Technology fuelling better outcomes in pharmacy services

Technology is a powerful and essential tool for pharmacists in better harnessing expanded scope, heard attendees at the Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy’s (CFP’s) annual Forum titled “Scope in Action.” The virtual event took place on June 28, 2023 and featured presentations from three pharmacists who've developed software tools to better streamline pharmacy services and workflow—along with community pharmacists currently using the tools. Community pharmacist Nardine Nakhla, a clinical lecturer at the University of Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy, kicked off the event with a demonstration of MAPflow, a cloud-based, clinical decision-making and implementation tool that facilitates minor ailment prescribing services for pharmacists in Ontario. Read: Minor ailments counselling tools: Skin lightening Nakhla served as a member of the Ontario College of Pharmacists’ Minor Ailments Advisory Group tasked with developing the draft regulations around pharmacists prescribing of minor ailments in Ontario, and said the software is aimed at facilitating “more optimal integration” of minor ailment services in practice. “In Ontario we’re doing things a bit differently…and it insures prescribing is within scope,” she says. The software, which can run on a desktop, laptop or iPad to free up pharmacy terminals, is integrated with the Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties for easy access to drug information. “That’s really useful for things like dermatological conditions where it helps to see how atopic dermatitis, for example, presents compared to other conditions that may also be itchy,” said Nakhla, noting that it also prompts for follow-ups and additional clinical services. “So really, it's taking a holistic approach to ensure the patient is being taken care of from all angles.” Read: B.C. reports 120% increase in prescriptions after pharmacists gain expanded scope Community pharmacist and a MAPflow user since minor ailment prescribing came into effect in Ontario in January, Emma Peters said she feels confident she isn’t missing anything when using the software. “I feel the patients is more confident in our abilities too as we are asking the right questions and they’re leaving with a professional handout,” she says. Clearing administrative backlogs Alberta-based pharmacy consultant and co-founder of Medi-scribe Lawrence Woo said he was inspired to develop his software tool after spending way too many hours every week dealing with paperwork around pharmacy services. “Exceptional patient care has its limits. Our vision is for pharmacists to fully utilize their scope to practise at the highest standard of care and spend more time with patients rather than documenting,” he said. Equipped with more than 1,000 curated drug monographs, he said Medi-scribe's software provides drug information while pharmacists document, generating a patient specific note—and all the regulatory monitoring required—seamlessly into the pharmacist's existing software within 30 seconds. “Depending on the service, the documentation with Medi-scribe takes between 15 seconds to three minutes…17 times faster than the most efficient pharmacists we’ve talked to,” he said. The vast majority (95%) of pharmacists using the software reported feeling more satisfied at work and 90% said it had helped them provide a service they would have been too busy to do otherwise. Medi-scribe user Dimitri Kachenyuk, pharmacy manager and clinical pharmacist at Primrose I.D.A. in Edmonton, said the software could “revolutionize pharmacy practice” as pharmacists free up all that time spent on documentation. “[It] has allowed us to document renewals and prescribing activities within seconds even if the patient is on a large number of medications,” he said. Ending the Forum discussion was Quebec-based community pharmacist Philippe Chartrand, president of Empego Technologies, which launched a series of software tools in 2020 now used by hundreds of pharmacists in the province. The software is unique because it first empowers patients to provide information about their symptoms via specific forms prior to seeing the pharmacist. “So, when the [pharmacists] opens a consultation, before they’ve taken a single second with the patient, they already have their questions answered,” he said, adding that there are red flag alerts indicated as needed, as well as prompts for follow-ups.

Technology fuelling better outcomes in pharmacy services

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