Pharmacy Care Pilot Project Launches in Swift Current

Released on December 8, 2023

Patients to Benefit From Increased Access to Primary Care

The Government of Saskatchewan is launching a pharmacy care pilot project to give specific patients in Swift Current more health care options.

An agreement has been reached with Dr. Emmett Harrison and Dr. Janna Cuthbert, of the Associate Family Physicians Clinic, and Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy owner Paul Bazin and his team. Under the agreement, patients of Dr. Harrison and Dr. Cuthbert will be able to seek care for management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), underactive thyroid, and Warfarin medication management from this pharmacy.

An agreement also has been reached with psychiatrist Dr. Yasir Ahmed. Under the agreement, his patients will be able to seek care for mental health management and support at this pharmacy. 

"The Pharmacy Care Pilot Project will give patients in Swift Current more health care options for their family, friends and themselves," Health Minister Everett Hindley said. "Pharmacists are highly-trained professionals. The agreements in this pilot will optimize their skills, build capacity within our health care system, and improve patient access to care."

"This pilot exceeds all my expectations," Dr. Ahmed said. "Its accessibility for clients is amazingly awesome. In medical school, we were taught that the person who knows best about any medication is the pharmacist. But I never dreamt that one day the pharmacy would enjoy that flexibility to be able to monitor treatment and adjust based on clients' response and tolerability."

This Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy is accepting appointments or walk-in patients who meet the criteria for the one-year pilot. 

"My pharmacy team and I are excited to be a part of this innovative pilot to help improve health care access for many Swift Current residents," pharmacist Paul Bazin said. "Utilizing pharmacists to their full scope of practice to help patients manage certain conditions such as depression, anxiety, and COPD, while working in collaboration with their physician and health care team, is a real game changer for our community." 

The Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan (PAS) and the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals welcomed the opportunity to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists under the pilot.

"We are very pleased to be participating with the Government of Saskatchewan on this innovative health initiative," PAS CEO Michael Fougere said. "The Pharmacy Care Pilot Project will leverage pharmacists' skills, training and expertise to expand access for Swift Current residents to some important primary care services." 

"The new pharmacy practice expansions will help address some of the pressures on the health care system that are within a pharmacist's optimal scope of practice," Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals registrar Jeana Wendel said. "This expanded practice supports primary health care, collaboration, and strengthens access to safe pharmacy care services for the people of Saskatchewan."

An evaluation of the project will help to inform potential opportunities for expansion to additional pharmacy locations and other chronic medical conditions.

Pharmacists across the province can already provide medication management services, prescription renewals, vaccinations, travel health consultations, and assessments for more than 20 minor ailments. More information on current health care services provided by pharmacists is available from the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals at https://saskpharm.ca/site/forthepublic/healthcareservices?nav=sidebar.

Work is also ongoing to expand the scope of practice for all Saskatchewan pharmacists. Changes will be implemented over the next year as the Ministry of Health and stakeholders work through regulatory and policy amendments. This work supports the June 2023 announcement expanding the scope of practice for three frontline health-care professions.

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