British Columbia, Ontario pharmacists to provide new cardiovascular program to patients

TORONTO — Green Shield Canada, in partnership with the Ontario Pharmacists Association and the British Columbia Pharmacy Association, has launched a pharmacist counseling service focused on cardiovascular health.



The Pharmacist Health Coaching program is designed to improve the health outcomes of patients with hypertension and high cholesterol, and reduce health benefits costs. It is now available to plan members of Green Shield Canada's health benefits plans in Ontario and British Columbia. Green Shield Canada stated that, as the year progresses, it will be actively engaging additional provinces in the program.  



Under the program, pharmacists offer eligible patients support and counseling on managing high blood pressure and high cholesterol through one-on-one sessions. The program's objective is to empower participants to take responsibility for their overall health. It will focus on diet, exercise, smoking cessation, drug therapy adherence and personal health monitoring. Training has been developed for pharmacists delivering the program, and remuneration will be made available for the counseling services provided.



The Pharmacist Health Coaching program is based on a study sponsored by Green Shield Canada, in partnership with the Ontario Pharmacists Association and other organizations (including the Heart and Stroke Foundation), which tested the effectiveness of pharmacists' hypertension management services. Patients with uncontrolled hypertension met regularly with their pharmacists, who provided medication and lifestyle counseling and monitored blood pressure. The results of the study provided clear evidence that a significant percentage of patients who received a pharmacist's support had lower blood pressure, lower body mass index, improved medication compliance and reduced drug costs compared with a control group of patients who did not receive pharmacist support.