According to Deb Matthews, Minister of Health, her goals with drug system reform are to reduce generic drug prices, eliminate professional allowances, and recognize pharmacists appropriately for the care and service they provide.
According to pharmacists, we would like to reduce generic drug prices, eliminate professional allowances, and be recognized appropriately for the care and service that we provide.
Sounds like we all want the same thing...
Let me take you back to last summer, when Health Minister Number Two continued the search for the holy grail of reduced drug spending started by George Smitherman. What if he had called a meeting of all stakeholders in pharmacy and established a working group to really tackle the problems and find real solutions? He could even have had a roundtable discussion about ways to improve the drug benefit system in Ontario- Kind of like the recent Liberal retreat, except with more emphasis on substance and meaningful discussion. What if pharmacists were asked at that time to be partners in the process, rather than just given the token opportunity to present a proposal that was never to be considered? What if the current Minister of Health had engaged the pharmacy community in real discussions around solving drug spending problems earlier this year, instead of simply getting us to agree to a gag order that allowed the government time to hone their sales pitch? What if the Minister of Health, upon seeing the first outcry from the pharmacists and patients announced that she was going to have real discussions with the pharmacy community and work to find common ground? Do you suppose the fight would have intensified to its current level?
There have been multiple opportunities for government to facilitate meaningful discussion with our profession and our patients. They could have easily said that they were interested in our feedback and scheduled meetings with all who were interested in meeting with them without causing any political damage. Instead, all of their offers to meet have been laced with resentful and inflammatory statements. Even today, when informing media that it will take a month or so to implement regulations, Deb Matthews was quick to point out that she was not influenced by pharmacists and there was no room for negotiation on several key aspects of her plan. Why won’t Deb Matthews and the Liberals show us the respect that they say they have for us and invite us back to the table to find real solutions to drug spending concerns in the province?
We have done many things to ensure that our side of the story is heard. Over 500,000 petition signatures and countless emails, phone calls and letters from pharmacists and our patients have seemingly not had an impact on the Liberal government. By all accounts, they are determined as ever to push ahead with the reforms that they have announced despite the consequences.
Unfortunately, it may be time to start demonstrating some of the consequences of this short-sighted policy. It is up to us to find a way to survive under the new rules governing our profession, and survival will require a very radical review of our entire operation. In the end, it is the patients that will lose. The sad thing is that it never needed to end up this way.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
American Style
When all else fails, attack our friends and neighbours to the south. It’s such a Liberal thing to do. In the past two days several MPP’s have accused Ontario’s pharmacists of “American-style” campaign attacks. In question period today, Deb Matthews called the campaign a “multi-million-dollar American-style campaign of fear-mongering and misinformation.” She must have this confused with something else. I have been exposed to several American political campaigns, and this does not characterize the Ontario Community Pharmacies’ campaign.
In fact, this all started with an “American-style” campaign against pharmacists by the government. The blatant personal character assassination of pharmacists, like that displayed by Deb Matthews as the regulations were announced could be characterized as “American-style.” The distortion of the facts to demonize the profession of pharmacy and pharmacists is reminiscent of some great American negative campaigning. In America, though, the candidates attack each other, and use their own campaign funds to do it. In this case, the government is using resources provided through public tax dollars to spread misinformation, attack and demonize our profession. The only appropriate use of “American-style” in describing this situation is the future of Ontario pharmacy practice if these regulations come to pass.
The campaign by Ontario’s Pharmacists has been entirely factual. We have expressed the reality of the situation that most reasonable people could understand. When you take away almost a Billion dollars every year from pharmacy we will not be able to provide the same level of care and service. We do not like the source of the funding, but the system has evolved because of government neglect and under-funding over the past two decades. While not ideal, professional allowance funding has allowed us to practice our profession and serve the patients of Ontario. Most Liberal MPP’s have stated their support for the government plan, and we have let their constituents know about it. Polling has confirmed that the re-election chances for many Liberals are slim to none. These are all facts, not misinformation.
When this much funding is taken away with no real compensation, pharmacies will need to find ways to absorb the loss. This may mean reduction of services or implementation of additional fees. It may mean pharmacies need to close. Speaking the truth about the consequences of these actions is not fear-mongering. Is it “fear-mongering” to tell someone that they might blow themselves up if they smoke while pumping gas? Is it “fear-mongering” to tell someone that they might be attacked if they corner a wild animal? Is it “fear-mongering” to tell a Liberal in Ontario that they don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of being re-elected come 2011?
Deb Matthews and the Liberals have woken the slumbering beast, and now they’re not quite sure how to handle it. Pharmacists will continue to speak out and have our voices heard. We will continue our campaign of facts and truths to counter the misinformation coming from the Liberal government. We will do it in a decidedly “Canadian-style” with professionalism and class. We can proudly stand behind our message with facts and evidence. We do not need to resort to “American-style” personal character attacks to get our message across. Let’s hope the Liberal government can do the same.
In fact, this all started with an “American-style” campaign against pharmacists by the government. The blatant personal character assassination of pharmacists, like that displayed by Deb Matthews as the regulations were announced could be characterized as “American-style.” The distortion of the facts to demonize the profession of pharmacy and pharmacists is reminiscent of some great American negative campaigning. In America, though, the candidates attack each other, and use their own campaign funds to do it. In this case, the government is using resources provided through public tax dollars to spread misinformation, attack and demonize our profession. The only appropriate use of “American-style” in describing this situation is the future of Ontario pharmacy practice if these regulations come to pass.
The campaign by Ontario’s Pharmacists has been entirely factual. We have expressed the reality of the situation that most reasonable people could understand. When you take away almost a Billion dollars every year from pharmacy we will not be able to provide the same level of care and service. We do not like the source of the funding, but the system has evolved because of government neglect and under-funding over the past two decades. While not ideal, professional allowance funding has allowed us to practice our profession and serve the patients of Ontario. Most Liberal MPP’s have stated their support for the government plan, and we have let their constituents know about it. Polling has confirmed that the re-election chances for many Liberals are slim to none. These are all facts, not misinformation.
When this much funding is taken away with no real compensation, pharmacies will need to find ways to absorb the loss. This may mean reduction of services or implementation of additional fees. It may mean pharmacies need to close. Speaking the truth about the consequences of these actions is not fear-mongering. Is it “fear-mongering” to tell someone that they might blow themselves up if they smoke while pumping gas? Is it “fear-mongering” to tell someone that they might be attacked if they corner a wild animal? Is it “fear-mongering” to tell a Liberal in Ontario that they don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of being re-elected come 2011?
Deb Matthews and the Liberals have woken the slumbering beast, and now they’re not quite sure how to handle it. Pharmacists will continue to speak out and have our voices heard. We will continue our campaign of facts and truths to counter the misinformation coming from the Liberal government. We will do it in a decidedly “Canadian-style” with professionalism and class. We can proudly stand behind our message with facts and evidence. We do not need to resort to “American-style” personal character attacks to get our message across. Let’s hope the Liberal government can do the same.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Where's Helen??
In the days since the government announced new regulations regarding pharmacy funding in Ontario, one voice has been remarkably silent.
Ontario’s drug czar, the all-powerful Executive Officer of the ODB, Helen Stevenson has been silent for most of this campaign. There was the one sick attempt to gain sympathy by trotting out the story of this poor single mother receiving “death threats” from pharmacists. That story quickly died when someone else pointed out that it is actually a 4-year old story, and the accused were never confirmed to actually be pharmacists, and charges were never actually laid. I believe she also proclaimed her support for the government plan a few weeks ago, but she really hasn’t been heard from at all over the past month.
I have to think that the move to keep Helen on ice has been calculated by the Liberals. Even the bumbling Liberals have to recognize that the public knowing too much about Ms. Stevenson would not help their case. Just for fun, let’s take a look at a few fun facts about Helen Stevenson.
1. Prior to her appointment as Ontario’s Drug Czar, or whatever her official title is, Helen Stevenson, through her consulting group Savattuq Inc. received over $1 Million in untendered contracts from the Ontario Liberal government to devise the plan to destroy pharmacy practice in the province. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/11/10/untendered-contract-health-ontario123.html
2. Helen Stevenson, the bureaucrat appointed by the Ontario government to run the Ontario Drug Benefit program, has a Masters of Science in Management degree and a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
3. Helen Stevenson, the bureaucrat with no health care training appointed by the Ontario government to run the Ontario Drug benefit plan received a salary of $280,524.11 in 2009.
4. On numerous occasions, Helen Stevenson, the unqualified, overpaid bureaucrat appointed by the Ontario government to run the Ontario Drug Benefit program has listed drugs against the recommendation of the Committee to evaluate drugs after “pricing agreements” were worked out with the manufacturer. http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/drugs/ced_rec_table.html.
The untendered contracts are fairly old news with the Liberals. They claim to have cleaned the system up since being exposed through the e-health scandal. I would think many Ontarians would find it interesting that this consultant, who had been receiving exorbitant consulting fees from the Liberal government suddenly found herself making exorbitant salaries from the public purse in a position for which she really had no relevant training or experience.
It is even more interesting that Helen Stevenson has the power to single-handedly decide whether drugs will be listed on the Ontario Drug Benefit formulary, yet has no qualifications or experience actually delivering health care services. This is one of the most powerful bureaucrats in the Ministry of Health- and she has absolutely NO QUALIFICATIONS for the position.
There is a committee established to review new drug submissions and recommend coverage based on a variety of measures- efficacy, safety, value, etc. This committee is made up of professionals who actually have the relevant knowledge necessary to make recommendations regarding drug coverage. I cannot believe the number of “do not cover” recommendations made by the committee that were overturned by Helen Stevenson after “pricing agreements” were established.
It seems that the only requirement to have a drug listed on the Ontario Drug Benefit formulary is deep pockets (or the ability to train a pit-bull.) You don’t have to have a drug that is actually superior to anything else on the formulary, or innovative in any way, since the person making the listing decisions doesn’t know what “evidence” is anyway. All you need to do is charm your way into a “pricing agreement” with the EO.
Of course, drug manufacturers are no fools, so they must be working the cost of their “pricing agreement” with Helen into the overall cost of the drug, thus artificially increasing the cost of brand name medication. This means that Ontarians, particularly those with no drug coverage, are paying too much for their brand name drugs. I wonder if Deb Matthews knows about this? Sounds to me like something she’d be against...
Shouldn’t there be more outrage with this situation?
We are paying a woman with no experience or training in delivering health care, hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to make unilateral decisions that affect the health of thousands of us daily. Health care decisions, like listing certain medications, should be made by the experts, and not Helen Stevenson. There should be very compelling reasons for decisions of the committee to be overturned by the EO- and secret deals worked out in Helen’s private office should not be one of them. Pricing negotiations should only take place after it has been established that there is a therapeutic benefit to listing the drug on the ODB plan.
I have no doubt the whole Helen Stevenson era will end as another Liberal government scandal. There is so much potential for corruption in the current system. The Liberal government has concentrated too much power in the hands of this overpaid, under-qualified, heartless bureaucrat. In fact, I can smell the stench of corruption from miles away.
I think I understand now why Helen has been keeping a low profile throughout this campaign. It is certainly not in her best interests to have the Ontario public know what that ridiculous salary actually pays for. I am looking forward with great anticipation to the day this fraud is exposed for what she really is. Hopefully there will still be pharmacists in this province to witness her downfall.
Ontario’s drug czar, the all-powerful Executive Officer of the ODB, Helen Stevenson has been silent for most of this campaign. There was the one sick attempt to gain sympathy by trotting out the story of this poor single mother receiving “death threats” from pharmacists. That story quickly died when someone else pointed out that it is actually a 4-year old story, and the accused were never confirmed to actually be pharmacists, and charges were never actually laid. I believe she also proclaimed her support for the government plan a few weeks ago, but she really hasn’t been heard from at all over the past month.
I have to think that the move to keep Helen on ice has been calculated by the Liberals. Even the bumbling Liberals have to recognize that the public knowing too much about Ms. Stevenson would not help their case. Just for fun, let’s take a look at a few fun facts about Helen Stevenson.
1. Prior to her appointment as Ontario’s Drug Czar, or whatever her official title is, Helen Stevenson, through her consulting group Savattuq Inc. received over $1 Million in untendered contracts from the Ontario Liberal government to devise the plan to destroy pharmacy practice in the province. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/11/10/untendered-contract-health-ontario123.html
2. Helen Stevenson, the bureaucrat appointed by the Ontario government to run the Ontario Drug Benefit program, has a Masters of Science in Management degree and a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
3. Helen Stevenson, the bureaucrat with no health care training appointed by the Ontario government to run the Ontario Drug benefit plan received a salary of $280,524.11 in 2009.
4. On numerous occasions, Helen Stevenson, the unqualified, overpaid bureaucrat appointed by the Ontario government to run the Ontario Drug Benefit program has listed drugs against the recommendation of the Committee to evaluate drugs after “pricing agreements” were worked out with the manufacturer. http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/drugs/ced_rec_table.html.
The untendered contracts are fairly old news with the Liberals. They claim to have cleaned the system up since being exposed through the e-health scandal. I would think many Ontarians would find it interesting that this consultant, who had been receiving exorbitant consulting fees from the Liberal government suddenly found herself making exorbitant salaries from the public purse in a position for which she really had no relevant training or experience.
It is even more interesting that Helen Stevenson has the power to single-handedly decide whether drugs will be listed on the Ontario Drug Benefit formulary, yet has no qualifications or experience actually delivering health care services. This is one of the most powerful bureaucrats in the Ministry of Health- and she has absolutely NO QUALIFICATIONS for the position.
There is a committee established to review new drug submissions and recommend coverage based on a variety of measures- efficacy, safety, value, etc. This committee is made up of professionals who actually have the relevant knowledge necessary to make recommendations regarding drug coverage. I cannot believe the number of “do not cover” recommendations made by the committee that were overturned by Helen Stevenson after “pricing agreements” were established.
It seems that the only requirement to have a drug listed on the Ontario Drug Benefit formulary is deep pockets (or the ability to train a pit-bull.) You don’t have to have a drug that is actually superior to anything else on the formulary, or innovative in any way, since the person making the listing decisions doesn’t know what “evidence” is anyway. All you need to do is charm your way into a “pricing agreement” with the EO.
Of course, drug manufacturers are no fools, so they must be working the cost of their “pricing agreement” with Helen into the overall cost of the drug, thus artificially increasing the cost of brand name medication. This means that Ontarians, particularly those with no drug coverage, are paying too much for their brand name drugs. I wonder if Deb Matthews knows about this? Sounds to me like something she’d be against...
Shouldn’t there be more outrage with this situation?
We are paying a woman with no experience or training in delivering health care, hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to make unilateral decisions that affect the health of thousands of us daily. Health care decisions, like listing certain medications, should be made by the experts, and not Helen Stevenson. There should be very compelling reasons for decisions of the committee to be overturned by the EO- and secret deals worked out in Helen’s private office should not be one of them. Pricing negotiations should only take place after it has been established that there is a therapeutic benefit to listing the drug on the ODB plan.
I have no doubt the whole Helen Stevenson era will end as another Liberal government scandal. There is so much potential for corruption in the current system. The Liberal government has concentrated too much power in the hands of this overpaid, under-qualified, heartless bureaucrat. In fact, I can smell the stench of corruption from miles away.
I think I understand now why Helen has been keeping a low profile throughout this campaign. It is certainly not in her best interests to have the Ontario public know what that ridiculous salary actually pays for. I am looking forward with great anticipation to the day this fraud is exposed for what she really is. Hopefully there will still be pharmacists in this province to witness her downfall.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Stopcuts Students Inspiring
Despite just finishing another year of pharmacy school, and the gruelling final exam schedule, pharmacy students in Ontario have embarked on a whirlwind tour of the province to spread the message of the devastating health care cuts proposed by the Liberal government. They could have returned to their homes for a summer of relaxation, or to summer jobs (though those may be scarce thanks to the Liberals) but instead decided to devote 15 days of their lives to fight for their profession and cut through the spin and deception coming from the government. They have represented their profession honourably, and have been able to deliver a message that could not have come from any other source.
They had the courage to stand up to Deb Matthews when she suggested that pharmacists were the problem and that she was really on their side. They were even able to jolt her out of her routine of simply repeating the same tired spin lines that she has been peddling for the past month. They walked door to door in unfamiliar cities, never knowing who or what they were going to encounter, to inform the public that pharmacy care is at risk. They have displayed poise and professionalism in front of television cameras and through their interactions with media. In all respects, they have represented pharmacists with professionalism, dignity and honour.
It wasn’t long ago that I was a pharmacy student. I can still remember the passion I felt for my profession at that time. I had very idealistic views of a profession that I believed was finally coming into its own and was eager to see us reach a higher level as professionals. The realities of practice have sometimes frustrated me, but the enthusiasm displayed by the pharmacy students of the stopcuts tour has been a source of inspiration. I now feel more energized than ever about my chosen profession. I am now more determined than ever to do whatever I can to prevent the destruction of our profession at the hands of misinformed government officials.
Students in Ontario are having an experience that they will remember for their entire lives. I am sure the friendships that they form as a result of this tour will last long into their professional lives. This tour could be the catalyst for much innovation in pharmacy practice in the future. I will be looking for the students of the stopcuts tour to make an impact on our profession for years to come. They will be forever remembered as the “stopcuts students” of 2010, the year all pharmacists finally came together with one voice. If the enthusiasm and passion displayed by the pharmacy students of Ontario is any indication, our profession is well-positioned for whatever our future may hold.
They had the courage to stand up to Deb Matthews when she suggested that pharmacists were the problem and that she was really on their side. They were even able to jolt her out of her routine of simply repeating the same tired spin lines that she has been peddling for the past month. They walked door to door in unfamiliar cities, never knowing who or what they were going to encounter, to inform the public that pharmacy care is at risk. They have displayed poise and professionalism in front of television cameras and through their interactions with media. In all respects, they have represented pharmacists with professionalism, dignity and honour.
It wasn’t long ago that I was a pharmacy student. I can still remember the passion I felt for my profession at that time. I had very idealistic views of a profession that I believed was finally coming into its own and was eager to see us reach a higher level as professionals. The realities of practice have sometimes frustrated me, but the enthusiasm displayed by the pharmacy students of the stopcuts tour has been a source of inspiration. I now feel more energized than ever about my chosen profession. I am now more determined than ever to do whatever I can to prevent the destruction of our profession at the hands of misinformed government officials.
Students in Ontario are having an experience that they will remember for their entire lives. I am sure the friendships that they form as a result of this tour will last long into their professional lives. This tour could be the catalyst for much innovation in pharmacy practice in the future. I will be looking for the students of the stopcuts tour to make an impact on our profession for years to come. They will be forever remembered as the “stopcuts students” of 2010, the year all pharmacists finally came together with one voice. If the enthusiasm and passion displayed by the pharmacy students of Ontario is any indication, our profession is well-positioned for whatever our future may hold.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
“Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”
While the future is still uncertain with respect to pharmacy practice in Ontario, there has been one positive consequence of the government actions of the past year. I have never seen the profession so united. Having a common enemy in Deb Matthews and the Ontario Liberals has brought our profession together like nothing else ever could.
There is still some mistrust, which is evident through the media and facebook comments, as we all try to adapt to this newfound unity. Conspiracy theorists within our profession are having a heyday. Does SDM have a secret side deal, perhaps worked out over Christmas dinner at the Peterson’s? Do pharmacists practicing at Pharmaplus really care as much as pharmacists practicing at Pharmasave? Are we all being played by “the coalition?” Who is really pulling the strings?
The pharmacy profession is unique in that we are all practicing the same profession, but are still competing with each other on a commercial level. Competition can be a positive influence as it drives all of us to be better professionals. Unfortunately, it has also allowed some of us to reduce our professional practice to a commodity, competing on price and fee-waiving rather than professional standards. The commercial nature of our profession has had both positive and negative influences in shaping our practice and the ways that we interact with each other.
The truth is we are all pharmacists. We are all part of the same great profession. Sure, some pharmacists have more passion for their practice and some pharmacists do indeed care more than others about providing care to their patients. Some pharmacists view their profession as little more than a paycheque while others view it as an identity. Some pharmacists “work as” pharmacists while others “are” pharmacists. This has absolutely nothing to do with where they practice. I have experience in a wide range of practice settings from the largest chain to the smallest independent. I can honestly say that I have been inspired by pharmacists in all settings and I have been disappointed by pharmacists in all settings.
I see a lot of the questioning of motives and fear of what others may do as a natural part of getting to know one another. It’s like getting used to living in a new neighbourhood, or relating to new co-workers. We all know that we want to trust each other, and that the common bond between us is much stronger than the forces that threaten to pull us apart. Let’s face it- we’ve spent several decades as a very fragmented group. While we have been standing strong together for almost a year now, the idea of a united front for all pharmacists is still new. There are bound to be some differences of opinion with all parties still mindful of their own interests.
Looking at the big picture, the Ontario Community Pharmacies Coalition has proven that we are much stronger united than divided. The profession of pharmacy wins when we are able to put aside the differences between our practice environments and fight for our profession. A strong, respected pharmacy profession is good for Shoppers Drug Mart. It is also good for Rexall, Pharmasave, for every independent pharmacy and for every pharmacist in our province.
We need to be defined by the profession we practice, not by the logo hanging on our building. While the focus still needs to be on our battle with the government, we must continue to build on the unity that we have achieved through the Ontario Community Pharmacies Coalition in the future. Our future will be bright if we continue to stand as a strong, united profession.
There is still some mistrust, which is evident through the media and facebook comments, as we all try to adapt to this newfound unity. Conspiracy theorists within our profession are having a heyday. Does SDM have a secret side deal, perhaps worked out over Christmas dinner at the Peterson’s? Do pharmacists practicing at Pharmaplus really care as much as pharmacists practicing at Pharmasave? Are we all being played by “the coalition?” Who is really pulling the strings?
The pharmacy profession is unique in that we are all practicing the same profession, but are still competing with each other on a commercial level. Competition can be a positive influence as it drives all of us to be better professionals. Unfortunately, it has also allowed some of us to reduce our professional practice to a commodity, competing on price and fee-waiving rather than professional standards. The commercial nature of our profession has had both positive and negative influences in shaping our practice and the ways that we interact with each other.
The truth is we are all pharmacists. We are all part of the same great profession. Sure, some pharmacists have more passion for their practice and some pharmacists do indeed care more than others about providing care to their patients. Some pharmacists view their profession as little more than a paycheque while others view it as an identity. Some pharmacists “work as” pharmacists while others “are” pharmacists. This has absolutely nothing to do with where they practice. I have experience in a wide range of practice settings from the largest chain to the smallest independent. I can honestly say that I have been inspired by pharmacists in all settings and I have been disappointed by pharmacists in all settings.
I see a lot of the questioning of motives and fear of what others may do as a natural part of getting to know one another. It’s like getting used to living in a new neighbourhood, or relating to new co-workers. We all know that we want to trust each other, and that the common bond between us is much stronger than the forces that threaten to pull us apart. Let’s face it- we’ve spent several decades as a very fragmented group. While we have been standing strong together for almost a year now, the idea of a united front for all pharmacists is still new. There are bound to be some differences of opinion with all parties still mindful of their own interests.
Looking at the big picture, the Ontario Community Pharmacies Coalition has proven that we are much stronger united than divided. The profession of pharmacy wins when we are able to put aside the differences between our practice environments and fight for our profession. A strong, respected pharmacy profession is good for Shoppers Drug Mart. It is also good for Rexall, Pharmasave, for every independent pharmacy and for every pharmacist in our province.
We need to be defined by the profession we practice, not by the logo hanging on our building. While the focus still needs to be on our battle with the government, we must continue to build on the unity that we have achieved through the Ontario Community Pharmacies Coalition in the future. Our future will be bright if we continue to stand as a strong, united profession.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Why we fight
With all of the misinformation swirling around out there from the government spin machine I think it is important for all pharmacists to focus on the real reason for our campaign. Despite what Deb Matthews and company say, this is not about fair drug prices, it is not about reducing costs, it is not about taking on “big pharmacy” and it is most certainly not about improving health care. From my perspective, this is what our fight is about...
This is about the elderly patient, who has mixed up her medications for the third time in the past week and is looking for help in keeping organized. She’s not ready to move to a nursing home yet, but without her pharmacist to help her manage her medications she knows that is her only option.
This is about the young mother, who approaches the pharmacist late at night with a prescription for her infant son, obtained after spending 8 hours in the Emergency room. She received little information from the over-extended ER physician and wonders if the antibiotic is really needed.
This is about the young man who has fallen on hard times and unfortunately turned to chemicals to help him cope. He’s working to turn his life around, and the supportive care he receives through the methadone program has been helping him get back on his feet.
This is about the man who has been swallowing antacids by the dozen and still can’t get any relief for his heartburn. After a short conversation with his pharmacist he heads to the ER where he learns that emergency bypass surgery is needed to prevent the imminent massive heart attack that he had been dismissing as acid reflux.
This is about the patient with terminal cancer, living her final days at home, who relies on her pharmacist to deliver the medication she needs, whenever she needs it, to allow her to spend her final hours with her family by her side.
This is about the thousands of patients every day who rely on Ontario’s pharmacists to prevent drug interactions, prevent adverse drug reactions, provide appropriate non-prescription and non-drug therapy, provide referrals for physician care when appropriate, provide information to help them manage chronic conditions and provide support and encouragement when needed most.
To say that this is simply about fair generic drug prices is wrong. Any savings that may be realized through the generic drug side will certainly be spent many times over when our ability to provide quality care that the people of Ontario count on is compromised. I didn’t become a pharmacist to debate generic drug spending or professional allowances with the government. I became a pharmacist to provide patient care and make a real difference in their lives. All I ask for now is some respect from the government and the right to have the means necessary to continue to serve my patients, preferably through a fair fee for the services that I already provide. We can talk about additional professional services later.
As a pharmacist, nothing is more satisfying that having a patient say “thank you.” Thank you for making a difference, or thank you for caring, or thank you for taking the time, or thank you for saving my life. It kills me to know that I may soon be letting my patients down through no fault of my own. Our very ability to practice our profession and positively impact the health of our patients is at stake here. This is why I will stand with my profession and fight this battle to the end. I encourage all pharmacists to do the same.
This is about the elderly patient, who has mixed up her medications for the third time in the past week and is looking for help in keeping organized. She’s not ready to move to a nursing home yet, but without her pharmacist to help her manage her medications she knows that is her only option.
This is about the young mother, who approaches the pharmacist late at night with a prescription for her infant son, obtained after spending 8 hours in the Emergency room. She received little information from the over-extended ER physician and wonders if the antibiotic is really needed.
This is about the young man who has fallen on hard times and unfortunately turned to chemicals to help him cope. He’s working to turn his life around, and the supportive care he receives through the methadone program has been helping him get back on his feet.
This is about the man who has been swallowing antacids by the dozen and still can’t get any relief for his heartburn. After a short conversation with his pharmacist he heads to the ER where he learns that emergency bypass surgery is needed to prevent the imminent massive heart attack that he had been dismissing as acid reflux.
This is about the patient with terminal cancer, living her final days at home, who relies on her pharmacist to deliver the medication she needs, whenever she needs it, to allow her to spend her final hours with her family by her side.
This is about the thousands of patients every day who rely on Ontario’s pharmacists to prevent drug interactions, prevent adverse drug reactions, provide appropriate non-prescription and non-drug therapy, provide referrals for physician care when appropriate, provide information to help them manage chronic conditions and provide support and encouragement when needed most.
To say that this is simply about fair generic drug prices is wrong. Any savings that may be realized through the generic drug side will certainly be spent many times over when our ability to provide quality care that the people of Ontario count on is compromised. I didn’t become a pharmacist to debate generic drug spending or professional allowances with the government. I became a pharmacist to provide patient care and make a real difference in their lives. All I ask for now is some respect from the government and the right to have the means necessary to continue to serve my patients, preferably through a fair fee for the services that I already provide. We can talk about additional professional services later.
As a pharmacist, nothing is more satisfying that having a patient say “thank you.” Thank you for making a difference, or thank you for caring, or thank you for taking the time, or thank you for saving my life. It kills me to know that I may soon be letting my patients down through no fault of my own. Our very ability to practice our profession and positively impact the health of our patients is at stake here. This is why I will stand with my profession and fight this battle to the end. I encourage all pharmacists to do the same.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Loblaws sees great opportunity in demise of Independent Pharmacy
We are down to the last week of consultation on government legislation that will change our profession forever. Despite a few hiccups at the start, it is starting to feel like the tide has turned in our favour. Once we are able to cut through all of the government spin, our patients realize what the real impact of the legislation may be. Even Liberal MPP’s seem to be starting to get the message and are at least appearing sympathetic rather than trying to remember the talking points provided to them by the Minister of Health.
Then along comes Loblaws...
In a release today, they told the world that they see great opportunity in this legislation and will be expanding their pharmacy network, hoping to scoop up business from failed independent pharmacies.
This confirms my view that grocery store pharmacies are the scum of the Earth. They even confirm that they are leeches on the profession, hoping to suck the life out of the independent pharmacies that have made our profession what it is today. The pharmacists in these operations answer to grocery clerks turned managers who don’t see the difference between dispensing methadone and selling banana’s. They devalue our profession to the point where we are just a loss-leader there to get people into the store under the premise of purchasing cheap drugs while they rob them blind on their produce purchases. Why we ever let these parasites latch onto our profession is beyond me.
Even Deb Matthews weighed in on their announcement- saying that there is a “good future for people in pharmacy.” Really Deb?? Were you not the person who said that your bill was about taking on the big corporations? In Canada, corporations don’t get much bigger than Loblaws. Is it really good to have highly trained professionals competing with high school kids for the Employee of the Month title? Nothing says “I am a professional “ like standing in the middle of a grocery store talking about hemorrhoids while the butcher chops up a dead cow twenty feet away.
I hope there are enough self-respecting pharmacists that will stand up to these dirt bags and thank them for their support of our profession by refusing to work in their new “pharmacies.” Personally, I would never lower myself to practice in one of those dumps, even if they were the last pharmacy on Earth.
Maybe I’m giving these morons too much credibility. Grocery retailers really aren’t a force in pharmacy and probably never will be. The fight we face now is for the very survival of our profession. We need to remain strong and united as a profession against these cuts. If anything, this announcement from Loblaws should only strengthen our resolve. They have stated what they see as our future- kind of makes me want to take some action to make sure it never happens.
Then along comes Loblaws...
In a release today, they told the world that they see great opportunity in this legislation and will be expanding their pharmacy network, hoping to scoop up business from failed independent pharmacies.
This confirms my view that grocery store pharmacies are the scum of the Earth. They even confirm that they are leeches on the profession, hoping to suck the life out of the independent pharmacies that have made our profession what it is today. The pharmacists in these operations answer to grocery clerks turned managers who don’t see the difference between dispensing methadone and selling banana’s. They devalue our profession to the point where we are just a loss-leader there to get people into the store under the premise of purchasing cheap drugs while they rob them blind on their produce purchases. Why we ever let these parasites latch onto our profession is beyond me.
Even Deb Matthews weighed in on their announcement- saying that there is a “good future for people in pharmacy.” Really Deb?? Were you not the person who said that your bill was about taking on the big corporations? In Canada, corporations don’t get much bigger than Loblaws. Is it really good to have highly trained professionals competing with high school kids for the Employee of the Month title? Nothing says “I am a professional “ like standing in the middle of a grocery store talking about hemorrhoids while the butcher chops up a dead cow twenty feet away.
I hope there are enough self-respecting pharmacists that will stand up to these dirt bags and thank them for their support of our profession by refusing to work in their new “pharmacies.” Personally, I would never lower myself to practice in one of those dumps, even if they were the last pharmacy on Earth.
Maybe I’m giving these morons too much credibility. Grocery retailers really aren’t a force in pharmacy and probably never will be. The fight we face now is for the very survival of our profession. We need to remain strong and united as a profession against these cuts. If anything, this announcement from Loblaws should only strengthen our resolve. They have stated what they see as our future- kind of makes me want to take some action to make sure it never happens.
Monday, May 3, 2010
What happened?
Everything seemed to be going so well...
The government was finally going to recognize and utilize pharmacists to their full potential. They recognized us as the medication experts and were finally going to allow us to use the full extent of our training to improve the health of our patients. Bill 179 was the first step to realizing our full potential as a profession. It was the chance to finally see our profession advance to the levels we had talked about back when I was in pharmacy school. Sure there were still a few details to be worked out, but we were really on the right track. Pharmacy was ready to take that next leap...
What happened??
There were rumblings last summer that something was amiss with King Dalton and his Liberals. They were looking to balance their books and decided that cutting healthcare was the best way to do it. Pharmacy seemed like a good place to start. They released an outrageous proposal as a starting point for “discussions” with our profession. At the time my thoughts were that they were simply using this tactic to get our attention- that they were letting us know how “bad” it could be, hoping that we would swallow their “real” proposal more easily knowing that it could have been much worse.
We played along through the “discussion” period- presenting proposals to the government that would save money and still preserve the level of care our patients were used to receiving. We endured the meetings being cancelled, and then cancelled again and finally decided that we had enough. We were going to start talking to our patients about the plans the Liberals had in store for us. Then the government started to worry- they didn’t want us talking about their precious bill until the time was right. They agreed to resume “discussions” but only as long as we didn’t talk about it to anyone. Pharmacists, being the trusting souls we are, agreed to return to the table, hoping that some common sense finally was starting to filter through Queen’s Park.
Unfortunately, nine months later, the baby that the Liberal’s delivered was just as ugly as the one they talked about when the idea was first conceived. Only this time, the government was prepared...
I never imagined it would come to this...our profession under attack by the very people we elected to run our great province. I never imagined I would be the victim of a smear job by the Minister of Health who has attempted every trick in the book to discredit and demonize a profession with a proud history.
I learned from the Minister of Health that I have been taking “kickbacks” for years while gouging the public. I learned that the price of a drug that might be used for blood pressure was 5 times more expensive here than in New Zealand, and that a diabetes drug was 2 times more than in the US. I learned that the “high price” for a round white tablet was $1.56 while a “fair price” was $0.28. Ontario was paying “too much” for generic drugs and that it is “the right thing to do.” I guess to the Liberal mind, pulling random numbers out of the air and selling them to the public with no context is “the right thing to do.”
I am still hoping that some of that common sense will strike enough Liberal MPP’s to permeate Deb’s thick armour. We didn’t ask for this battle, but we have come together admirably to fight it. We are doing the right thing in defending our profession. Maybe one day we will even be able to get back to real discussions about moving our profession forward. For the time being, we are down to the wire now in the fight of our lives and need to keep pushing....if we lose this one we won’t have a profession left to fight for.
The government was finally going to recognize and utilize pharmacists to their full potential. They recognized us as the medication experts and were finally going to allow us to use the full extent of our training to improve the health of our patients. Bill 179 was the first step to realizing our full potential as a profession. It was the chance to finally see our profession advance to the levels we had talked about back when I was in pharmacy school. Sure there were still a few details to be worked out, but we were really on the right track. Pharmacy was ready to take that next leap...
What happened??
There were rumblings last summer that something was amiss with King Dalton and his Liberals. They were looking to balance their books and decided that cutting healthcare was the best way to do it. Pharmacy seemed like a good place to start. They released an outrageous proposal as a starting point for “discussions” with our profession. At the time my thoughts were that they were simply using this tactic to get our attention- that they were letting us know how “bad” it could be, hoping that we would swallow their “real” proposal more easily knowing that it could have been much worse.
We played along through the “discussion” period- presenting proposals to the government that would save money and still preserve the level of care our patients were used to receiving. We endured the meetings being cancelled, and then cancelled again and finally decided that we had enough. We were going to start talking to our patients about the plans the Liberals had in store for us. Then the government started to worry- they didn’t want us talking about their precious bill until the time was right. They agreed to resume “discussions” but only as long as we didn’t talk about it to anyone. Pharmacists, being the trusting souls we are, agreed to return to the table, hoping that some common sense finally was starting to filter through Queen’s Park.
Unfortunately, nine months later, the baby that the Liberal’s delivered was just as ugly as the one they talked about when the idea was first conceived. Only this time, the government was prepared...
I never imagined it would come to this...our profession under attack by the very people we elected to run our great province. I never imagined I would be the victim of a smear job by the Minister of Health who has attempted every trick in the book to discredit and demonize a profession with a proud history.
I learned from the Minister of Health that I have been taking “kickbacks” for years while gouging the public. I learned that the price of a drug that might be used for blood pressure was 5 times more expensive here than in New Zealand, and that a diabetes drug was 2 times more than in the US. I learned that the “high price” for a round white tablet was $1.56 while a “fair price” was $0.28. Ontario was paying “too much” for generic drugs and that it is “the right thing to do.” I guess to the Liberal mind, pulling random numbers out of the air and selling them to the public with no context is “the right thing to do.”
I am still hoping that some of that common sense will strike enough Liberal MPP’s to permeate Deb’s thick armour. We didn’t ask for this battle, but we have come together admirably to fight it. We are doing the right thing in defending our profession. Maybe one day we will even be able to get back to real discussions about moving our profession forward. For the time being, we are down to the wire now in the fight of our lives and need to keep pushing....if we lose this one we won’t have a profession left to fight for.
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