As the role of pharmacists in the Canadian health-care landscape continues to evolve, there are opportunities for plan sponsors to integrate these professionals into their health benefits offerings, says Martin Belanger, senior vice-president of payer and provider solutions at Telus Health.
While a fifth (22 per cent) of Canadians don’t have access to a family doctor, there are currently more than 10,000 pharmacists across Canada, according to a new report by the company, which also noted provinces and territories are continually expanding pharmacists’ responsibilities, such as increasing the number of minor ailments that pharmacists can prescribe for.
It’s important for employers to educate employees about pharmacies as accessible points of care, such as by including information on pharmacists in workplace well-being campaigns, says Belanger. “Community-based pharmacists play a pivotal role in chronic disease management and can provide medication therapy management and patient education to employees with chronic conditions, potentially reducing long-term health-care costs for employers.”
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The increasing availability and cost of specialty drugs is reshaping the role of pharmacists, particularly in relation to private benefits plans, he notes.
Indeed, the report referenced a previous Telus Health study that found specialty drugs accounted for 31.2 per cent of private benefits plan sponsors’ total eligible claims amount in 2023,, compared to 10.4 per cent in 2008. It also noted the Canadian specialty pharmacy market is expected to reach more than $20 billion by 2030.
As the landscape of available medications expands and becomes more complex, it will become more important for pharmacists to have readily accessible coverage information to efficiently assist patients, says Belanger, noting this evolution may also place increased pressure on employers to provide comprehensive coverage for high-cost and ultra high-cost drugs through their benefits plans.
“While this may increase initial costs, it can potentially reduce employee absenteeism and position employers as key supporters in their employees’ health journeys. In this evolving landscape, both pharmacists and employers alike should ideally be keeping ahead of the latest trends when it comes to high-cost drugs and adjusting their respective approaches accordingly.”
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