JANUARY 2019 – True to their words at CFP’s annual Pharmacy Forum last year, pharmacy stakeholders are going ahead with efforts to improve health outcomes by exploring quality indicators for pharmacies.
In January, the Canadian Pharmacists Association released a Pharmacy Pay for Performance Principles document outlining 10 guidelines they hope payers will consider.
The principles cover the design and performance of pay-for-performance programs, noting that these programs should be harmonized and consolidated across all payers. Also, the software necessary for implementing these programs should not impose a financial burden on pharmacists.
CPhA is also working to provide recommendations for the Green Shield Canada program already in place and will be collaborating with the payer to finalize details.
Meanwhile the Ontario College of Pharmacists is collaborating with Health Quality Ontario (HQO) to establish a set of quality indicators for pharmacy with the purposes of quality improvement and public reporting.
Last June, the College and HQO co-hosted a roundtable that brought together a group of stakeholders to inform development of a snynopsis document to guide the progress.
Since then, the College and HQO have established an expert panel, tasked to achieve consensus on a set of indicators, following a robust modified Delphi process. The panel will be informed by feedback from external consultations which will take place over the winter of 2019.
With all this in mind, the College hosted an interactive webinarin November 2018. Further engagement opportunities—including a formal, open public consultation encouraging feedback on the indicator shortlist—will continue to be communicated to the sector. Find more information on this initiative.