BCPhA conference 2025: Improving health access for all

Amid talk of potential pharmaceutical tariffs and waiting for national pharmacare to be implemented, a key theme that arose at the 2025 BC Pharmacy Conference was the importance of finding ways to ensure better access to healthcare for all who need it.Both B.C. Minister of Health Josie Osborne and Ian Rongve, assistant deputy minister working with BC PharmaCare, stressed that a key mandate of their organizations is to improve access to healthcare services for British Columbians in the province's rural and most remote communities. Clearing the way for pharmacists to do more, such as prescribing contraception as they have done since late 2024 or assessing for common ailments, is a part of that plan, as is streamlining the provincial prescription management program so that pharmacists and physicians can more easily share patient information and pharmacists can easily bill for prescribing services.The University of British Columbia faculty of pharmaceutical science is also contributing to this effort, said dean Lalitha Raman-Wilms, by streaming more pharmacy students into practicums in remote and rural communities, attracting new pharmacists from those communities to return to serve at home, and teaching students about the specific needs and challenges of under-served and Indigenous populations.Read: New indigenous cultural safety, humility and anti-racism education requirements coming for B.C. pharmacy professionalsA gala at the event, held May 1 through May 3 in Victoria, celebrated the winners of the annual BCPhA awards. The pharmacists and pharmacy students below were awarded this year:Pharmacist Aaron Sha, associate owner of Shoppers Drug Mart #2256 in Prince Rupert won the Bowl of Hygeia Award for community service. Read more about Aaron.Pharmacist Maricor Del Rosario, pharmacy manager at Save-On-Foods #987, in Williams Lake received the Collaborative Care Award for her work with other health providers in her community. Read more about Maricor.Beloved Fort St. John pharmacist Mike Ortynsky, owner of four pharmacies including Fort St. John Pharmacy & Wellness Centre, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his more than four decades of practice excellence. Read more about Mike. Pharmacist Steven Hopp, owner of two pharmacies including Rutland Medical Pharmacy in Kelowna, was given the Murray Dykeman Mentorship Award for helping to raise the next generation of pharmacists. Read more about Steven.From Vernon, Brad Adams, pharmacy manager at Save-On-Foods Pharmacy #988, is one of the recipients of the New Practitioner Award, for excellence in his first five years of practicing pharmacy. Read more about Brad. Pharmacist Aydan Con, clinical services pharmacist at London Drugs #10, is the second recipient of the New Practitioner Award for his work in leading clinical services at his pharmacy. Read more about Aydan. And Victoria pharmacist Linda Gutenberg, pharmacy operations lead at Heart Pharmacy Group, is the recipient of the Pharmacy Leadership Award for her role in leading organizations and health-care advocacy efforts through her career. Read more about Linda.Taylor Reitmeier, pharmacy manager at Nanaimo's Central Drugs Colvile, was the recipient of the Ben Gant Innovative Practice Award for his work to increase access to women's health in his community. Read more about Taylor.Safouh El Rayes, owner of Point Grey Pharmacy, is the recipient of the Excellence in Patient Care Award for five decades of going above and beyond in his care for patients and his community. Read more about Safouh.And finally, third-year pharmacy students Carissa Chan and David Wang are the recipients of the Apotex Inc. Award in Pharmaceutical Sciences for their contributions while studying at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Read more about Carissa and David.Read: Fort St.John-based pharmacist recognized with lifetime acheivement award

BCPhA conference 2025: Improving health access for all

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