ry
20 20 Quick Cont ent s 2: Wel comet o t heNew y ear 3: Phar macar e 4: AChat wit h Dar r in 6: Rx fact or r ecap 9:Mont r eal must s
10: Resour ceRef er r al 12: Opening up t hecov er sat ion 14: Fab f or l ab 16: cof1f eer ev iew
Happy New Year from APSA!
Janu a
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PHARMACARE 2020: Federal As pharmacy students and future pharmacists, we know the challenges that our patients may face when it comes to medication cost. We know that medications costs are not covered in medically necessary services that are mandated through the Canada Health Act, despite the fact that medications are a significant part of the treatment that patients may require. With the most recent federal election still fresh in our minds, this issue was brought to light in a few of the political platforms. Many in the pharmacy profession are curious and concerned as to how Pharmacare could work and what it could mean for our patients. This article aims to provide a first glance at what is yet to come. The Pharmacare program is still in its infancy, but health Canada has provided some foundational elements it may contain and the budget proposal.
The Three Foundational Elements of the first steps of Canada's national Pharmacare:
1. Creation of the Canadian Drug Agency - This organization would aim to assess the effectiveness of new prescription drugs and negotiate drug prices on behalf of Canada?s drug plans. The negotiation of prices would be a key step in lowering the cost of drugs for Canadians by up to $3 billion per year in the long term 2.
2. The development of a national formulary?
a comprehensive, evidence-based list of prescribed drugs. The Government will work in partnership with provinces, territories and stakeholders to develop this list, which would provide the basis for a consistent approach to formulary listing and patient access across the country2.
3. Establish a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases to help Canadians get better access to treatments they need. The Government will work with provinces, territories and other partners to co-develop a plan to ensure that these patients get more consistent coverage for treatments2.
What about the budget? Budget 2019 proposes to provide up to $1 billion over two years, starting in 2022?23, with up to $500 million per year ongoing, to help Canadians with rare diseases access the drugs they need and $35 million over four years, starting in 2019?20, to Health Canada to establish a Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office2.
By Olivia Stephen
References and for more information:
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1. Canada, H. (2019, September 24). Government of Canada. Retrieved from https:/ a/www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/corporate/about-health-canada/public-engagement/external-advisory-bodies/implementation-national-pharmacare/final-report.html. 2. Canada, H. (2019, March 25). Budget 2019: Moving Forward on Implementing National Pharmacare. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2019/03/budget-2019-moving-forward-on-implementing-national-pharmacare.html.
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LIGH TS!!! C A M ERA !!! M eg De Cast r o - Th e Ch am pion Style: ?
???? Skill: ? ? ? ? ?
Leather Jackets are ALWAYS a win
She sings, dances, raps, and makes hearts melt. What can't she do? Professionalism: ?
???? Friendship Power: ? ? ? ? ?
Move over Bonnie and Clyde becasue Meg and Troy are the new partners in crime that will steal the audiences' hearts
Cl ass of 2019 - Meg and Tr oy Tr oy Rich m on d - Van illa Dyn am it e Style: ?
???? Skill: ? ? ? ? ?
Any man who can rock a sundress is a man of class.
Professionalism: ? skills lab
????
Those moves are a little underpolished, though that may be the point (Vote for Troy!) T-Shirts are a no-go in
Cross-Dressing: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? The man has courage, and the moxie to back it up Am in Ash k ar - Th e Real Gu it ar Her o Style: ?
? ? ? ? The HAIR, the TIGHT pants, the sheer CHARISMA! Skill: ? ? ? ? ? An original song is a gutsy move, and it worked out beautifully Professionalism: ? ? ? ? ? A strong leader who can bring together bandmates from multiple years. That's worth some respect.
Hair Flips: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Never miss a beat, and never a hair out of place. An iconic and freeing performance
Cl ass of 2020 - Amin and Sukhman Su k h m an Ch ah al - Th e Sou l of a Poet Style: ?
? ? ? ? Colour coordinated turban and suit. Subtle and powerful Skill: ? ? ? ? ? Who's the man? Sukhman. Slam dunk on that delivery. Professionalism: ? ? ? ? ? We've seen Cooking with Sukhman. I'm terrified to see Compounding with Sukhman after that.
Hipster Slam Poetry: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dealing hard truths and words of hope. Sukhman gave us a little insight into his kind heart.
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AC T IO N !!! PH a r m ily !!! Gar r et Gar lock - Ride 'em Cow boy Style: ? ? ? ? pet your cows
?
Coveralls are so last season, but I still want to
Skill: ? ? ? ? ? He's got a quick wit and quick hand with a rope. He can use either on me any time
-? ? ? ? ? Those cousin jokes though ... RIP Small Town Charm: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? A+ job selling the crowd on Professionalism:
everything rural pharmacy has to offer
Cl ass of 2023 - Gar r et and Dav id David Becker - Ch ef 's Ch oice Style: ? ? ? ? ? Simple, classy, effective. He proves that even the older students have got it going on!!! Skill: ? ? ? ? ? A one man duo that can rock comedy and music at the same time Professionalism: -? ? ? ? ? Congratulations on the negative 5 stars, because hot damn that was funny Awkward Flirting: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Carlos may have turned him down but I think I'm in love Dim it r i Galat is - Ou r East Coast Boy Style: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? trend of the season ;)
Blue sequins and no shirt may just be the hottest
Skill: ? ? ? ? ? A classic song like no other, but not quite enough to stand out in this years fierce competition. Professionalism: ? night
????
Underwater Fun: ? swimmingly?
???????
Shirtless yes, but not the worst we saw that I guess you could say things went...
Cl ass of 2022 - Dimit r i and Pat r ick Pat r ick An say - Th e Voice of an An gel Style: ? ? ? ? ? Multiple outfits mid-song and all of them on point with the squad Skill: ?
????
That voice is a lullaby as sweet as honey
Professionalism: ? ? ? ? ? Organized, practiced, and punctual. All things a pharmacist should strive for Nostalgia Factor: ? ? ? ? ? You gotta love the peak 90's boybands. The "boys are back" indeed ;p
by Mat t hew Cusson, Amat eur Theat r e cr it ic 7
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Shecarriesthehopesand dreamsof all of us... (straight toMontreal baby!!!)
A Fu t u r e Ph ar m acist of M an y Talen t s. A skilled photographer and videographer who has spent years filming the stage steps onto it like she was born for it, proving she's got the singing, dancing, and rapping skill of a true entertainer.
An Over w h elm in g M om en t of Joy an d Passion . Years of practicing her music and months of hard work planning her act culminate in a stunning victory. Meg shows us how she has poured her heart into RxFactor and our Pharmily.
Meg De Cast r o APSA's Canada's Next Top Pharmacist Contestant Th e Ladies of 2019 Kick it u p a Not ch . With luscious flowing locks moving to the beat, Meg and Troy showed us they're a duo that can't be beat.
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Fan t ast ically Fier ce an d Un f or get t able: Meg De Castro, a name we all know, that conjures bright memories and smiles all aorund. If there's one certainty in life, it's that Meg will face down8 her competition with fire and a whole lot of moxie.
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Br ought t o you by Mat t hew Cusson, Pr ofessional Fanboy
By Hannah King And Ver onica Machnowski
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A Guide to Resource Ref erral Hi! My name is Lawrence Woo and I am a current 4th year Pharmacy student. Throughout my experiences working in acute care, primary care clinics, and community pharmacies, I began to recognize my knowledge gaps in social services and programs available. Though I don?t believe pharmacists need to be an expert in these areas, I believe that we can play an important part in bridging patients to such services, whether that may be to information to helplines, basic needs such as local meals, transitional housing, or support in addictions/mental health. I?ve listed some of the core resources that serve as a starting/ access points. I hope you find this helpful and find some inspiration to incorporate education/ referrals to social services/programs to your patients who may benefit from them. *Please be advised that all of the information listed is subject to change, and reliance on the information is at your own risk!*
Resou r ce
1) Healt h In f or m at ion / Advice
Healt h Lin k
Back gr ou n d / Descr ipt ion
Navigat ion
Applyin g t h is pr act ically?
For all things related to navigating our health care system (immunizations, referrals to addictions, finding programs)
Call: available 24/7
Always consider educating patients about 811 as a valuable follow up point for questions/concerns!
Provides information and referral to a wide range of community, social and government services (in clu des AHS an d n on AHS).
Call: Available 24/7
1. Provide patients with this number or website link
Call: 811 2) Pr ogr am s an d ser vices in t h e com m u n it y
Call 211 https://www.ab.211.ca/
On lin e Ch at or Text : (available certain hours)
On lin e: Search bar for resources
Eg: 路 basic needs (food, clothing, shelter and financial support)
2. Pr in t ou t r esou r ce list s at: https://edmonton.cmha. ca/211-resource-list relevant to your community
Printable resource lists for certain categories (Ie: Food, shelter, mental health, caregivers)
路 employment resource 路 counselling/support groups 路 legal services 3) AHS Pr ogr am s/ Ser vices https://www.albertahealthservices .ca/findhealth/
Search for AHS programs/ services
Provides details of each program/service
P 4) AHS Ref er r al Dir ect or y https://albertareferraldirectory.ca/
Centralized resource for r ef er r al in f or m at ion (AHS) ? Health care professional specific
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Includes estimated wait times, and details on referral processes (Eg. is self-referral possible for the patient?)
You can locate various AHS programs such as the SCS (Supervised Consumption Sites), along with details regarding hours/ locations/ referrals.
Resou r ce
5) Opioid Addict ion Resou r ce:
Back gr ou n d / Descr ipt ion
Navigat ion
Opioid addiction resources for patient and health care providers, including:
Online
Applyin g t h is pr act ically?
https://opioidrecoveryalberta.ca/
· VODP (Virtual Opioid Dependency Programbased out of Ponoka · Residential treatment programs available in Alberta · Types of Opioid Agonist therapies 6) M en t al Healt h / Addict ion s Resou r ce/ Pr ogr am :
24/7 single point of access to adult addiction and mental health community based programs such as:
Access 24/ 7
Addr ess: An der son Hall 10959 102 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5H 2V1
1) service navigation 2) screening assessment, referral
Pr of ession al r ef er r als accept ed bu t n ot r equ ir ed, so w it h pat ien t ?s con sen t , you r car e plan s m ay be f axed h er e t o assist t h eir t eam in h ist or y gat h er in g
Teleph on e: 780-424-2424
3) crisis intervention 4) outreach and short term stabilization.
Fax: 780-342-7621 * Fax your careplans here!*
7) Con n ect in g pat ien t s t o f am ily doct or / m edical h om e
https://albertafindadoctor.ca/
Seeing the same family doctor and team can lead to higher quality care, and serve as an important access point for referrals, workshops, and screening.
or call 811 (Health Link)
Direct patients to this website as there is filters for:
· Language spoken · Location · Hours/ After Hours service
Family doctor clinics linked to primary care network within their jurisdiction (9 in the Edmonton-area) which may fund addit ion al pr ogr am s as well as addit ion al h ealt h car e t eam m em ber s such as mental health therapists.
We may encounter numerous patients who frequent various walk-in clinics for their health needs, resulting in gaps in care. Screen for these patients and encourage them to seek out a family doctor for further follow up and continuity of care.
Lastly, I?ve been partnering with fellow pharmacy student, Dillon Lee, in a pharmacy practice research project addressing the topic of pharmacist?s role in referring patients to programs/services. It?11 s my goal for pharmacists to one day all have a baseline knowledge of resources they can direct their patient?s towards to address social needs/programs! Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or want to chat! Lwoo1@ualberta.ca
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St an d u p t o t h e St i gm a: L et 's T al k !
What We Don't Witness in Life by Queeny Wu There is nothing in this world that can ever prepare someone for the outsider status of being chronically ill. Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of it is the resulting isolation, how incomprehensible and unrelatable the disease narrative can be for other people. In this loneliness, patients want to be
Talking to an individual going through difficult circumstances or facing challenges to their mental well-being can be tough for anyone. These individuals often feel like they are trying to navigate through the dark, not knowing who or what they can turn to. Sometimes the best thing we can do is listen to them with open ears, as something seeming as little as this can mean a great deal to the person you are trying to support. Here are some general tips, which you may or may not already know, that can help you facilitate a meaningful heart-to-heart conversation with a friend, family member, or patient.
understood in a way that they can?t be. The everyday experience of disease may be new to the patient, but often loses originality for those around them. Everyone, except the
-
patient, will get used to the disease.
Simply asking an individual to describe how they are feeling and what this means to them is a great way to begin a difficult conversation.
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The emotional and social dimensions of a disease are often
This can be followed by validating the emotions they are experiencing, regardless of their situation.
overlooked by healthcare providers. Sometimes, we witness
-
life ? we see it in friends we talk to, the bugs flying around in
Avoid asking ?why? questions because these can sound accusatory and judgemental. Try rephrasing these as
the summer, our neighbour ?s dog barking, etc. Other times, we don?t. We don?t see how the patient lives with their chronic illness; we don?t see them re-build their identity after starting a new medication; we don?t see them reconstruct their
?what? or ?how? questions. -
Respect the individual?s privacy by being confidential.
-
Be sensitive to the individual's boundaries. Do not force anyone to talk about things they are not ready to share.
-
relationships around the disease, not in spite of it.
Paraphrase or summarize what the person tells you every once in a while to develop mutual understanding and confirm what they're going through. This lets the individual know you are actively listening to them and allows them to correct anything you may have interpreted wrong so you
As healthy people, most of us are raised while taking granted
can gain an accurate perception of their situation.
of the idea that illness is temporary ? a rest station on the path
-
to recovery, not a permanent place to live. For some people,
Ask the individual if they have any interests, hobbies, or coping mechanisms that might help distract them from their current situation.
however, this is not their reality. Some people stay sick. The -
adaptation to this new reality while enduring a new disease
Help the individual identify people in their life whom they would feel comfortable confiding in.
experience can have a strong impact on a person?s mental
-
Have a conversation about different forms of self-care.
health. One of the most important things that we can do not
-
Focus on the person you are talking to. Avoid bringing up your own experiences or what you would do if you were in
only as humans, but as healthcare professionals, is to start the
their situation.
conversation.
-
Keep in mind? The individual you are talking to knows their own situation better than anybody else, because they are living it! Good listeners do not try to assert their own opinions.
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Avoid giving advice (if you are not clinically trained to provide counselling) as this may confuse them or guide them in the wrong direction.
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Focus on asking questions that help the individual realize different perspectives and outlooks on their situation so they can feel empowered to make their own decisions and find their own solutions.
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Let the individual know about the Edmonton Distress Line so they can talk to trained professional if they are ever in a crisis or distress situation.
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Tips learned from the "Peer Support Centre?
r esour ces A quick referencetovaryinglevelsof support in Edmonton, tailored tospecificcommunitiesandtheir health needs. Peer Su ppor t Cen t r e (PSC) · Free and confidential supportive listening service · Located on the U of A campus (SUB) · Available options: call, drop-in, or appointment · Provide information and resources for support on/off campus
Cou n sellin g an d Clin ical Ser vices · Psychological and psychiatric services on U of A campus · Offers consultative services for faculty and staff · Individual counselling, drop-in workshops, and group therapy
· Seniors?abuse help line · Suicide grief support · Drop-in Single session counselling
· 780-482-HELP(4357) is a 24/7 crisis phone line · Connect you with a trained professional who can provide immediate support, guidance, and resources
- Address children?s mental health issues and develop/maintain health relationships and well-being · For ages 0 to 18 years old
· Anderson Hall, located across from the Royal Alexandra Hospital
- Online crisis chat
Edm on t on Dist r ess Lin e
· Support children and their families
· Provide urgent and non-urgent addictions and mental health services
· Distress line
· Housing program
CASA Ch ild, Adolescen t , an d Fam ily M en t al Healt h
Access 24/ 7
Can adian M en t al Healt h Associat ion (CM HA)
· Service provided through the CMHA
ARCH (Addict ion Recover y an d Com m u n it y Healt h Clin ic) · Clinical services delivered through the Inner City Health and Wellness Program that focuses on caring for vulnerable patients · Located in the Royal Alexandra Hospital
Ou r Hou se · Addiction recovery centre that helps men who suffer from drug or alcohol addiction · Long-term residential program that runs for a year, after an individual completes a short-term treatment program
13 By Savie Pan dh er
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Ratings by Andrea Tack
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