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SUMMER 2021 • VOLUME 28 NUMBER 2
PHARMACYCONNECTION.CA
                                           THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF
                                   THE ONTARIO COLLEGE OF PHARMACISTS

ONGOING LEARNING
SUPPORTS ENHANCED
PATIENT OUTCOMES
Quality Assurance: Supporting
Enhanced Outcomes for
Patients Through Up-to-Date
Knowledge and Skills 34

Using Continuous Quality
Improvement to Enhance
Medication Safety 18

Tips from the College’s
Operations Advisors on
Non-Sterile Compounding
Standards Implementation 20

  PHARMACY
  CONNECTION
  Goes Digital 10
ONGOING LEARNING SUPPORTS ENHANCED PATIENT OUTCOMES - Ontario College of ...
Ontario College of Pharmacists
483 Huron Street, Toronto, ON M5R 2R4
                                                                        BOARD OF DIRECTORS
T 416-962-4861                                                          PM indicates a public member appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council.
www.ocpinfo.com                                                         U of T indicates the Dean of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of
                                                                        Toronto. U of W indicates the Hallman Director, School of Pharmacy,
QUICK CONTACTS                                                          University of Waterloo.
Office of the CEO & Registrar
registrar@ocpinfo.com
                                                                        Pharmacist Directors         PM Stephen Adams             Statutory Committees
ext. 2245
                                                                        Douglas Brown                PM Randy Baker               • Accreditation
OCP Board of Directors                                                  Billy Cheung                 PM David Breukelman          • Discipline
boardofdirectors@ocpinfo.com                                            Sara Ingram                  PM Tammy Cotie               • Executive
ext. 2243                                                               James Morrison               PM Christine Henderson       • Fitness to Practise
                                                                        Tracey Phillips              PM Elnora Magboo             • Inquiries Complaints & Reports
Pharmacy Practice                                                       Mark Scanlon                 PM Rick Phillips             • Patient Relations
pharmacypractice@ocpinfo.com
                                                                        Siva Sivapalan               PM Gene Szabo                • Quality Assurance
ext. 3500
                                                                                                     PM Cindy Wagg                • Registration
Registration Programs                                                   Pharmacy                     PM Devinder Walia
regprograms@ocpinfo.com                                                 Technician Directors         U of T Lisa Dolovich         Standing Committees
ext. 2250                                                               Goran Petrovic               U of W Andrea Edginton       •Drug Preparation Premises
                                                                        Ruth-Ann Plaxton                                          • Finance & Audit
Member Applications & Renewals                                                                                                    • Governance
memberapplications@ocpinfo.com
                                                                                                                                  • Screening
ext. 3400

Pharmacy Applications & Renewals
pharmacyapplications@ocpinfo.com
ext. 3600

                                            (2019-2022/2023)*

*In September 2020, the Board reaffirmed the priorities expressed within the existing multi-year strategic framework and deferred strategic planning activities
 through to 2022 or 2023.

               PAGE 2 ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PHARMACY CONNECTION
ONGOING LEARNING SUPPORTS ENHANCED PATIENT OUTCOMES - Ontario College of ...
The objectives of Pharmacy Connection are
to communicate information about College
activities and policies as well as provincial and
federal initiatives affecting the profession;
to encourage dialogue and discuss issues of
interest to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians
and applicants; to promote interprofessional
collaboration of registrants with other allied health
care professionals; and to communicate our role
to registrants and stakeholders as regulator of the
profession in the public interest.

We also invite you to share your comments,
suggestions or feedback by letter to the Editor.
Letters considered for reprinting must include the
author’s name, address and telephone number.
The opinions expressed in this publication do not
necessarily represent the views or official position
of the Ontario College of Pharmacists.

PUBLISHED BY THE
COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
communications@ocpinfo.com
                                                                    SUMMER 2021 • VOLUME 28 NUMBER 2

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
                                                        CONTENTS
                                                        CEO and Registrar's Message  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 4
   facebook-f                                           Board Report .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  5
www.facebook.com/ocpinfo                                Registrar’s Reflection  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  7
                                                        Pharmacy Professionals Play Vital Role in Ontario’s Safe Re-opening .  .  .  .  8
                                                        Pharmacy Connection Goes Digital .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  10
  Twitter                                               The Code of Ethics: Accountability .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  12
www.twitter.com/ocpinfo                                 Experiencing Mental Health or Substance Use Challenges? .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  13
                                                        The Role of Provider Experience in Quality Healthcare .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  14
                                                        Clinical Viewers Now Available to all Community Pharmacies  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  16
  YOUTUBE
                                                        Resources for Pharmacy Professionals to Support
www.youtube.com/ocpinfo                                 Indigenous Cultural Competency .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  17
                                                        Using Continuous Quality Improvement to Enhance Medication Safety .  .  18
                                                        Implementation of Non-Sterile Compounding Standards: Tips from the
   LINKEDIN-IN                                          College’s Operations Advisors  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 20
www.linkedin.com/company/                               Update on Opioid Use Disorder Treatment .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 22
ontario-college-of-pharmacists                          Helping Prevent Opioid-Related Harms  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 26
                                                        Practice Insight: Responsibilities of Designated Managers  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 28
                                                        Use of CAS Registry Numbers® as Unique Identifiers in Compounding
ISSN 1198-354X
                                                        Processes has the Potential to Reduce Medication Errors .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 30
© 2021 Ontario College of Pharmacists
Canada Post Agreement #40069798                         Discipline Decisions .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  31
Undelivered copies should be returned to the            Reflect, Then Act: Implementing New Practices Requires
Ontario College of Pharmacists. Not to be               Critical Self-Reflection  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  32
reproduced in whole or in part without the
permission of the Publisher.                            Quality Assurance: Enhanced Patient Outcomes
                                                        Through Improving Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
                                                        Knowledge Assessment: Focusing on the Knowledge and
                                                        Skills Needed to Provide Appropriate Care .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  36
                                                        Addressing Common Questions About Practice Assessments for Pharmacists
                                                        Working in Hospital, Long-Term Care and Family Health Teams  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 38
                                                        Focus on Error Prevention  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 41
ONGOING LEARNING SUPPORTS ENHANCED PATIENT OUTCOMES - Ontario College of ...
CEO AND REGISTRAR’S MESSAGE

                                         of establishing a culture of            assessment and practice
                                         medication safety in pharmacies,        assessments for pharmacists
                                         we have launched a new feature          working in hospital or other
                                         called Eye on CQI. In our first         healthcare facilities.
                                         installment we take a look at
                                         how each of these are vital             We continue to see the
                                         components in enhancing patient         devastating effects of the opioid
                                         safety and improving patient            crisis right across Ontario,
                                         health outcomes. Pharmacy               further heightened by the impact
                                         professionals are encouraged to         that the COVID-19 pandemic
                                         use AIMS to inform CQI initiatives      has had on the population. In
                                         in their own pharmacy practice,         2020 alone, there were 2,426
                                         and to embrace a just culture,          opioid-related deaths in our
                                         which is essential for identifying      province, representing a 60%
Nancy Lum-Wilson,                        risks, openly sharing learnings         rise from 2019. We know that
R.Ph., B.Sc.Phm., MBA                    and developing actions to               pharmacy professionals have an
CEO and Registrar                        reduce the chance of medication         important role to play in helping
                                         incidents or near misses from           prevent harms to patients and
                                         occurring or recurring.                 communities. In this edition, we
Dear Colleagues,                                                                 asked experts from the Centre
                                         Pharmacies across the province          for Addiction and Mental Health
This edition of Pharmacy                 are working to fully implement the      to highlight key guidance for
Connection marks the transition          NAPRA Standards for Pharmacy            pharmacy professionals as opioid
of the College’s print magazine to       Compounding of Non-Sterile              use disorder treatment options
a dynamic new digital publication        Preparations before the January         continue to evolve.
that will improve timely access to       1, 2022 deadline, and we asked
important information, tips, news        our College operations advisors         I hope you enjoy this edition of
and updates relevant to practicing       to share some advice. The tips and      Pharmacy Connection, and that
pharmacy professionals. It will also     resources they have provided will       you all have a safe, well-deserved
allow us to focus on publishing          help pharmacies implement the           summer break.
information that will be easy for        standards and improve the health
you to find—no matter what               and safety of both patients and         Sincerely,
device or platform you are using         pharmacy professionals.
in your busy practice.
                                         Part of the College’s commitment
The enhanced Pharmacy                    to protecting the public is
Connection reflects input from           helping to ensure that pharmacy
registrants who shared feedback          professionals maintain appropriate
on its functionality and the type        skills and knowledge throughout         Nancy Lum-Wilson
of information they valued most          their careers. Through the Quality
in their daily practice. I encourage     Assurance (QA) Program, the             CEO and Registrar
you to continue telling us what          College has a mandate to ensure         Ontario College of Pharmacists
you think of the digital edition so      continued competence of the
that we may continue to support          profession to provide safe, quality
a seamless, engaging experience          care. We do this by helping those
going forward. Be sure to visit          who have challenges meeting
PharmacyConnection.ca to try             standards and enabling those
the new features!                        who are meeting standards to
                                         continually improve. In this edition,
To show the relationship between         we share more about how the
continuous quality improvement           College has approached our QA
(CQI), the College’s mandatory           Program, utilizing a right-touch
Assurance and Improvement                and risk-based approach, and we
in Medication Safety (AIMS)              focus on two key components
Program, and the importance              of the Program: the knowledge

           PAGE 4 ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PHARMACY CONNECTION
ONGOING LEARNING SUPPORTS ENHANCED PATIENT OUTCOMES - Ontario College of ...
BOARD REPORT

JUNE 2021
BOARD MEETINGS
These meetings were held via video and teleconference in consideration of provincial directives and
physical distancing measures recommended by Public Health Ontario due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As recorded following the Board of Directors' regularly scheduled meeting held on June 14, 2021.

BOARD DECISIONS                       of the current health emergency.         including those related to the
                                      Once the emergency order has             Selection of Committee Chairs,
The Board discussed and made          been lifted in Ontario, the College      Conduct of Board Directors
decisions on the following policies   will continue to monitor the             and Committee Appointees and
and By-Law amendments:                status of the drug shortages and         Sanctions Process, and Board
                                      determine whether development            Meeting Rules of Procedure. The
Virtual Care Policy                   of a permanent restocking policy         amended By-Laws will come into
                                      is warranted. The policy has been        effect immediately, enabling the
The Board approved an amended         posted on the OCP website,               changes to be in place prior to
Virtual Care Policy to outline        and additional information and           the commencement of the next
the practice expectations for         resources to support registrants         Board year in September 2021.
registrants who choose to             in the application of the policy in
provide care to patients using        their practice, where appropriate,       HONOURING NATIONAL
virtual approaches. The policy’s      have been shared.                        INDIGENOUS
development was informed                                                       HISTORY MONTH
by a comprehensive review of          Governance Manual policies
pharmacy regulatory authorities                                                To mark National Indigenous
across Canada and health              The Board reviewed and approved          History Month, the Board
professional regulators in Ontario,   policies in Sections 3, 4 and 5 of       welcomed Dr. Jaris Swidrovich,
alongside a review of privacy         the Governance Manual. This is           Canada’s first self-identified
legislation and guidance from         the final approval for a series of       First Nations Doctor of
external organizations, as well as    standalone policies which, once          Pharmacy, who shared his
from feedback gathered during         complete, will replace the current       thoughts on Indigenous
a 60-day open consultation. The       Governance Manual. The current           Engagement, Cultural Safety,
policy has been posted on the         manual, in effect since 2014, is         and Reconciliation. Improving
College’s website, along with         comprehensive but lengthy and            Indigenous cultural competency
additional resources to guide         not easily amended. The new              within the College and among
registrants in their practice.        policies will come into effect at        registrants is a Board-supported
                                      the start of the new Board year in       commitment, and the Board
Restocking of MAiD Drugs              September 2021, with orientation         thanked Dr. Swidrovich for his
                                      of new Board members centred             insights about how pharmacy
Due to the pandemic, a shortage       around these new policies.               professionals can enhance care
of drugs used in the Medical                                                   for Indigenous patients.
Assistance in Dying (MAiD) drug       By-Law Amendments
protocol has impacted a number                                                 CROSS-JURISDICTIONAL
of patients. The Board has            To support improvement in                SERVICES POLICY
approved a policy on Restocking       governance practice and to
of Drugs Used for Medical             strengthen trust in the College’s        Following a 60-day open
Assistance in Dying (MAiD) During     mandate to serve and protect             consultation on a proposed
COVID-19, with the intent that it     the public, the Board approved           Cross-Jurisdictional Services
be in effect only for the duration    three By-Law amendments,                 Policy, the College will update

                                                              PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PAGE 5
ONGOING LEARNING SUPPORTS ENHANCED PATIENT OUTCOMES - Ontario College of ...
BOARD REPORT

the draft with amendments                 of the performance of the              NEXT BOARD MEETING
based on respondent input.                College against the established
Feedback suggested that potential         objectives for the quarter, which      The next regularly scheduled
unintentional barriers to cross-          are aligned with the Ministry of       meeting will be held on September
jurisdictional care could result if       Health’s College Performance           20, 2021. Special Board meetings
the policy was to be implemented          Measurement Framework (CPMF).          may be called at any time. Please
as written, and some respondents                                                 see our website for information
requested the development of an           BOARD RISK REPORT                      on upcoming Board meetings.
accompanying practice resource                                                   Board meetings are open to the
to augment the policy and provide         The CEO and Registrar also             public and are typically held in the
examples around expectations.             presented the Board Risk               Board Chambers of the College at
Once amendments have been                 Report, outlining identified           483 Huron Street, Toronto, ON,
made, and a practice resource             physical, financial, operational       M5R 2R4. Due to public health
is developed to accompany the             and reputational risks and             measures currently in place, Board
policy, the College will submit an        their mitigation strategies.           meetings are being held virtually
amended policy for Board approval.        The presentation outlined the          until further notice. If you plan
                                          College’s 2021-2022 Risk               to attend an in-person meeting
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES                      Management Program and                 or for more information, please
PROGRESS UPDATE                           reported on the progress to            contact Ms. Sharlene Rankin,
                                          mitigate risks identified in the       Board and Committee Liaison
The College’s CEO and Registrar           2021 Risk Register. To date, 82%       at boardofdirectors@ocpinfo.
delivered a report to the Board           of the strategies are implemented      com. Links for those who wish to
highlighting activities that              or underway. Throughout the fall,      observe a virtual meeting will be
have taken place since the last           the College will develop the 2022      posted with meeting agendas. You
meeting, as well as progress on           Risk Register for consideration by     can also follow highlights from the
strategic initiatives. The Registrar      the Finance and Audit Committee        Board meetings via Twitter.
shared the Q1 2021 Scorecard,             and then the Board at the
which provides a snapshot                 December Board meeting.

A summary of record of the Board of Directors' meeting held on June 24, 2021.

The Board approved governance and burden                      • Ensuring a 50/50 balance of elected professionals
reduction recommendations in response to the                    and appointed public directors to the Board, while
Ministry of Health’s request for input on Regulated             eliminating academic appointments. The Board
Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) reform                      recommended ensuring academic representation be
opportunities.                                                  maintained in other ways, such as advisory groups.

In a letter to be shared with the government for              • Maintaining the current model of competency
consideration in potential amendments to the                    based elections with aligned competency-based
RHPA, the Board expressed its continued support                 appointments of public Board directors.
for and approved the following governance reforms
and principles, some of which have already been               • Changing nomenclature in the RHPA to refer to
implemented at the College:                                     ‘Council’ as ‘Board’, and ‘Members’ as ‘Registrants’.

• Smaller Boards (Councils), reducing the size of            The Board also expressed its support for additional
  the Board to 8-12 members and eliminating the               burden reduction opportunities within the RHPA
  Executive Committee.                                        in response to the Ministry’s request for feedback.
                                                              Please read the full June 24, 2021 Board Report.
• Separating the Board from statutory Committees,
  except where required by statute.

            PAGE 6 ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PHARMACY CONNECTION
ONGOING LEARNING SUPPORTS ENHANCED PATIENT OUTCOMES - Ontario College of ...
REGISTRAR’S Reflection
For more than a year now we have been talking about the pandemic and the many ways
in which it has altered pharmacy practice. The changes that have been implemented
to protect patients and pharmacy staff were nothing short of extraordinary, and their
effectiveness has helped maintain access to safe, quality pharmacy care for Ontarians.

Pharmacy professionals met the          re-opening of businesses and              technician to administer the
public health crisis head-on, and       community services, and made it           COVID-19 vaccine by injection.
showed remarkable resilience            possible to see our friends, family       Though this amendment is only
in the way they adapted to              and colleagues in person once             in effect until next March, it
regulatory amendments                   again.                                    does demonstrate the value of
and changing public health                                                        authorizing pharmacy professionals
recommendations. Community              Yet while the end of the pandemic         to support the province’s COVID-
pharmacies used PPE, screening          may be in sight, it is unlikely that we   19 vaccination program, and could
protocols and physical distancing       will completely return to business        be reinstated or extended should
to prevent the spread of                as usual. We can’t predict what the       Ontarians require booster doses in
COVID-19 in their locations,            future may hold, but we can take          the future.
establishing them as safe,              the lessons we have learned to
accessible healthcare providers         improve the way safe patient care         The College continues to monitor
for patients. Hospital pharmacists      is provided going forward.                the evolution of pharmacy practice
and pharmacy technicians played                                                   and government regulation
an increasingly vital role in patient   We know, for instance, that the           as a result of the pandemic,
care as COVID-19 patient                pandemic created a demand for             and to collaboratively provide
volumes soared. And pharmacy            virtual care, and that emerging           registrants with ongoing guidance
professionals in all settings           technology is making it easier            and resources to support their
became trusted sources of reliable      and safer in a pharmacy setting.          safe delivery of pharmacy care.
COVID-19 information, helping           As a result, the College’s Board          Please refer to our COVID-19
patients make informed decisions        of Directors recently approved a          Information for Pharmacy
for themselves and their families.      new Virtual Care policy, informed         Professionals web page for the
                                        by feedback from an open                  latest updates.
In addition, 16 months after the        consultation on our website. This
pandemic began, we are seeing the       policy sets expectations for the          The COVID-19 pandemic
benefit of pharmacists, pharmacy        appropriate use of virtual care           has brought many challenges
technicians and other healthcare        for pharmacies, and requires              and placed an extraordinary
professionals supporting the            that pharmacy professionals               amount of stress on healthcare
government’s COVID-19 testing           consider certain factors such as          professionals. I want to thank you
and vaccination programs in             maintaining a patient’s right to          for your ongoing commitment to
communities across Ontario.             privacy, the appropriateness of           your patients throughout these
                                        using a virtual approach to care,         challenging times.
COVID-19 cases have declined            and ensuring the same quality as
substantially, and as of August 3       in-person care is provided.               Sincerely,
the number of adult Ontarians                                                     Nancy
with at least a first dose of           And, while temporary, we saw the
vaccine has exceeded 80% of the         provincial government amend
population, and over 70% have           the Regulated Health Professions
also received their second dose.        Act, 1991 (RHPA) to allow a Part
This has relieved pressure on           A pharmacist, intern, registered
our hospitals, allowed a gradual        pharmacy student or pharmacy

                                                                  PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PAGE 7
ONGOING LEARNING SUPPORTS ENHANCED PATIENT OUTCOMES - Ontario College of ...
PHARMACY
PROFESSIONALS
PLAY VITAL ROLE IN
Ontario’s Safe Re-opening
ONGOING LEARNING SUPPORTS ENHANCED PATIENT OUTCOMES - Ontario College of ...
PHARMACY PROFESSIONALS PLAY VITAL ROLE IN ONTARIO’S SAFE RE-OPENING

As Ontario’s vaccination rates continue to climb and the province begins to re-open,
pharmacy professionals are playing a key role in driving province-wide progress and
improvements in health indicators. Through patient education, support and community
vaccinations, pharmacy professionals are keeping Ontarians informed and healthy.

With evolving public health              During the provision of pharmacy          Even if you are not providing
guidance, pharmacy professionals         services, while engaging with             vaccinations in your pharmacy,
continue to be an important              their patients, pharmacy                  as a healthcare professional you
source of information and                professionals are encouraged to           play an important role in ensuring
education for patients, including        ask patients whether they have            patients have the information
addressing questions and                 received the first and second             they need to make an informed
concerns about vaccines. It is           dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. If            decision and helping them
important that pharmacists and           the patient has not received a            navigate the vaccination process
pharmacy technicians educate             vaccine, pharmacists can offer            when appropriate. Patients can
themselves about the COVID-19            patient education around the              also be reminded to seek out and
vaccines so that they are prepared       safety and efficacy of the vaccine        rely on reputable and credible
to address questions and concerns        and discuss any concerns the              information sources.
from patients.                           patient may have.

TOP FIVE COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR PHARMACY PROFESSIONALS
The College provides a host of resources pharmacy professionals can use in their daily practice to help guide
conversations with patients. The College continues to collaborate with the Ministry of Health, public health officials
and other health system partners and professional associations to inform and support pharmacy professionals.

               COVID-19: Information for                                     Immunize Canada
               Pharmacy Professionals                                        Immunize Canada is a national
               The College’s dedicated COVID-19                              coalition whose mission is to promote
               webpage includes the latest updates on                        the understanding and use of
               COVID-19, resources on supporting                             vaccines as recommended by the
vaccine confidence and visually engaging health               National Advisory Committee on Immunization.
resources.                                                    Access resources on education, misinformation and
                                                              vaccine hesitancy.
                Canadian Vaccination Evidence
                Resource and Exchange Centre                                   Centre for Effective Practice
                (CANVax)                                                       COVID-19 webpage
                Find resources focused on vaccine                              The Centre for Effective Practice has
                acceptance and uptake in Canada,                               evidence-based resources, including
including COVID-19 vaccine questions and answers                               common COVID-19 questions from
for public health professionals.                                               patients and key messages to use in
                                                                               responding.
               University of Waterloo’s School
               of Pharmacy COVID-19 health
               resources
               Access health resources on COVID-19
               vaccines, including FAQs, infographics
               and videos.

                                                                  PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PAGE 9
ONGOING LEARNING SUPPORTS ENHANCED PATIENT OUTCOMES - Ontario College of ...
PHARMACY CONNECTION
GOES DIGITAL
The College is excited to announce the launch of its new digital Pharmacy Connection, a
web-based and mobile-friendly publication suitable for busy, on-the-go pharmacy professionals.

This new digital publication will improve access to important information, tips, news and updates, and give registrants
quick and easy access to practice-related information. The College’s move to digital underscores our focus on
providing a more responsive and timely resource that supports our important role in delivering relevant content
that pharmacy professionals can use to help them provide safe and quality patient care. Delivering content that can
be quickly shared and easily updated will help registrants align their practice to the latest policies and updates.
PHARMACY CONNECTION GOES DIGITAL

Shifting to this new, flexible digital platform means
the College is retiring the current print magazine
format. This edition of Pharmacy Connection
will be the last to be printed and mailed to hard-
copy subscribers. The redesigned, user-friendly
PharmacyConnection.ca will allow readers to access
current information, issues and engage with content
anywhere, anytime. For those who prefer to read on
paper, every story on PharmacyConnection.ca has a
prominent and accessible print button, giving readers
quick and easy access to a print-friendly version of
the articles. In addition to printing articles, readers
can engage with and share the stories with their
peers via social media channels, including Facebook,
Twitter and LinkedIn, or email.

As part of our commitment to supporting a positive
reading experience, we will continue to seek feedback
from registrants and make enhancements to support
an engaging experience for readers.

Check out the new PharmacyConnection.ca for the
latest news and updates!

                 HOW GOING DIGITAL BENEFITS YOU
                 RESPONSIVE
                 • Access more frequently updated content and timelier posts relevant to pharmacy regulation
                   and practice
                 • Available across all devices, making it suitable for on-the-go pharmacy professionals

                 INTERACTIVE
                 • Access embedded videos and interactive content, enhancing your reading experience
                 • Easily share stories with your network and across social platforms

                 FLEXIBLE
                 • Digital content is not bound by a quarterly publication schedule, giving you access to news
                   and updates as they happen
                 • Articles are published when they are most relevant and timely, and can be easily updated with
                   new information

                 SUSTAINABLE
                 • Contribute towards an environmentally friendly initiative, eliminating the need for printing
                   over a million pieces of paper a year
                 • Support the College’s commitment to be a cost-effective and efficient regulator

                                                                 PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PAGE 11
THE CODE
OF ETHICS:
Accountability
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians maintain the public trust by ensuring that they act in the best interest of
their patients and society by practicing within scope, refraining from participating in unethical business practices
and avoiding conflicts of interest.

Key ethical standards, among others, require pharmacy professionals to:

            Assume responsibility for all decisions and actions they undertake in professional practice,
            including failure to make a decision and take appropriate action when necessary.

            Be diligent in identifying and responding to red flag situations that present in practice.

            Report professional incompetence or unethical behaviour by colleagues or other
            healthcare professionals to the appropriate regulatory authority.

            Ensure that when power imbalances exist in professional working relationships they do not
            exploit these relationships for personal, physical, emotional, financial, social or sexual gain.

            Recognize that their patient’s best interests must always override their own interests or the
            interests of the business which they own, have a financial interest in or are employed by.

            Avoid dual relationships and other situations which may present a conflict of interest and
            potentially affect their ability to be impartial and unbiased in their decision-making.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY
•R
  ead the Code of Ethics
•W
  atch the e-Learning Module on Accountability
•W
  atch the e-Learning Module on the Code of Ethics
•R
  eview the Framework for Ethical Decision Making

The Code of Ethics articulates the ethical principles and standards that must guide the practice of pharmacists and
pharmacy technicians. As a way to draw attention to the Code of Ethics since its introduction almost five years
ago, we have been featuring one ethical principle in the past few editions of Pharmacy Connection. This is the final
installment.
           PAGE 12 ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PHARMACY CONNECTION
EXPERIENCING
Mental Health or Substance
Use Challenges?
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Take advantage of the free
Ontario Pharmacy Health Program (OPHP) administered by Lifemark Health.

Registrants can access OPHP directly and remain anonymous to the College. Those who participate in the program
will benefit from specialized assessment and treatment that addresses the unique needs of pharmacy professionals.

Lifemark Health provides registrants with comprehensive psychological, psychiatric
and/or substance use assessments: clear diagnostic and functional formulation
of a registrant’s condition, treatment and practice recommendations.

Recognizing the pandemic’s impact on pharmacy
professionals, Lifemark Health also has resources
on coping with COVID-19 stress, a COVID-19
self-care and resilience guide, and more.

                                                            Access frequently asked questions about the
                                                            program in Pharmacy Connection.

                                                            Learn more about the program on the
                                                            Lifemark Health website.

                                                              PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PAGE 13
THE ROLE OF
PROVIDER
EXPERIENCE
in Quality Healthcare
Like the focus on patient experience, measuring the experience of healthcare
providers can help uncover important health system improvement opportunities.
MEASURING THE PROVIDER EXPERIENCE

                       There is a                      to identify meaningful indicators                   principles provide all pharmacy
                      well-established                 that will measure provider                          stakeholders with a foundation
                    link between                       experience. Quality indicators                      to guide decision making that
                   healthcare                          already exist in other areas of the                 supports consistent delivery of
                  provider                             health system, such as long-term                    safe, high quality patient care
                 experience and                        care and primary care, and a                        at all times within a community
               patient outcomes.                       great deal of work has already                      pharmacy environment.
              For example, many                        been done to establish indicators
studies of burnout among                               in hospital pharmacy. However,                      An implementation strategy is
clinicians and staff in healthcare                     it is relatively new territory for                  currently being developed that
have shown the negative impacts                        community pharmacy in Ontario,                      will involve each stakeholder
on patient care and outcomes.                          which is why it is the focus of                     playing an important part in the
Research demonstrates that                             this current indicators work. The                   rollout, promotion and adoption
physician burnout is associated                        working group has been reviewing                    of the principles throughout the
with an increased risk of patient                      existing indicators from other                      profession.
safety incidents and poorer quality                    disciplines, and will recommend
of care due to low professionalismi,                   a shortlist of these indicators for                 While the selection of provider
dissatisfied physicians are more                       public consultation this summer                     experience measures is a separate
likely to prescribe inappropriate                                                                          stream of activity, the environment
medications, which can result in                       A list of confirmed provider                        that pharmacy professionals
expensive complicationsii, patient                     experience measures will be                         practice within does affect the
safety is threatened by nurse                          finalized based on stakeholder                      experience of providing care.
dissatisfaction, and many nurses                       feedback and presented to the                       Therefore, the development of
report that their workload causes                      Board in December 2021. The                         principles of shared accountability
them to miss important changes in                      College will also use the public                    will inform the selection of
their patients’ conditioniii.                          consultation to explore options for                 provider experience measures and
                                                       collecting the data going forward.                  contribute to the College’s efforts
Yet measuring the experience of                                                                            to support safe and effective
community pharmacy professionals                       COMMUNITY PRACTICE                                  patient care.
within the context of healthcare                       ENVIRONMENT
quality and outcomes has never                                                                             Information about the Community
been done before—a literature                          The work to develop provider                        Practice Environment and the
review conducted by the College                        experience indicators complements                   Quality Indicators initiatives will
found no community pharmacy-                           the Community Practice                              continue to be shared in future
specific measures identified here in                   Environment Initiative, aimed at                    editions of e-Connect and
Canada or around the world.                            understanding and addressing                        Pharmacy Connection.
                                                       the barriers to patient safety
As part of the College’s Quality                       in community pharmacy. This
Indicators initiative, a working                       initiative resulted in a set of shared
group of frontline pharmacy                            accountability principles, approved
professionals, patients, and health                    by the College’s Board of Directors
and data experts has been formed                       in December 2020. These

i
  Panagioti, M., Geraghty, K., Johnson, J., Zhou, A., Panagopoulou, E., Chew-Graham, C., ... & Esmail, A. (2018). Association between physician
  burnout and patient safety, professionalism, and patient satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 178(10),
  1317-1331.
  Williams, E. S., & Skinner, A. C. (2003). Outcomes of physician job satisfaction: a narrative review, implications, and directions for future research.
ii 

  Health Care Management Review, 28(2), 119-139.
iii 
     McHugh, M. D., Kutney-Lee, A., Cimiotti, J. P., Sloane, D. M., & Aiken, L. H. (2011). Nurses’ widespread job dissatisfaction, burnout, and
     frustration with health benefits signal problems for patient care. Health Affairs, 30(2), 202-210.

                                                                                      PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PAGE 15
CLINICAL
                                                           VIEWERS
                                                           Now Available to
                                                           All Community
                                                           Pharmacies

Ontario Health is now offering patient care
information to pharmacies, including laboratory
results, dispensed medications, and acute care
data, through one of two provincial clinical viewers
(ConnectingOntario and ClinicalConnect) that are
designated by region.

The viewers provide a dynamic,           Sign up today and take advantage     pharmacy to access these valuable
near real-time view of patients’         of Ontario Health’s new,             clinical viewers, which will help
health information to support            streamlined signup process. You’ll   pharmacists make more informed
the delivery of pharmacy services        also benefit from support every      decisions and provide enhanced
such as medication management            step of the way from an Ontario      patient care.
and counselling, MedsChecks,             Health Lead who will address any
Pharmaceutical Opinions, and             questions you have and help your     Questions about the clinical
other patient care services at no        pharmacy complete the access         viewers and sign up process can
cost to pharmacies.                      requirements.                        be directed to Ontario Health
                                                                              at oh-ds_connectingontario@
With access to the clinical viewers      To sign up, the pharmacy’s           ontariohealth.ca.
pharmacists can make faster,             Designated Manager or Director
more informed care decisions, and        Liaison can complete a request
improve workflow and efficiencies        on Ontario Health’s website. The
at the point of care with a more         College encourages all pharmacy
complete picture of a patient’s          professionals to take advantage
health profile, available 24/7.          of this great opportunity for your

           PAGE 16 ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PHARMACY CONNECTION
Resources for Pharmacy Professionals
TO SUPPORT INDIGENOUS
CULTURAL COMPETENCY

In 2019, the College’s Board of Directors made an Indigenous cultural competency and
safety commitment. As part of this, the College committed to sharing resources with
pharmacists and pharmacy technicians that would help them enhance the health and
well-being of Indigenous peoples living in Ontario.

The new Resources for Pharmacy Professionals to           These resources have been curated from a variety of
Support Indigenous Cultural Competency webpage            sources, including government websites, healthcare
provides links to a number of free resources that         organizations, advocacy bodies and Indigenous-led
explore Indigenous identity and history, truth and        organizations. Additional resources will continue to be
reconciliation and culturally competent healthcare.       added to this page, so you are encouraged to check
Registrants are encouraged to take the time to review     back regularly. If you know of any resources that the
the resources that are most relevant to their practice.   College should consider including in this list, please
                                                          email communications@ocpinfo.com.

                                                            PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PAGE 17
USING CONTINUOUS
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
TO ENHANCE
MEDICATION SAFETY
It is often said that all improvement requires change, but not all change results in
improvement. That’s where the concept of continuous quality improvement, also known
as CQI, comes in.

In pharmacy, the objective of CQI        on both system improvements            medication incidents and better
is to improve all aspects of practice    as well as the tasks that individual   understand why they happen and
with the goal of increasing patient      practitioners perform.                 how they can be prevented.
safety. This may include learning
from medication incidents and            How AIMS supports CQI                  As shown in the diagram on
implementing error prevention                                                   the next page, pharmacy
strategies to reduce the chances         The College’s mandatory                professionals record medication
of recurrence, such as process           Assurance and Improvement in           incidents and near misses in the
standardization or improvements.         Medication Safety (AIMS) Program       AIMS Pharmapod platform, and
                                         is based on a CQI approach. With       analyze the incident to identify
CQI is about change, and increasing      the goal of reducing the risk of       learnings and actions that can be
the chances that the changes made        patient harm caused by medication      implemented in the pharmacy to
in pharmacy result in improved           incidents in, or involving, Ontario    reduce the risk of harm to patients
patient safety. To achieve safer         pharmacies, AIMS enables               and enhance patient safety.
care for patients, CQI must focus        practitioners to learn from

           PAGE 18 ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PHARMACY CONNECTION
CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

  How AIMS Supports CQI                                          from recurring and supporting meaningful, sustainable
                                                                 change at the pharmacy level and, eventually, across
                                                                 the health system.

                                                                 It is an expectation that all pharmacy operations
                                                                 are conducted in a manner that supports the AIMS
                                                                 program and the requirements outlined in the
                                                                 Supplemental Standards of Practice (sSOP) that
                                                                 were designed to enable pharmacy professionals to
                 Record medication incidents                     meet this goal.
                   and near misses in the
                       AIMS platform
                                                                 Resources to support AIMS

                                                                 Creating a culture of medication safety is a journey,
                                                                 and the College has compiled a number of resources
                                                                 to support pharmacies on that journey as they
                                                                 integrate CQI and AIMS into their workflows.

Reduce the risk of harm                 Identify learnings and
to patients and enhance                  actions to implement
                                                                 •A
                                                                   IMS Program e-training: Community pharmacy
     patient safety                        in the pharmacy        staff must complete the six e-Learning modules
                                                                  that introduce the AIMS Program and provide
                                                                  information on the expectations for pharmacy
The data recorded in the AIMS Pharmapod platform                  professionals and on how to use the AIMS
is then de-identified and aggregated with data from               Pharmapod platform. The modules take less
other pharmacies across the province to create a                  than one hour to complete. After completing
snapshot of trends or opportunities for system-level              each module, registrants can print a certificate of
improvements. A sub-set of this data is available                 completion to confirm they have reviewed the
on the OCP website as an interactive tool, and the                content. This certificate of completion may be kept
College is currently working with a group of subject              for your own records and does not need to be
matter experts from various environments that                     submitted to the College.
have experience related to medication safety, such
as community pharmacy, academia and health data                  •P
                                                                   harmacy Safety Self Assessment (PSSA):
analysis, to support the AIMS program goals of sharing            Community pharmacies are required to complete
lessons learned across the province.                              the PSSA for the first time by December 31, 2021.
                                                                  A Pharmacy Safety Self-Assessment User Guide has
Creating a culture of medication safety                           been developed to support Designated Managers
                                                                  and pharmacy staff in the PSSA completion.
For AIMS to effectively inform CQI, pharmacy owners
and Designated Managers must enable a just culture               •P
                                                                   harmacy Connection articles about AIMS:
that supports learning and a system-based approach                Review past articles written about AIMS in
to incident analysis over a blame and shame culture               Pharmacy Connection.
that focuses on human behaviours.
                                                                 • ISMP Canada Safety Bulletin, March 30, 2021:
A culture of medication safety can be described as                 Review articles on Never Events for Community
shared values, norms, competencies and attitudes                   Pharmacy and Analysis of Findings from Safety
towards patient safety among individuals within an                 Assessments of Community Pharmacies.
organization.1 Members of a safety culture report
incidents without fear of blame, learn from incidents            1
                                                                     https://www.ismp-canada.org/download/hnews/201802-
to make improvements, and trust their organization                    HospitalNews-MedSCIM.pdf
will deal with them fairly when something goes                   2
                                                                     https://cphm.ca/wp-content/uploads/Resource-Library/SafetyIQ/
wrong.2 A culture of medication safety encourages                     CPSC-Toolkit-FINAL.pdf
staff to engage in open, honest discussions about
medication incidents and near misses. It also permits
staff to identify the causes of incidents and to share
lessons learned with an emphasis on preventing errors

                                                                      PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PAGE 19
IMPLEMENTATION
OF NON-STERILE
COMPOUNDING STANDARDS:
Tips from the College’s Operations Advisors
As pharmacies work to fully implement the NAPRA Model Standards for Pharmacy
Compounding of Non-Sterile Preparations in advance of the final Phase 3 deadline of
January 1, 2022, College operations advisors continue to engage pharmacy professionals
during pharmacy assessments on their obligations under the standards.

                            Pharmacy Connection asked the College operations advisors to each name one
                            piece of advice they would give to registrants to support implementation of the
                            standards and contribute to health and safety at the pharmacy for both patients
                            and pharmacy professionals.

              READ THE STANDARDS AND RESOURCES
               Read both the Model Standards and           RESOURCES
               the companion guidance document for
                                                           •M
                                                             odel Standards for Pharmacy Compounding of
               Pharmacy Compounding of Non-Sterile
                                                            Non-Sterile Preparations
Preparations, in their entirety.
                                                           •G
                                                             uidance Document for Pharmacy Compounding of
Review the Pharmacy Connection articles addressing          Non-Sterile Preparations
requirements, common questions and additional
                                                           •N
                                                             on-Sterile Compounding articles in Pharmacy
resources to support implementation.
                                                            Connection

              LOOK AT YOUR PRACTICE AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST
              INDIVIDUAL COMPOUNDED PREPARATIONS
               Apply the risk-based approach to            RESOURCES
               your entire compounding practice:
                                                           •F  requently Asked Questions – Risk Assessment and
               identify risks, assess them and mitigate
                                                              Mitigation
               them through safety measures and
               administrative controls. Consider the       • Non-Sterile Preparations Assessment Criteria
cumulative risk associated with all preparations being        to assess gaps between current practices and
compounded by the pharmacy.                                   requirements of the standards
                                                           •N  ovember 4 Webinar Slides Part Two – Risk
                                                              Assessments and Requirements

           PAGE 20 ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PHARMACY CONNECTION
SAFETY FIRST                                 RESOURCES
                The standards are designed first and       •N  ovember 4 Webinar Slides Part One – Rationale
                foremost to keep patients and pharmacy       for Standards
                personnel safe. How can you reduce the     •F  requently Asked Questions – Risk Assessment and
risk of errors during preparation of the prescription?       Mitigation
How can you create a safe work environment and             • Implementing the Non-Sterile Compounding
protect those performing the compounding from                Standards: A Closer Look at Personal Protective
potential hazards?                                           Equipment – Pharmacy Connection Summer 2019

              FOCUS ON THE PATIENT: ASSESS THE PRESCRIPTION
              AND EVALUATE THE NEED FOR COMPOUNDING
               Ask yourself, is the compounded             RESOURCES
               preparation the most appropriate for
                                                           •N  ovember 4 Webinar Slides Part Three – Patient
the patient? Is there a suitable manufactured product
                                                              Assessment
commercially available? Can it be safely compounded
in your pharmacy? Remember to document and                 • Staying on Track for Full Implementation of
defend any decision you make.                                 Non-Sterile Compounding Standards – Pharmacy
                                                              Connection Spring/Summer 2020

              REVIEW ALL OF THE COMPOUNDS YOU ARE MAKING AND
              ENSURE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION IS AVAILABLE
              Ensure you have the appropriate              RESOURCES
              record for each compound that the
                                                           •M
                                                             aster Formulation Records and Compounding
pharmacy prepares. Do you have up-to-date Master
                                                            Records: What’s the Difference? – Pharmacy
Formulation Records, which include all necessary
                                                            Connection Winter/Spring 2021
information to compound the preparation, for every
specific non-sterile preparation?

              KEEP PROGRESSING AND TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME
             Break down the required tasks into            RESOURCES
             smaller chunks and set timelines for
                                                           •F
                                                             illable Checklist Overview of Phases 1, 2 and 3
             completion. What can you plan for this
month, next month and the month after that to move
your pharmacy forward?

WHAT ARE COLLEGE OPERATIONS ADVISORS LOOKING
FOR DURING A PHARMACY ASSESSMENT?
During assessments of pharmacies performing non-sterile compounding, College operations advisors will be
looking for completion of Phase 1 and Phase 2 activities as those deadlines have now passed.
While the College recognizes the impact of the pandemic on the pharmacy environment, it remains vital that
pharmacies and staff remain focused on meeting the requirements linked to these standards. These efforts will
allow for feedback from the College operations advisors during the assessment to outline where the pharmacy
is meeting standards as well as opportunities for improvement. College operations advisors can also help answer
questions about the Phase 3 implementation.
                                                              PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PAGE 21
UPDATE ON OPIOID USE
DISORDER TREATMENT
A Changing Landscape
Beth Sproule, RPh, BScPhm, PharmD 1,2
Maria Zhang, RPh, BScPhm, PharmD, MSc 1,2
1
    Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario
2
    Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto

Opioid-related mortality continues to
increase significantly in Ontario. In 2020
alone, there were 2,426 opioid-related deaths
in our province, representing a 60% rise from
2019.1 The illicit fentanyl supply is a key
driver of the current opioid crisis as it
directly contributed to 87% of the deaths
in 2020.1 The COVID-19 pandemic has
only worsened this public health crisis,
likely related to changes in the illegal drug
supply due to supply disruptions, less access to
services and harm reduction supports, and greater
use of substances to cope with stress.2

SO HOW CAN                                   Unfortunately, the impact may          use disorder. Pharmacotherapy is
PHARMACISTS HELP?                            be dampened as many deaths             the most effective treatment for
                                             occur without anyone else              opioid use disorder, and we know
The roots of the crisis lie, in              present to intervene.1 Knowing         that opioid agonist therapy (OAT)
part, in the rise of prescription            this, pharmacists can ensure that      saves lives. The mortality risk is
opioid availability over the last            their patients who use drugs know      significantly reduced for people
two decades and those risks are              of local resources such as safe        with opioid use disorder while in
still present.3-5 Continuing to              consumption/injection sites, and       OAT treatment compared to out of
advance and improve our opioid               other harm reduction practices         OAT treatment—even in the era
stewardship activities is critical in        such as using drugs with a trusted     of illicit fentanyl.7
helping to prevent our patients              family member or friend, in a space
from developing opioid use                   where they could be found quickly,     At the same time, the approach to
disorder and other iatrogenic                and/or utilizing supports available,   providing OAT services is evolving
opioid-related sequelae. Also,               such as the National Overdose          as the opioid crisis advances, and
our take-home naloxone kit                   Response Service hotline (nors.ca)     we are experiencing fundamental
distribution efforts are vital in            or technology such as Brave App        change in Ontario. The most
preventing overdose-related                  or Lifeguard App.                      significant shift is the change in the
deaths. Between July 1, 2017                                                        role of the College of Physicians
and June 30, 2018, Ontario                   For individuals living with opioid     and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO)
pharmacies dispensed 91,456                  use disorder, there is an additional   in setting the standards of practice
take-home naloxone kits,                     evidence-based effective method        for methadone treatment. The
accounting for 62% of all kits               to saving lives where pharmacists      CPSO Methadone Maintenance
distributed in the province.6                play a central role—treating opioid    Treatment Program Standards

              PAGE 22 ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PHARMACY CONNECTION
UPDATE ON OUD TREATMENT

and Clinical Guidelines from 2011 were rescinded           or home inductions)10, the availability of new
in March 2021.8 This decision was taken because            long-acting buprenorphine formulations (i.e.,
it was perceived that the exceptional status of            extended release injection and subdermal implant)10,
methadone, and the high degree of oversight,               modified approaches for methadone treatment for
disincentivized physicians in offering the service,        people using fentanyl11, increasing acceptance of
thus limiting access for patients.8 This is similar to     slow-release oral morphine (SROM) for opioid use
the rationale for Health Canada’s 2018 decision            disorder12, injectable OAT treatment options (i.e.,
to remove the Section 56 exemption requirement             hydromorphone, diacetylmorphine)13 and the growing
for methadone prescribers—to improve access to             availability of safer supply programs.14,15 The goal
treatment.9 Other recent practice changes include          of this article is to help pharmacists navigate these
the adoption of non-traditional techniques for             changes by highlighting the current guidance available
initiating buprenorphine (e.g., microdosing and/           and key messages.

KEY RESOURCES FOR PHARMACISTS

Opioid Agonist Therapy: A Synthesis of Canadian            Topics covered: How to initiate, titrate, and stabilize
Guidelines for Treating Opioid Use Disorder                methadone treatment, balancing the risks of
Release date: May 2021                                     methadone toxicity with the significant dangers
                                                           associated with illicit fentanyl use if OAT is not
Developed by: Centre for Addiction and Mental
                                                           available or if treatment needs to be restarted
Health with medical regulatory authorities across
Canada including the College of Physicians and             Take note: Recommendations around when and
Surgeons of Ontario                                        how to use the upper end of the dose ranges,
                                                           add slow-release oral morphine to prioritize
Place in practice: Detailed national guideline on
                                                           engagement and retention in treatment. Likewise,
opioid agonist therapy synthesized from provincial
                                                           alternative management of missed doses is
standards and guidelines with updates and additional
                                                           suggested to avoid treatment drop-out. A webinar
expert opinion
                                                           recording and a plain language summary are also
OAT discussed: Buprenorphine, methadone, slow-             available through META:PHI.
release oral morphine, and injectable OAT
Topics covered: Broad ranging (e.g., engaging patients,    COVID-19 Opioid Agonist Treatment Guidance
building relationships, expectations of prescribers, how   Release date: March 2020; last updated December
to choose treatments, best practice summaries)             2020
Take note: Updated guidance on the value of urine          Developed by: Collaborators from CAMH, META:PHI,
drug testing and ECGs, non-traditional buprenorphine       Ontario Medical Association (OMA)
induction strategies, when to use SROM
                                                           Place in practice: Helps clinicians navigate
                                                           buprenorphine and methadone treatment as it relates
Methadone treatment for people who use fentanyl:
                                                           to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions specifically.
Recommendations
                                                           OAT discussed: Buprenorphine and methadone
Release date: June 30, 2021
                                                           Topics covered: Modified buprenorphine and
Developed by: Mentoring, Education, and Clinical
                                                           methadone take-home doses, frequency of visits
Tools for Addiction: Partners in Health Integration
(META:PHI), a provincial initiative based at Women’s       Take note: Focuses on increasing the number of
College Hospital                                           take-home doses for patients to reduce the need for
                                                           pharmacy visits. The changes during the pandemic
Place in practice: For experienced prescribers who
                                                           are being evaluated to help determine whether the
are able to apply clinical judgment when using these
                                                           take-home dose strategies should go back to usual
methadone treatment recommendations for people
                                                           after the pandemic or not. An accompanying guide for
who use fentanyl as they have uniquely high opioid
                                                           pharmacists was developed by CAMH.
tolerance
OAT discussed: Methadone only, specifically for
people who use fentanyl

                                                             PHARMACY CONNECTION ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PAGE 23
UPDATE ON OUD TREATMENT

OTHER EMERGING PRACTICES
Injectable forms of OAT (i.e., injectable                      supply programs in Ontario allowing expansion of
hydromorphone and diacetylmorphine) have a                     current programs and the development of new
well-developed evidence base over many years                   programs.14,18,19 These include programs that provide
supporting their use for people who have not                   scheduled dispensing through machines accessed
responded to oral OAT options.16 iOAT programs                 using biometrics (MySafe Project).20 Evaluation of
function similarly to other OAT programs, however,             these programs is underway to help guide the way
patients visit the clinic multiple times per day to            forward. It will be helpful to have more information
inject prescribed pharmaceutical diacetylmorphine              on the benefits of these programs (reduced harms
or hydromorphone. The clinics are staffed by trained           related to opioid use, improved health and social
healthcare professionals and peer support workers              outcomes), as well as how to mitigate potential
who can intervene quickly in cases of overdose.                unintended consequences (e.g., health complications
These programs have limited availability in Ontario,           from injecting tablets, tablet diversion to new users). A
however, there is ongoing work to develop resources,           guidance document is available at Safer Opioid Supply
raise awareness, provide support and identify and              Programs (SOS): A Harm Reduction Informed Guiding
address barriers to this evidence-based treatment.17 A         Document for Primary Care Teams. More information
significant hindrance is the limited availability of funding   is available through the Safer Opioid Supply Ontario
support. Clinical and operational guidance are available       Community of Practice.
for clinicians and health administrators through the
Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.              Other resources that may be useful for pharmacists,
                                                               particularly those who are looking for a primer into
Safer Supply Programs function as an additional                opioid use disorder include the CRISM National
response to the overdose crisis, with the goal to              Guideline for the Clinical Management of Opioid
reduce the risk of overdose and overdose deaths by             Use Disorder which provides high-level guidance on
providing pharmaceutical opioids as an alternative to          selecting between various opioid agonist treatments,
the toxic illicit supply. This harm reduction approach         without detailing exactly how to prescribe them.
is intended to support those who continue to meet
criteria for opioid use disorder despite being in OAT          Additionally, the Health Quality Ontario Opioid Use
programs and/or individuals who face barriers in               Disorder Quality Standard includes a strong statement
accessing OAT. Safer supply programs are generally             confirming OAT as first-line treatment, and clear
offered through primary care settings (Community               guidance for what people with opioid use disorder
Health Centres or primary care clinics) allowing               should expect from Ontario treatment providers.
engagement in other health and social supports.                Lastly, for pharmacists working with older adults, the
A common model utilized is to provide a supply                 Canadian Guidelines on Opioid Use Disorder Among
of SROM (daily observed dosing) in combination                 Older Adults make recommendations tailored to
with take-home hydromorphone immediate-                        this population including prevention measures and
release tablets. Health Canada is supporting safer             treatment approaches.

SUMMARY

These guidance documents all speak to the                      CAMH guidance specifically for pharmacists (Opioid
importance to improving access to OAT for people               Agonist Maintenance Treatment: A Pharmacist’s Guide
with opioid use disorder, as well as ensuring quality of       to Methadone and Buprenorphine for Opioid Use
care to meet their needs. The focus on engaging and            Disorder21) is being revised to continue to support
retaining people in treatment is a direct response to          practice. Many of the same tenets still apply, but
the current, still worsening opioid crisis. Understanding      clinical judgement and decisions tailored to the patient
the patient, their situation and treatment goals is            situation are essential. During this time of changing
key to informing clinical decisions. This is facilitated       guidance, the significance of effective communication
by effective communication between pharmacists                 and collaboration cannot be overstated. Patient safety
and prescribers. Good clinical documentation also              and their retention in treatment depend on it.
assists pharmacists within practice settings. The

            PAGE 24 ~ SUMMER 2021 ~ PHARMACY CONNECTION
You can also read