November Forum eyes value of pharmacy

SEPTEMBER 2017 – Recent economic analyses are breaking ground to prove the positive return on investment for pharmacists’ services, yet many questions remain unanswered when it comes to converting these results into mainstream practice. At its 2017 Pharmacy Forum on November 21, entitled “Increasing Our Value to Canadians,” the Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy (CFP) and pharmacy leaders will examine what needs to happen for pharmacists to truly deliver value to the healthcare system. Their discussions will also take a closer look at Canada’s first “Value-Based Pharmacy” program, recently launched by Green Shield Canada (GSC).

A representative for the American Pharmacists Association will share U.S. pharmacists’ experiences with value-based pharmacy, a movement led by insurers to measure and rank a pharmacy’s performance based on certain health-outcome metrics (e.g., adherence rates) and claims data. Insurers and pharmacy benefit managers use the rankings to determine reimbursement, which will eventually be the case here in Canada under GSC’s program.

Pharmacy leaders, including representatives for the Canadian Pharmacists Association and Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada, will be part of a panel discussion on how programs such as value-based pharmacy can—or cannot—work to pharmacists’ benefit as tools for quality improvement. Attendees will also hear a keynote address on recent research on the value of pharmacists’ services under an expanded scope of practice (including independent prescribing authority).

“Increasing Our Value to Canadians” is also the theme of this year’s annual Changing Face of Pharmacy report published by CFP. You’ll find profiles of pharmacists who have embraced services under an expanded scope—and don’t miss the updated provincial chart of pharmacists’ services, including year-after-year trending of claims data. Changing Face of Pharmacy will be published in November.