Meet the Pharmacy Practice + Business Award winner for Interprofessional Initiative, Vital Health Pharmacy: Joining forces to improve access to specialty care
Based in British Columbia, the team at Vital Health Pharmacy has been a pioneer in providing in-pharmacy intravenous (IV) services, in addition to complete prescription, vaccination and nutrition services. They cater to patients across Vancouver Island and the interior of the province, while offering mentorship and resources to other community pharmacies interested in offering specialty medication services.
Why they won
Over the past 12 years, this multidisciplinary team has worked closely with specialists, primary care providers, clinic managers and nurses to streamline healthcare pathways, and greatly reduce wait times for patients requiring critical IV infusions. By effectively integrating the roles of pharmacists, assistants and allied health professionals to create a holistic patient care model, the Vital Health Pharmacy team has proved just how transformative interprofessional collaboration can be.
By developing comprehensive care protocols (i.e., rapid vaccination services, lab monitoring systems, and “pre-prescription” counselling) the team has enabled local physicians to expedite treatment plans for both IV and non-IV specialty medications, creating a seamless patient experience.
The team at Vital Health Pharmacy also established a collaborative model known as Alliance Local Rx, which fosters partnerships with pharmacies in other regions interested in offering specialty care services in the community. By sharing their best practices, service contracts and expertise in managing complex therapies, their initiative has encouraged and supported other independent pharmacies in delivering specialty care services.
“It really is a collaborative model,” says Swainson. “I am hopeful that many, many more pharmacy ownership groups join us.
What the judges said
This novel approach to specialty by adding adjacent services like lab work and rapid vaccination, along with a turn-key model for others, is quite refreshing.
A tight interprofessional team that has been collaborating to deliver complex care to patients for many years. Don Swainson is an indefatigable champion of better access for Canadians to expensive new biologic medications, and the rights of independent pharmacies to provide that care.
- Q&A with Vital Health owner Don Swainson:
What do you enjoy the most about what you do?
I enjoy that our pharmacy model is continuously evolving, non-traditional and helpful to patients. I am constantly challenged and I like that.
What is your biggest challenge?
As a small player, two-pharmacy operator in the big player world of specialty pharmacy, our challenge is scale, and convincing pharmaceutical companies and their agents (the Patient Support Programs) to work co-operatively with us to serve patients. This is the rationale behind the Alliance Local Rx which connects us via contract with other independent specialty-oriented community pharmacies.
Is there someone in particular who mentored you, or served as a role model?
There have been many mentors over my career, but in the pharmacy world, in particular Steve and Nancy Simonot, who was founder of NKS Health (now part of Greenshield), were huge, helpful influences. We are constantly being influenced by customers and allies who share ideas and collaborate. Pharmacists like Zahid Merali of Wellness pharmacy, Bruce Winston now of Neighbourly are definitely in that group. My business partner, Jonathan Cox and I are constantly bouncing ideas off each other too, so we have internal mentoring going on which has helped a great deal!
What’s one piece of advice you’d give a young pharmacist who wants to make a difference?
Collaborate with others. Find allies—people you truly trust, who have different skills and backgrounds—and work with them.
What’s next for your team?
Our work is not done yet. We have many new ideas and communities we do not yet serve. In particular the Alliance Local Rx model can expand greatly and probably nationally. It is really a collaborative model and I am hopeful that many, many more pharmacy ownership groups join us in the community-based specialty pharmacy initiative.
