In September, HealthPRO hosted a hybrid Pharmacy Advisory Council (PAC) Strategic Planning Meeting. A wide array of pharmacy experts including HealthPRO members and suppliers across the country gathered in Oakville, Ontario to network and discuss various approaches for the advancement of HealthPRO’s procurement strategy. With innovative strategies, HealthPRO continues to forward its goal of improving healthcare across the country, by creating value for its members and suppliers. This critical three-day event will help to define the path forward. Please see below for a summary of the discussions.

Day One

360 Summary  

Christine Donaldson, Vice President of Pharmacy, kicked off the first day of the Pharmacy Advisory Council with a review of the past year, including a look at industry challenges, along with an analysis of current priorities as we look ahead.

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed healthcare procurement and our conventional thinking about this subject, including how we procure and assure supply during shortages. COVID-19 also introduced several unintended consequences, such as a worsening opioid crisis, inequity in vaccine access, increasing inflation and the impact of global vaccine production.

Most notably, COVID-19 has affected our global supply chain, which we saw in every industry. Pharmaceuticals were especially hit hard, and we are still seeing the effects today. This has led policy and decision makers to consider a very important question for the future: Do we shift to producing essential medicines closer to home?

"Sustainability was a key focus this year and HealthPRO recognizes the need for the implementation of better practices in social, environmental, and economic areas.  Whether it’s reducing the impact of CO2 in the Pharmaceuticals industry or creating environmentally friendly inhalers - there are many ways that suppliers can empower themselves to become more sustainable”, says Christine.

The 360 Summary concluded with a focus on government and stakeholder partnerships. Over the year, HealthPRO worked with Health Canada to advocate on behalf of members and suppliers to provide advice and information on the Critical Drug Reserve along with a new guidance document on best practices for allocations during drug shortages.  HealthPRO also partnered with key stakeholders such as the Canadian Association for Pharmacy Distribution Management (CAPDM) and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) to ensure that member voices are heard across the industry and within government.

Day Two

Wednesday’s sessions began with a presentation from Katie Heelis, Vice President of Enterprise Health. She presented key information on the proposal of a national Pharmacare Program in Canada and the latest developments on its implementation by the Federal Government.Katie provided historical context on the idea of a national system, starting with the 2002 calls to action for Pharmacare that surfaced with the “Romanow report” of the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada.  During the session, she discussed the current state of healthcare, with a focus on the parliamentary agreement between the federal government and the New Democratic Party (NDP) to implement a national Pharmacare Act by the end of 2023.

As Canadians overwhelmingly support a national Pharmacare, it is important to consider that the landscape across Canada is complex when it comes to implementing this type of national system. The federal government will have to find a way to satisfy the needs and requirements of each province and territory—not an easy feat. There is also the question of how the Federal Government will implement Pharmacare: through a single payer or fill-the-gaps model?

Canadas current political environment is also an important factor to keep in mind. In early 2022, the governing Liberal party and the NDP came to a parliamentary agreement to maintain the minority government until at least 2025.  This was based on the understanding that certain policy priorities were met which included a commitment to the introduction of a national Pharmacare Act by the end of 2023.  While there is still much uncertainty about what the next steps are, this commitment has been made clear.  A lot of work and collaboration will be needed with the provinces and territories before we see a full implementation of a national Pharmacare Program.

The afternoon consisted of an overview and update on HealthPRO’s Sustainability Scorecard from Kendra Frey, HealthPRO’s Vice President of Materials Management followed by discussion on co-managed inventory with Alam Hallan Clinical Director, Pharmacy​ and Christine Donaldson​ Vice President, Pharmacy at HealthPRO.