Debbie Lee & Krista Hagel

Debbie Lee & Krista Hagel Rising to the Challenge “The Evolving Roles of the Pharmacy Team”

The Presentation Debbie Lee • The evolving roles of the community pharmacy team in Canada - challenges and opportunities. • The Walmart licensed pharmacy technician pilot the team challenge (fall 2010 pilot - Ontario) Krista Hagel • What can you do to be prepared & what is your role in this changing environment: pharmacy assistant & licensed pharmacy technician? Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The evolving roles of the community pharmacy team The major challenge to pharmacy teams moving forward with evolving roles is “change’ itself. Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better. King Whitney Jr. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The evolving roles of the community pharmacy team Convenient and timely access to care, patient safety, optimal health outcomes, financial sustainability, and the changing scope of practice of health care professionals, are the most pressing issues facing our health care system. As the pharmacist role evolves to meet the needs of their patients, the pharmacy team roles evolve. “change will happen at all levels” Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The evolving roles of the community pharmacy team Where is change happening? The pharmacist manager & pharmacist. Pharmacists must develop practical and sustainable models to restructure their provision of cost-effective, patient-centered care and services that advance their pharmacy practice. Several components must be considered part of this process: Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The evolving roles of the community pharmacy team • Putting knowledge and skills into action: a practical approach to expanding scope of practice • Changing education and continuing professional development requirements pharmacists, pharmacy technicians & assistants • Technology (e.g. electronic health records) • Business practices Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The evolving roles of the community pharmacy team • Pharmacy human resources: Managing workflow Creating a sustainable pharmacy team model • Educating patients, third-party payers and other health care providers about the valuable services pharmacists offer that are currently provided at no charge (a necessary first step in building patient confidence in pharmacist health care) • The changing role of the pharmacy technician Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The evolving roles of the community pharmacy team The pharmacy technician. • The profession of pharmacy recognizes that pharmacy technicians occupy a key role of support for pharmacists that will help enable them to expand their own scope of practice. • It has become evident that the shift for pharmacists from technical functions to improving patient outcomes means the role of the technician has to be more clearly defined. • The future of the profession involves regulation to formalize the pharmacy technician role and to integrate it into pharmacy practice. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The evolving roles of the community pharmacy team • Pharmacy technicians will occupy a central role in preparing prescriptions, while pharmacists will move away from dispensing functions towards expanded professional and cognitive services. Many provinces indicate that regulation of technicians is the only way to ensure the continued safe and effective preparation of prescriptions, as more time is required by the pharmacist for patient care. • In effect, the evolution towards pharmacists’ expanded scope of practice is linked closely to formal regulation of pharmacy technicians. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The evolving roles of the community pharmacy team What will the change mean to you? • fearful • hopeful or will you be confident and inspired that the challenge exists to make things better? Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The Pharmacy Technician Pilot The Team Challenge preparing for our new expanded team Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The Pharmacy Technician Pilot – The Challenge The challenge to our pilot pharmacy teams in Ontario • work with the addition of the licensed pharmacy technician on the current pharmacy team low, medium, high volume community pharmacies • patient-centred care and expanded practices Is the pharmacist more available to provide education and services to patients? • workflow changes and efficiencies How does the additional role change the workflow model for each of the team members and are there efficiencies? Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The Pharmacy Technician Pilot – The Challenge Metrics to measure for success or improvement • each team determines activities that they will add or change in their current roles, resulting in additional and or improved services to our patients Initial goals to measure and continuous improvement as the pilot progresses • each team identifies impediments to success prior to the pilot Educational needs, tools to support, programs to implement Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The Pharmacy Technician Pilot – The Challenge Preparation complete or proposals in place for Pharmacy Technician Role • Educational Support in place • Title Change to pharmacy assistant from pharmacy technician Walmart Canada (April 2010) • Updated Uniforms, badges for new title pharmacy assistant (March 2010) • Supporting role tools for pharmacy technician job descriptions appraisals workflow changes system change & enhancements wage scales – proposed Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The Pharmacy Technician Pilot – The Challenge Pharmacy Team Communications across Walmart Canada will continue to be a critical part of moving forward thru the pilot process and full roll out (started in 2008). • Walmart online communication site for technicians & assistants • “Just ask the pharmacy technician” link for answers to questions from pharmacy assistants • process to regulation documents by province • weekly newsletters – pharmacy technician updates • progress tracking online for assistants working through steps to become a licensed pharmacy technician • conference calls for pharmacy teams on updates for the regulation of pharmacy technicians Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The Pharmacy Technician Pilot – The Challenge Communication within the pharmacy pilot teams will play an important role in the success of the pilots Clear communication and follow up for the full team on the • initial plan outline and timeline • goals to measure success • role changes • workflow changes • process for feedback and improvements • partnership with other supporting areas of the business • updates to key stakeholders on results & needs Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

The Pharmacy Technician Pilot – The Challenge The success of the pilots will ultimately be driven by the pharmacy teams that have agreed to take on the challenge. They are aware that not all things are final, that some are in our control and that many are not. The patient-centred practice will happen one pharmacy team at a time and each time it will be with an engaged team, confident and inspired that the challenge exists to make things better. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

Krista Hagel - Pharmacy Assistant What can you do to be prepared & what is your role in this changing environment as a pharmacy assistant or towards becoming a licensed pharmacy technician? Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“be informed” Learn as much as you can about the changing & evolving role of each member on your pharmacy team and how the team of the future will provide the best “patient-centred care”. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“be informed” Blueprint Documents Join the Blueprint mailing list, stay informed. Pharmacy organizations are coming together, collaborating to implement the Vision for Pharmacy: Optimal drug therapy for Canadians through patient-centred care. www.blueprintforpharmacy.ca National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) Document: Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice http://napra.ca Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“be informed” Canadian Pharmacy Technician Educators Association CPTEA http://www.cptea.ca/ Document: Educational Outcomes for Pharmacy Technician Programs in Canada The Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) http://www.ccapp-accredit.ca/documents/ Document: Pharmacy Technician Programs Current Accreditation Award Status Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“be informed” The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada PEBC http://www.pebc.ca/PharmacyTechnicians/index.html Document: The Pharmacy Technician Evaluating Examination information booklet 2010 Document: The Pharmacy Technician Qualifying Examination Information booklet 2010 Your Provincial College Examplewww.pharmacists.ab.ca The Alberta College of Pharmacists site provides a wealth of information to keep you up to date with what is happening with the regulation of Pharmacy Technicians in Alberta. Look for information on current bridging programs available. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“be informed” Your Pharmacy Technician Association Example: Pharmacy Technician Society of Alberta http://www.pharmacytechnicians.ab.ca/ Stay in touch with your association for updates on what is happening in your province, in Canada and the profession. Accredited Colleges Check CCAPP Pharmacy Technician accredited program facilitators for available program sites. Contacting approved educators can provide you with a wealth of information on determining your best options on bridging programs or full program offerings if you are just entering the profession. Examples: Bow Valley College, NorQuest College, Red Deer College Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“be informed” Your Company / Organization • Ask your employer about their plans now and in the future for the integration of the licensed pharmacy technician into your pharmacy team. • Ask what the expectations are for the current pharmacy assistants or technician to move to this new role. • Ask what support is in place to assist you in your goals. • Ensure that you are informed and understand how your plans align with your organization and what their expectations are. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“decide which journey you are on” Each role on the pharmacy team plays an important part of providing patient-centred care. Once you understand how the care model is changing, decide which role you want to play on the team? Continue in the current role as a Pharmacy Assistant or work towards becoming a Licensed Pharmacy Technician understanding that all roles will continue to evolve on the pharmacy team. All roles will be part of a changing team model, workflow, support, leadership and patient-centred care. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“plan out your own development strategy” You may decide to stay in the current role of a Pharmacy Technician/Assistant role on your pharmacy team. Even if you stay in the same role, you will want to understand the changing roles of the pharmacist and new pharmacy technician to best understand how your role will need to support in this new service structure. Becoming informed will be the first development strategy for you. There are many continuing education opportunities that enhance the role of the Pharmacy Assistant. The most important role you might play is to show strong leadership in times of great change and support the team in being effective. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“plan out your own development strategy” You may decide to work towards becoming a Licensed Pharmacy Technician Be informed on the changes happening in your province for all roles. Be informed of the national initiatives for the evolving roles of the pharmacy team & patient-centered care Discuss with your pharmacist manager where you currently could develop in your existing role and take action now Even if you are not ready to work through the bridging program check out the ones that are currently available to determine the program that will work best for you, onsite, online, PLAR, costs and develop your plan. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“plan out your own development strategy” If your provincial college offers the opportunity to sign up for email updates – join You might consider joining a pharmacy technician association Spend time reviewing the PEBC documents for both the evaluating and qualifying exams they provide great information to prepare you. The most important first step in your development strategy is to accept the role you play as a strong leader on your team in times of great change. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“don’t wait, start now” The opportunity is now. Even if all steps to regulation are not active in your province Even if the pharmacy team you work with does not have all the answers to how they will manage the changes • be Informed • decide which role you will play on the journey • plan out your own development strategy • don’t wait, start now Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“don’t wait, start now” They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. Andy Warhol There are no straight roads on the journey ahead but the direction is clear and the destination well articulated. Each role on the pharmacy team will require leadership and strong partnerships to manage change effectively and offer the best care to their patients. Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

“don’t wait, start now” Pharmacy Assistant & Pharmacy Technician

Debbie Lee & Krista Hagel