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home / 世界杯决赛2022

pharmacists can now offer prescriptions for 13 common ailments

the ontario government will pay pharmacists a flat fee for each assessment.

by trevor wilhelm
published jan 04, 2023
read time 2 minute read
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read time 2 minute read
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band-aids, vitamins, and prescriptions for urinary tract infections — you can now get it all at your local drug store. starting this month, pharmacists in ontario can give prescriptions for 13 common medical ailments without patients having to first see a doctor.
“it’s just a matter of convenience, especially since covid has hit, with the accessibility of getting to your family doctor in a timely manner,” said tim brady, chair of the ontario pharmacists association and owner of three brady’s drug stores in essex county. “it’s really about convenience, and when you’re sick, getting treated where you can and when you need it.”
pharmacist tim brady is shown at his essex location on wednesday, january 4, 2023.
pharmacist tim brady is shown at his essex location on wednesday, january 4, 2023. dan janisse / windsor star
under the new system, pharmacists can give prescriptions for:
hay fever
oral thrush
pink eye
dermatitis
menstrual cramps
acid reflux
hemorrhoids
cold sores
impetigo
insect bites and hives
tick bites
sprains and strains
urinary tract infections.
“they are issues that need to be dealt with now, but it’s not a pressing issue if you’re a physician and you have someone who’s got diabetes,” said brady. “you’re going to put them in before someone who says they have cramps.”
given what’s happening in other regions — ontario is one of the last provinces to allow pharmacists to provide prescriptions — he said the number of conditions could be expanded.
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“some provinces are up to 25 or 30 conditions,” he said. “there are some that are a decade ahead of us. we know that it’s safe. the data has come up that patients get better care, it’s quicker, and there hasn’t been an increase in bad outcomes.”
pharmacist tim brady is shown at his essex location on wednesday, january 4, 2023.
pharmacist tim brady is shown at his essex location on wednesday, january 4, 2023. dan janisse / windsor star
the ontario government will pay pharmacists a flat fee for each assessment. brady said it’s $19 for an in-person assessment and $15 for a phone or virtual assessment when applicable. patients are not required to get their prescription filled with the pharmacist who wrote it, he said.
it’s up to each pharmacy to decide if it will offer the service. it will also vary from pharmacy to pharmacy whether people will need to make an appointment or can just walk in.
“i would advise people to make a phone call,” said brady. “they might not have to make an appointment but certain times in the pharmacy might be better than others.”
along with making care more convenient and quicker for patients in some cases, brady said the new system will also take pressure off of physicians and the rest of the health-care system.
“for a doctor it alleviates their rush because they know the patient is getting some treatment and now we can fit them in in two weeks and get to the root of what the issue is,” he said.
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but he stressed this does not mean people should stop going to the doctor.
“it’s still really important to see your physician,” he said. “and secondly, there is a limit on the conditions. this is not just a broad thing where every time you have an issue you come see your pharmacy. “
brady also cautioned that there will likely be some wrinkles as the new system rolls out.
“it’s a little bit of a shift,” he said. “i’d be lying if i said no pharmacists that i know are leery on it. but at the end of the day the business is changing and we’re trying to get people care where they have access to it.”
twilhelm@postmedia.com
twitter.com/winstarwilhelm
trevor wilhelm
trevor wilhelm

trevor wilhelm is an award-winning multimedia journalist. he has been a reporter for more than two decades, living and working in locales ranging from winnipeg to hong kong. wilhelm has been a member of the windsor star team, chronicling the triumphs and tragedies of his adopted hometown, since 2006. his coverage has ranged from the police beat to provincial politics. for the last several years, he has focused on lengthier investigations, freedom of information probes, and in-depth feature writing. his work has highlighted social issues, exposed hidden information, and changed government policy.

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