The Ontario Pharmacy Evidence Network Atlas of MedsCheck services

Abstract

Introduction Medication-related problems are a significant contributor to morbidity, mortality and health care resource utilization in Canada and globally. Medication reviews are 1 proposed strategy to help reduce preventable adverse drug events and hospital admissions. A medication review consists of a structured, critical examination of a patient’s medications and aims to provide education, improve medication adherence, resolve drug therapy problems and optimize medication management. The ultimate goal is to yield better health outcomes for the patient. While informal medication review is encompassed in the scope of practice for all pharmacists across Canada, government reimbursement for these services is not universal. Ontario was the first province to compensate community pharmacies for medication reviews, introducing the MedsCheck program in 2007 and expanding to include patients with diabetes, home-bound patients and residents of long-term care homes in 2010. Although the terminology and eligibility of programs vary, 8 provinces reimburse pharmacies for providing medication review services. Please refer to Table 1 in brief and Appendix 1 (available in the online version of the article) for a detailed summary of publicly funded fee-for-service medication review services across Canadian provinces and territories. The purpose of this research brief is to introduce the Ontario Pharmacy Evidence Network (OPEN) Atlas of MedsCheck services and describe changes in the delivery of publicly funded medication review (MedsCheck) services over time in Ontario. Broader considerations across Canada for medication review services are included in the Discussion section.