmacy remains in transition in New Brunswick and across Canada, and the NBPA continues to work hard to manage and lead these changes. 2015-16 saw another year when New Brunswick pharmacists were challenged to find new ways to do more, with less. This is especially difficult as pharmacists try to incorporate new services which are enabled under the Pharmacy Act. We continued to work on issues in which government policy impacts our profession and patient care. Despite our requests, the current government has not continued to support our Pharmacy Affairs Working group. As a result, important initiatives such as the development of a Prescription Monitoring program and an Electronic Health Record have moved ahead differently here than in other Atlantic provinces. Pharmacists have been asking for an electronic PMP for more than a decade. The development of this initiative is good news. However, while other provinces have developed a Drug Information System (DIS) which will provide pharmacists with a complete patient drug profile and enable pharmacists to use their software to get important DUR/DUE messages on ALL prescriptions, New Brunswick’s plans will simply require pharmacists to login to the Department of Health electronic health record (E.H.R.). This will put tremendous responsibility and liability on pharmacists, who will now have to use their professional judgment to decide when 18 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Building our Profession FACT: The Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association estimates that for every one per cent increase in the use of generic medicine, New Brunswickers would have saved $8 million in 2013. NBPA Executive Director Paul Blanchard, NBPA President Daniel Pike, Health Minister Victor Boudreau and NBPA Board Member Paula MacNeil. to look at the E.H.R. and when not to look at it. More importantly, pharmacists will not be able to use their own DUR tools on all prescriptions. Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and PEI have developed or are developing systems that support pharmacists by interacting with our local pharmacy systems. The same systems we have here in New Brunswick. The New Brunswick plan frankly isn’t good enough. It puts patient safety at risk. It will put pharmacists at higher risk of liability. It will create delays in processing prescriptions. New Brunswick can do better and the NBPA continues to advocate for the Department to provide pharmacists with a proper Drug Information System. Unfortunately, the NBPA has had little success in the past year in interacting with New Brunswick Health Minister Victor Boudreau. We had a meeting in January 2015 and have only recently met again in May 2016. The Minister has been preoccupied by Strategic Program Review initiatives. Without ministerial support for our Pharmacy Affairs Working Group, our Memorandum of Understanding remains expired and our requests for investments in minor ailment assessments are not supported. In an effort to bring our issues back to the forefront, we hosted an MLA Day in Pharmacy on May 30, 2016, which provided MLAs with an opportunity to see for themselves how New Brunswickers value pharmacy health services and enable front line pharmacists to be their own advocates for change by getting to know their local MLAs. Our relationship with our national body has never been stronger. The Canadian Pharmacists’ Association (CPhA) is working harder than ever to provide more member benefits and to advocate on national issues. This stronger relationship is generating dividends in advocacy. CPhA has again surveyed Canadians and New Brunswickers through a national survey provided by ABACUS data. Many of those results are included in this report. Among these findings, 96 per cent of New Brunswickers have a positive view of pharmacists and 56 per cent of New Brunswickers call or visit a pharmacy BEFORE they seek help from their doctor or after-hours clinic. These are important results in affirming how important pharmacists are to the health of New Brunswickers. We are also working with our national body on development of position statements on issues related to medical marihuana and medical aid in dying. New Brunswick pharmacist Alistair Bursey will assume the Chair of the CPhA this summer at its annual conference in Calgary. The NBPA is also developing a new strategic plan this fall that will guide and re-focus our efforts as we move forward through the challenges and opportunities ahead. We will continue to advocate for funding to support assessments for minor ailments and continue to promote these services to the public. During the past year, the NBPA has been invited to give presentations to large employer groups and plan sponsors and will continue to do so in 2016. These include Medavie’s largest employer group, the province of New Brunswick’s Human Resources committee and the New Brunswick Teachers’ Plan. These groups are identifying that assessments for minor ailments by pharmacists should be part of a client’s Health Spending Account at minimum and are considering whether to include them in their suite of benefits. Representatives from the Canadian Pharmacists’ Association (CPhA) are at our conference to discuss their initiatives in this area as they are working with the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) in developing a fee guide, which will serve as an important benchmark for industry payers. Year in Review – 2015-2016 19 Building our Profession 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 Generic Drug Policy Timeline 20 March June December January he NB government announced plans to regulate generic drug prices. Also announced increase T in dispensing fees to pharmacy, as well as plans to create a Pharmacy Affairs Working Group, to negotiate an agreement in 2013 and to invest $1.2M in an electronic Drug Information System to help offset losses to pharmacy. New Brunswick legislated generic drug prices at 40 per cent of the brand price. New Brunswick further reduced generic drug prices to 35 per cent of the brand price. Department of Health postpones plans to invest $1.2M in a Drug Information System. April June The Council of Federation (Canada’s premiers) legislate that six of the largest volume generic drugs will be regulated at 18 per cent of brand price. April The Council of Federation (Canada’s premiers) legislates four more of the largest volume generic drugs at 18 per cent of brand price. September March April April New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association New Brunswick legislates generic drug prices at 25 per cent of brand price. The NB government and NBPA reach agreement on an MOU to give pharmacies some much-needed financial predictability. New Brunswick elects a new provincial government which does not renew the Pharmacy Affairs Working Group. The MOU between the NB government and the NBPA expires. The Council of Federation (Canada’s premiers) legislates the next four largest volume generic drugs at 18 per cent of the brand price. The Council of Federation (Canada’s premiers) legislates the next four largest volume generic drugs at 18 per cent of the brand price. Lack of Pharmacy Reinvestment Remains a Challenge New Brunswick pharmacies are continuing to lose significant revenue as the result of government price regulations, and reinvestment in pharmacy services has been little to none. The continuing erosion of pharmacy revenues presents huge financial challenges to New Brunswick pharmacies that have seen approximately $53 million in lost revenues since 2012. We can easily estimate that when compared to 2012 revenues, the average pharmacy in New Brunswick has had to make up more than $250,000 per year in lost revenues associated with these government decisions. The regulations on generic pricing in particular are affecting the entire market. For example, in 2012 as these regulations were beginning to take effect, the generic market in our province accounted for just over 7.1 million prescriptions worth a value of $170 million. At end of this recent fiscal year, the volume of generic prescriptions has grown to 8.1 million, but the value has dropped to $135 million. The total volume of prescriptions that pharmacists oversee has grown from 11 million to 12.3 million since 2012. Pharmacists are still very busy, but the revenues associated with generic drug prices in particular have dropped dramatically. The province’s position remains that pharmacies will benefit significantly from the development of the NB Drug Plan. The NB Drug Plan is an important social program that we support, but it should not be considered as an investment in pharmacy. The program has attracted only 2,500 participants in its first year. In 2014-15, the Department of Health had spent only $7 million on the NB Drug Plan. In 2015-16 the department is budgeting $17 million will be spent on the NB Drug Plan. This was a plan that politicians and bureaucrats were telling us would cost more than $200 million. The addition of the NB Drug Plan will never come close to making up for the financial impact on pharmacies related to generic drug price regulations. The government has taken those savings and put them elsewhere. They have not made investments in pharmacy services as other provinces have done. The New Brunswick government has steadfastly refused to discuss funding for expanded pharmacist services – despite an election promise in support of maximizing roles for pharmacists. New Brunswick has been a national leader in terms of expanded scope of practice for pharmacists. But when it comes to how many of those services are publicly-funded, New Brunswick comes second to last behind Manitoba. The provincial government funds only two services – some flu shots and a limited number of medication reviews. A fee for refusal to fill was negotiated as part of our 2014 MOU but government never enacted this. While other provinces like Saskatchewan, Alberta and Nova Scotia compensate their pharmacists for services such as emergency prescribing, smoking cessation and prescription renewals, New Brunswick does not. Services like these provide important and timely benefits to New Brunswickers. Pharmacists need to be reimbursed for professional interventions, and we will need to consider all sources of revenues in this, not just by government. If patients want expanded scope services from their pharmacists (and surveys say New Brunswickers do), it seems they will have to pay cash – despite election campaign promises about this issue on the contrary. The NBPA will continue to urge government to reinvest savings into pharmacy services and to compensate pharmacists for their expanded roles in the health care system. It would be helpful if the Department reinstated our Pharmacy Affairs Working Group so that we could have a forum to bring these ideas. Year in Review – 2015-2016 21 22 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Manitoba New Brunswick British Columbia Quebec Nova Scotia PEI Newfoundland and Labrador Ontario Saskatchewan Alberta A national comparison of pharmacy services funded by government. Alberta Comprehensive annual care plan Comprehensive annual care plan – Follow up Standard Medication Management Review Standard Medication Management Review – Follow up Standard Medication Management Review – Diabetes Specific Care Plan Standard Medication Management Review – Tobacco Cessation Specific Care Plan Administration of Drug by Injection Prescription Adaptation Immunization (flu) Prescription Renewal Prescription Emergency Prescribing at Initial Access or to Manage Ongoing Therapy Refusal to Fill Trial Prescription Saskatchewan Medication Assessment Interim Supplies – Continuing of Existing Prescription Unable to Access Supplies – Continuing of Existing Prescription Emergency Situation – Continuing of Existing Prescription Insufficient Information Alter Dosage Drug Reconciliation Minor Ailments: Atopic dermatitis Dysmenorrhea Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Dyspepsia Musculosketal strains and sprains Headache Superficial bacterial skin infections Hemorrhoids Tinea skin infections (tinea corporis, tinea cruris, tinea pedis) Minor Acne Cold Sores Insect Bites Allergic Rhinitis Diaper Dermatitis Oral Aphthous Ulcer Oral Thrush Emergency Contraceptive Prescribing Refusal to Fill Smoking Cessation Compliance Packaging Immunization (flu) Ontario MedsCheck MedsCheck Follow Up MedsCheck for Diabetes MedsCheck for Diabetes Follow Up MedsCheck at Home MedsCheck for Long Term Resident MedsCheck for Long Term Resident Follow Up Pharmaceutical Opinion Immunization (flu shots) Smoking Cessation – First Consultation Smoking Cessation – Primary Follow Up Smoking Cessation – Secondary Follow Up Newfoundland and Labrador Medication Management – Adapting Medication Management – Change Dosage or Quantity Medication Management – Complete Missing Information Medication Management – Non-Formulary Generic Substitution Medication Management – Diabetes Medication Management – Multiple Medications Antibiotics Counselling – Short Term COPD - Newly Diagnosed Medication Adherence Immunizations (Flu Shots and All Injections) Emergency Prescribing Refusals to Fill Therapeutic Substitutions PEI Renewal for Continuity of Care Medication Review and Follow Up Medication Review (Diabetes) and Follow Up Refusal to Fill Medication Management – Provide an Interim Supply Medication Management – Extending a Prescription Compliance Packaging Flu Shots Prescription Adaptation Therapeutic Substitution Prescription Adaption Refusal to Fill (Prescription Monitoring Program) Therapeutic Substitution (one allowable for PPIs) Immunization (flu shots) Prescription Renewal – Continuity of Care Minor Ailments (demo project for Pharmacare beneficiaries for skin ailments, cold sores and allergic rhinitis. Quebec Emergency Prescribing Contraception Refusal to Fill Renewal Prescription (packaged) Renewal Prescription (unpackaged) Pharmaceutical Opinion Transmission of Drug Profile On Call Service Prescription Substitution Showing How to Administer Medication Prescribing Lab Work for Therapeutic Monitoring Prescribing for Minor Ailments Prescribing a Medication when No Diagnosis Required Adjusting a Prescription Extending a Prescription British Columbia Medication Review – Standard Medication Review – Pharmacist Consultation Medication Review – Follow Up Immunization (flu) Refusal to fill Prescription Renewal Prescription Adaptation Therapeutic Substitution Trial Prescriptions New Brunswick PharmaCheck Immunization (flu) Manitoba Immunization (flu) Nova Scotia Advanced Medication Review Basic Medication Review Medication Review Follow Up Year in Review – 2015-2016 23 Building our Profession FACT: Reimbursement for NB pharmacists is well below other Atlantic Provinces. New Brunswick pharmacists are paid a dispensing fee of $11.00. Including transition and inventory allowances, Nova Scotia pays $11.65; Newfoundland and Labrador pay $11.96; PEI pays $12.00. Proposals to Government The NBPA developed two comprehensive proposals to government detailing ways that pharmacists can help improve health care for New Brunswickers and save tax dollars. Minor Ailments The NBPA proposed the establishment of a pilot program to reimburse pharmacies for certain minor ailment assessments. The NBPA proposed that initially, assessments for eight (8) minor ailments are funded by the Department of Health. These should include assessments for urinary tract infections (UTI), cold sores (Herpes Labialis), allergic rhinitis, gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), mild acne, fungal infections of the skin, impetigo and eczema. The Department has declined to support this initiative. 24 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Immunization Allowing pharmacists to administer all publicly-funded vaccines such as those for whooping cough, chicken pox and pneumococcal infection would increase patient access to these important injections and free up doctors to handle other patient concerns. Pharmacists would record these immunizations in real time in an Electronic Health Record (EHR) managed by the Province in a more efficient and cost effective manner. Other Policy Priorities The NBPA will continue to urge the provincial government to consider the following clinical services proposals that will allow community pharmacists to help improve access to primary care for patients and reduce health care costs. Trial Prescription Program A 14-30 day trial prescription program for new prescriptions with known high incidences of side effects will reduce drug wastage and reap significant savings. Quebec, Saskatchewan and BC have these programs in place. Medication Adherence Services Increasing medication adherence among patients with chronic conditions through pharmacist intervention and repeated short-term follow-up when a medication is newly prescribed will decrease hospitalizations and save money. PEI has recently implemented this type of service. Pharmacist-led Smoking Cessation Services A province-wide pharmacy-led smoking cessation program will provide New Brunswickers with the improved access, medication expertise and ongoing counseling needed to successfully quit smoking. Chronic Disease Management In 2008, the Pharmacy Act was amended to enable pharmacists to order and to interpret lab values. This includes blood work, urine specimens etc. However, due to limitations under the Regional Health Authorities’ legislation, pharmacists have not been granted “privileges” to order and interpret these values. Following through with these legislative changes would allow pharmacists to have the resources they need to help patients manage chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes as well as provide anticoagulation (blood thinning) management services. One recent Alberta study found that stroke survivors gained better control over risk factors like cholesterol levels when a pharmacist actively adjusted their medications compared with similar patients who received counselling and management from nurses. Immunizations Allowing pharmacists to deliver all publicly funded vaccines such as those for whooping cough, chicken pox and pneumococcal infection would increase patient access to these important injections and free up doctors to handle other patient concerns. Prescription Monitoring Program within a Drug Information System A Prescription Drug Monitoring program will result in fewer people abusing drugs and requiring methadone therapy, which will also save precious health care dollars. Expansion of the NB PharmaCheck™ The further expansion of the NB PharmaCheck™ Program to cover people who have been discharged from hospital and people with chronic conditions would reduce hospitalizations and save money. Year in Review – 2015-2016 25 Building our Profession New Member Benefits 2015 brought some new benefits to NBPA members. Our District IV Director Nathan McCormick worked hard this year to secure new benefits for members: Preferred Rates for Telus Mobility Options for two-year rate plans include: $60/month (Est. retail value $95/ month) and $70/month (Est. retail value $115/month). Bonus offers include: • • • • • • • $100 in bill credit for new activations $50 bill credit for upgrades/renewals A free Gel Skin Case for your smartphone 50% off a car charger No activation fees Free shipping anywhere in Canada Free SIM card with device NBPA is pleased to be an Organizational Member of the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) and to share new member benefits with its members as a result. Individual pharmacists who are members of the NBPA automatically belong to CPhA as Associates and have access to new member benefits. You must register with CPhA to take advantage of your Associate benefits. New benefits this year as a result of that collaboration: • E xclusive access to the Canadian Pharmacists Travel Affinity program. Enjoy below-market discounts on all hotels and car rental suppliers around the world with discounts averaging 10-20 per cent below best available rates. CPHA is working on other benefits for our members that are expected to be finalized in the coming months: Goodlife Fitness Program: $449/year for member + up to 3 family members (current regular rate is $897 annually). Via Corporate Rail Discount Program American Pharmacists Association membership (APhA): Very significant discount (50% off regular rate) for members that want to take part. Other CPhA benefits include: Canadian Pharmacists Journal (CPJ) Print (6 issues/year) and online subscription Save $115 (member price $10; reg. $125) Your peer-reviewed forum for patient-centred care. CPJ is the voice of pharmacy practice research in Canada, focusing on the evidence for pharmacist care. 26 New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association NBPA members receive significant discounts on CPhA’s range of online continuing professional development programs, including: e-Therapeutics Highlights CE Free for members – (reg. $139) A weekly CE program helping you stay current with the latest in evidence-based Canadian drug and therapeutic information; worth up to 13 CEUs per year. You’ll automatically receive e-Therapeutics Highlights CE when you register with CPhA. Medication Review Services Save $300 (member price $150; reg. $450) This program teaches you the skills and components required for the entire spectrum of the medication assessment process — from providing a basic medication review all the way to implementing and monitoring comprehensive care plans. Lab Tests Save $300 (member price $250; reg. $550) Lab Tests highlights the main lab results that illustrate the need for, or are affected by drug therapy. Supplemented by case studies, the course is designed as a practical program to quickly bring pharmacists up-tospeed in ordering and monitoring lab results. CANRISK Save $50 (member price $25; reg. $75) The scope of pharmacy practice is changing and pharmacists now have the opportunity to play a greater role in chronic disease prevention and screening. This program will help you do just that by teaching you to use the CANRISK Diabetes Risk Questionnaire in your pharmacy and screen your patients for their risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. QUIT Save $200 (member price $100; reg. $300) Whether you need a refresher on nicotine replacement therapies and other smoking cessation aids, or want to perfect your patient care skills in smoking cessation counselling and care planning, CPhA’s 5.0 CEU online QUIT continuing program will enhance your skills, confidence and ability to provide smoking cessation services. ADAPT Patient Care Skills Development Program Save $600 (member price $1299; reg. $1899) Transform your ability to manage your patients’ medication therapy with ADAPT, an innovative, awardwinning, certificate-level, skills development program. ADAPT participants will trial new skills in practical realworld settings, supported by continuous assessment, feedback and mentoring by peers and trained moderators. Reduced conference registration rates Save $255 (member price $695; reg. $950) The Canadian Pharmacists Conference brings together more than 500 pharmacists and partners from across Canada together for three days of high-quality networking, education and idea exchange. Continuing Education Access to the Primary Care Pharmacy Specialty Network (PSN) Free and exclusively for members. Join colleagues from across Canada in an online forum providing mentorship and support for pharmacists working in primary care settings. New Brunswick pharmacists are committed to lifelong learning and attend workshops and continuing education sessions throughout the year to further their knowledge and skills. The NBPA helps facilitate training opportunities throughout the year, especially at the annual provincial pharmacy conference. Register or log in today at www.pharmacists.ca/register to access your new CPhA benefits. Below are some of the training opportunities offered to NB pharmacists this year: Liability Insurance • Immunization The NBPA provides liability insurance that meets the standards required under the Pharmacy Act. • Minor Ailments RX Files •Pharmacy & Health Insurance Steering Coalition – Private Payer Funding for Pharmacy NBPA members have access to RxFiles through the members’ area of our website. RxFiles is an academic detailing program providing objective, comparative drug information to clinicians. The program began in 1997 as a service for Saskatoon family physicians. Pharmacists at Risk The NBPA and the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists offer an Employee Assistance Program to pharmacists and their immediate families called Lifeworks, a confidential resource service that provides information and support on a wide range of everyday issues such as addiction and recovery, emotional well-being, grief and loss, financial, legal, parenting and childcare, retirement, disability, working and managing people. Lifeworks offers an award-winning website where members can access information, confidential advice and support and referrals to local counselors. (www.lifeworks.com) The NBPA currently represents pharmacists at the provincial and national level through membership or participation in: • Prescription Monitoring Program Update • Medical Marihuana in New Brunswick •Reducing Antipsychotic Medication Use Collaboratively •Antimicrobial Stewardship: Beta-lactam Allergy Management •Best Practices in Incorporating Technicians into the Pharmacy Workflow •Tips and Tools for Medication Assessment in Older Adults •Chronic Kidney Disease and Medications: What You Need to Know •Knowing is Half the Battle: Reviewing the Risks of Handling Hazardous Drugs • Top 10 Adult Vaccines •Postpartum Depression – When Personal and Professional Experiences Meet • Review of New Anticoagulants •SGLT2 Inhibitors and their Role in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes •Monitoring and Treating Hypertension: How You Can Help Save A Life •Out of the Blue: The Role of Code Blue Medications • The Canadian Pharmacy Affairs Group • Uncomplicated UTI in Women • The Canadian Pharmacists Association • My OSPE Experience •The NB Department of Social Development’s Medical Expenses Program • Assisted Dying and Medical Marijuana • The Department of Health Medical Advisory Working Group •The Department of Health Working Group on Medical Assistance in Dying •Pharmacy Practice in NB - Navigating the NB Pharmacy Act & Regulations • Smoking Cessation •St. John Ambulance First Aid with CPR Level “C” & AED • Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Year in Review – 2015-2016 27 Ask your pharmacist. We are here to help. Visit us at: nbpharma.ca Facebook: New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association Toll free: 1 888 358-2345 | nbpharma.ca