Will change help shorten wait times for people needing care?
The Alberta government is touting an expansion of private pharmacy clinics across the province as a significant relief measure for overburdened family doctors and emergency rooms.
Premier Danielle Smith emphasized the pressing need for accessible and efficient healthcare solutions during a news conference at a northeast Edmonton pharmacy. “There is an urgent need to find fixes and deliver accessible care fast and efficiently,” she stated. “One answer is to make better use of all health professionals’ time and talent, and now we have more ways to do that.”
Jeff Leger, president at Shoppers Drug Mart, unveiled plans to renovate stores province-wide, adding nine new shops to create 103 pharmacy care clinics by the end of 2024. He said this $77-million investment aims to reinforce the provincial care system and improve Albertans’ access to primary healthcare services.
However, the Alberta College of Pharmacy, the regulatory body for Alberta pharmacists, offered a tempered response. Spokesperson Barry Strader noted Shoppers Drug Mart labelled portions of their pharmacies as “pharmacy care clinics” to make people aware of their services, which he described to be already available in most pharmacies.
According to a CBC report, Alberta pharmacists have the broadest scope of practice of the professionals across the country. Since 2007, Alberta pharmacists have been able to prescribe medications and administer injections. Pharmacists can also assess patients for minor illnesses and ailments as well as prescribe treatments when appropriate. Strader noted approximately 60% of pharmacists can prescribe higher-risk medications.
Growing concerns in medical practice
While the rebranded clinics may raise awareness of pharmacists’ services, Strader cautioned that it might not necessarily lead to an influx of pharmacists into Alberta.
Shoppers Drug Mart’s website lists services such as assessing allergic rhinitis, bladder infections, and providing birth control pills, among others, with costs reimbursed by Alberta Health. The first Alberta Shoppers store to brand itself as a pharmacy clinic was in Lethbridge in 2022, and this was followed by similar introductions in Ontario.
Minister of Jobs, Economy, and Trade Matt Jones announced plans to expand the service to 44 new locations. However, the Alberta College of Pharmacy emphasized the importance of transparent advertising, clarifying that pharmacies identifying as clinics must make it clear they are staffed by pharmacists, not doctors or other healthcare professionals.
“Pharmacies and regulated members must not engage in advertising that is untruthful, inaccurate, or otherwise capable of misleading or misinforming the public,” the notice said.
Critics, including some doctors, expressed reservations about positioning pharmacies as alternatives to medical care. Dr. Jon Meddings, a University of Calgary professor of medicine, voiced concerns about patients potentially delaying necessary emergency care by visiting pharmacies for minor ailments.
“Pharmacists are not physicians,” said Meddings. “This is just a disaster waiting to happen.”
Dr. Paul Parks, president of the Alberta Medical Association, has described the move as having done nothing to change his “extreme concern about what's happening with patient access to comprehensive lifelong care.” This follows survey results the association released suggesting over 60% of Alberta family doctors are considering retiring early or leaving Alberta.
Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare, advocated for primary health clinics to direct patients to the appropriate health professionals. He cautioned against potential conflicts of interest if pharmacies push additional products during medical visits.
Health Minister Adriana LaGrange assured ongoing efforts to recruit and train more healthcare workers and establish new funding models for family doctors to stabilize their practices.