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.
No comments:
Post a Comment