Value of Pharmacy Services

While we have long understood the health benefits of pharmacist care in interventions such as smoking cessation and cardiovascular disease through past clinical practice research, a new report from The Conference Board of Canada helps bridge the evidence gap to demonstrate the significant value Canada’s pharmacists can bring to our health care system.

The report, The Value of Expanded Pharmacy Services in Canada, part of a three-part research series commissioned by the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA), reviews the health and economic impact of three services that are currently delivered within a community pharmacy setting—smoking cessation, advanced medication review for heart disease and pneumococcal vaccination.

Key Findings

• Expanding selected pharmacy services would translate to direct cost savings for governments, prevent chronic disease and premature deaths.
• Canada-wide implementation of three pharmacy services could yield cumulative cost savings between $2.5 billion and $25.7 billion over the next 20 years, depending on the level of uptake of these services.
• By 2035, for every dollar spent, the direct return could reach up to $2.30 for advanced medication review for heart disease, $9.10 for smoking cessation, and $72.00 for pneumococcal vaccination.
• Reimbursement must be sustainable and reflective of the value of expanding pharmacy services to achieve maximum value.

Reports

• The Value of Expanded Pharmacy Services in Canada [Français]
• Getting the Most out of Community Pharmacy – Recommendations for Action [Français]
• A Review of Pharmacy Services in Canada and the Health and Economic Evidence

CPhA Statements

Expanding role of community pharmacists could save Canada’s health care system up to $25.7 billion [Français]
April 25, 2017—New report helps bridge evidence gap to demonstrate the value pharmacists can bring to our health care system.

Related Links

• The Value of Expanded Community Pharmacy Services  [Français] (CPhA fact sheet)
• Expanding Pharmacy Services Could Save Canada’s Health Care System Billions of Dollars by 2035 [Français] (Media release - Conference Board of Canada)
• The Value of Expanded Pharmacy Services in Canada: Recommendations for Optimized Practice (Slide deck - Economic Club of Canada event, April 25, 2017)