Direct access
Community pharmacists are health professionals available everywhere in Quebec. Their hours of consultation are long, and their line-ups are short! You can meet them at any time without an appointment. Often, the pharmacy is a gateway to the health system, but it is also a safety net...
A question of accessibility...
When choosing a pharmacy, you should consider various factors, such as proximity and opening hours. You can count on your pharmacist’s advice on many health-related issues, such as the flu, seasonal allergies, muscle pain—not to mention children’s cuts and scrapes! In many cases, all it takes is a simple visit to your pharmacy...
...and expertise
Consider the more personalized treatment made possible by your pharmacist’s expertise. Together with your doctor, your pharmacist is a vital resource, especially if you take anticoagulant treatment, or have high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Feel free to talk to your pharmacist!
...and trust
Being loyal to your pharmacist is a great way to stay healthy! Your pharmacist does more than just give you the medications prescribed by your doctor. They advise you on their use, possible side effects and any contraindications. During each visit they consult your patient file and write pharmaceutical opinions as necessary.
Your patient file: an important safety net
Sometimes people consult several different doctors, who are not always aware of what drugs or treatments have been prescribed by their colleagues.
Does this apply to you?
It is possible that one doctor will prescribe a medication that will counteract the effect of another medication you already take. By contrast, whenever you bring a prescription to your pharmacist, it is entered into your computerized patient file. Your pharmacist will then become the only health professional who has your entire medical record, which is why it’s important to always see the same pharmacist.
Sound familiar?
You’ve just given a prescription to your pharmacist. He checks your file on the computer, and asks:
“Did Dr. Dupont tell you to stop taking the green pills?”
You answer: “No! He didn’t say anything. Dr. Smith prescribed them to me.”
Your pharmacist then calls Dr. Dupont, and tells him that the new pills will be less effective if taken at the same time as the green pills. He advises the doctor to stop prescribing the green pills and replace them with another drug. The doctor supports the pharmacist's recommendation, which is based on scientific data. After this discussion, Dr. Dupont changes your prescription.
You might not have noticed, but your pharmacist offered what is called pharmaceutical opinion: an intervention to modify or discontinue a treatment.
The Régie de l'assurance maladie and some private plans cover this service because they recognize its therapeutic and economic value. Not only are you more effectively treated, but the pharmacist also protects the system from the unnecessary health costs associated with the adverse effects of medication.
Tell your pharmacist everything!
Your pharmacist can detect potential problems by checking your patient file. But to get there, they must have all the necessary information...
- Consult your pharmacist before buying an over-the-counter drug, and don’t hesitate to let him or her know about products you may have purchased at another pharmacy or at a natural products retailer. This is the best way of avoiding any adverse effects from your medication.