Dr. Steven Hopp, the longtime owner and pharmacist of Shoppers Drug Mart in Osoyoos, said despite recent negative media reports, the vast majority of Canadian pharmacists do an outstanding job in serving their customers. March is Pharmacist Awareness Month across Canada. (Keith Lacey photo)
When Dr. Steven Hopp watched a couple of recent episodes of a well-known Canadian television series that suggested a large majority of Canadian pharmacists were engaged in inappropriate conduct, he could no longer hold his tongue.
Hopp, who graduated from the pharmacy program at the University of British Columbia 14 years ago, has been the owner/operator of the Shoppers Drug Mart in Osoyoos for the past 7 1/2 years.
After watching the well-respected CBC program Marketplace broadcast a couple of episodes recently where the reputation of the pharmacy industry was, in large part, being questioned, Hopp said he wanted to speak out.
And there would be no better time to speak out than now as the Canadian Pharmacists Association is sponsoring Pharmacist Awareness Month throughout March in Canada, he said.
“There has been some bad press lately in Canada in regards to the pharmacy industry and I just felt that most of it was unjustified,” said Hopp, who first moved to the South Okanagan to work at a pharmacy in Penticton after graduating from UBC.
“CBC’s Marketplace did a couple of stories that suggested there were a lot of pharmacists giving out products that require proper consultation with patients without adequate counselling being given.”
While there may be some pharmacists who don’t follow all important rules and regulations as laid out by provincial college’s of pharmacy, it’s his experience that this happens very rarely, said Hopp.
“They made it appear these practices were widespread and I just don’t believe that to be the case,” said Hopp. “As in any profession, there will be a few bad apples, but I honestly believe the vast majority of pharmacists are doing the very best they can and they try to do what’s best for the patient. I think it’s unfortunate when something gets misconstrued and I believe if there was rampant abuse, it would be acted on immediately as our industry is very closely monitored.”
The key messages the Canadian Pharmacists Association want to share with the public during this year’s awareness month is that pharmacists have been increasing the number of services they are delivering to patients, said Hopp.
“Pharmacists should increasingly be considered as a first point of contact with the health care system,” he said.
The theme in 2015 is “Pharamacists: Trusted Care When and Where You Need It,.”
He wanted to reinforce the notion that pharmacists are trusted, provide highly accessible, high quality care and they are now able to provide a wide range of services to patients, said Hopp.
“There were many years when pharmacists were rated as the most trusted professionals in any industry during numerous surveys,” he said. “That reputation hasn’t disappeared and most people still place great trust in their local pharmacist, but I still believe the goal should be to regain that top spot as the most trusted professionals amongst the public.”
There are more than 38,000 licensed pharmacists in Canada who work in 9,500 community pharmacies and 280 in-patient hospital settings, making pharmacists the most accessible health care providers in the country, said Hopp.
Seeing a pharmacist generally doesn’t require an appointment and their convenient locations mean that pharmacies are close by for most Canadians wherever they live, he said.
By reducing the number of people needing hospitalization, visiting emergency rooms or even needing to book appointments with a family doctor, and by effectively treating conditions early, pharmacists are helping to put the Canadian health care system on a more sustainable footing, he said.
“Pharmacists across the country are now able to deliver a broader range of services compared to just a few years ago,” he said. “I want to make it very clear that pharmacists are much more than simply pill dispensers.”
While there are some customers who abuse powerful prescription narcotics like Oxycontin, the reality is “most people getting pain medications in this country are using them for legitimate needs,” said Hopp.
The days of pharmacists spending a few minutes with clients and filling pill bottles is over and won’t return, said Hopp.
The vast majority of pharmacists meet on a regular basis with clients to discuss their health conditions and detail which prescription drugs they use, how they work, what side effects they can expect and how to avoid abuse, said Hopp.
“Personal consults with your regular customers are now a huge part of what we do,” he said. “You want to develop a personal relationship with your regular clients and make sure they know what they’re taking and how it will benefit them.”
Like all provinces, The B.C. College of Pharmacy requires pharmacists to continually stay abreast of new drug treatments and products in order for pharmacists to maintain their licenses to practice, said Hopp.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
