© Copyright 2000 Rogers Media. The following article first appeared in the March 2001 edition of BENEFITS CANADA magazine.

Basically nonexistent

That's how Jim Norton describes the relationship between plan sponsors and pharmacists. Pity.

One of Canada's most influential benefits consultants thinks it's a great idea. Jim Norton, senior vice-president with Aon Consulting in Toronto says letting pharmacists play a more active role would improve the general health of your plan membership and cut your benefits plan expenditures.

"That's where the future lies for pharmacists," says Norton. "There are a lot of drugs out there that could be prescribed by nurses or pharmacists just as easily
and just as professionally [as by a doctor]--perhaps even more so."

Is it really necessary for a physician to prescribe a skin cream? Norton says no. What's more, pharmacists should be able to run interventions when your money is being wasted.

"The pharmacist could have the option of suggesting [to a plan member] an over-the-counter drug that would save a considerable amount of money."

If you haven't given a great deal of thought to the potential in Canada's pharmacy industry, join the club. We're talking about a resource here that remains virtually untapped by plan sponsors struggling to deal with rising drug plan costs. Norton describes the relationship between employers and pharmacists as "basically nonexistent."

Too bad. These are well-educated professionals in a terrific position to help. "Pharmacists have an incredible amount of training," says Norton. "Yet all they basically do is push pills from big bottles into little bottles. Occasionally, the patient gets advice from the pharmacist. But that's not the rule."

This month's Insights section features an important Viewpoint by someone with a unique perspective on this terrible waste of professional resources (see "Pharmacists are talking. Are you listening?" page 15). Ruth Hanley is managing editor of Pharmacy Practice, a sister magazine of ours here at Rogers Media.

Hanley's piece ran originally as an editorial in her magazine. She offered it to us because she wants Canadian plan sponsors to better understand that pharmacists can be a help to you.

None of this is to suggest that all is well in the Canadian pharmacy industry however. While writing prescriptions and helping plan members select less expensive alternatives would be clearly beneficial for plan sponsors, not all pharmacists are prepared to extend themselves quite so far.

"They don't want to 'second guess the doctor,' who of course is a source of business for them," says Norton. "But that's what the market wants them to do."

Nobody is suggesting that pharmacists wouldn't be paid for this service. The reluctance that exists in some quarters seems simply to come from a lack of focus on the needs of plan sponsors.

But let's set aside the question of why pharmacists aren't doing more to help plan sponsors for the time being. Right now the important point is that a stronger relationship is in the best interests of both parties.

Both groups share a common goal--the promotion of wellness among Canadian plan members. That alone should be enough of a rallying cry.

--Kevin Press

kpress@rmpublishing.com

The Romanow Commission has released its final report on the future of healthcare in Canada.

For Commissioner Romanow's recommendations, click here.

Click here for Senator Michael Kirby's report, "The Health of Canadians – The Federal Role: Recommendations for Reform."