Blaine Higgs faced a challenge that was met with a solution by Canada’s largest pharmacy chain. In the summer of 2022, Higgs, the Progressive Conservative premier of New Brunswick, initiated significant changes in the senior management of the province’s healthcare system to enhance accessibility.
By the end of the year, Perry Martin, a senior lobbyist for Shoppers Drug Mart, urged the provincial Department of Health to expedite a pilot program that could offer assistance. When a Health Department official failed to provide a clear timeline, Martin escalated the matter to Louis Leger, Higgs’s chief of staff.
Martin highlighted in a Dec. 14, 2022, email obtained by CBC News that meeting the Premier’s desired announcement timeline in January 2023 and launching the program in February seemed unattainable. The proposal aimed to allow pharmacists to manage chronic conditions like diabetes and asthma, conduct strep A swab tests, and alleviate pressure on family doctors and emergency departments.
Although the government missed the Premier’s deadline, they eventually introduced the pilot project in six New Brunswick pharmacies. However, the new Liberal government under Susan Holt terminated the initiative earlier this year due to uncertainties regarding the effectiveness of diverting patient care to pharmacies.
The pilot findings, revealed in over 900 pages of internal documents, indicated the complexity of improving healthcare access and early warnings about potential challenges. Martin, a registered lobbyist in New Brunswick, advocated for expanding pharmacists’ professional services, citing a successful pilot program in Lethbridge, Alberta.
Despite efforts to replicate the Alberta model allowing pharmacists to order blood work, New Brunswick hesitated, citing operational concerns. The disagreement persisted, with pharmacists and health officials expressing differing views on the initiative’s impact and the feasibility of expanding services.
The pilot faced additional hurdles, including capacity issues, overlapping services, and patient care coordination challenges. While the project received positive feedback from patients, concerns arose about its impact on emergency visits, health outcomes, and the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on healthcare policymaking.
The government eventually decided to conclude the pilot project, emphasizing the need for further dialogue on potential improvements in healthcare delivery. The cancellation sparked criticism from opposition parties, leading to discussions on redirecting resources towards collaborative care models involving pharmacists, nurses, and physicians.
Amidst debates on industry influence and patient care ethics, the Minister acknowledged the value of pharmacists’ roles in healthcare and expressed openness to future collaborations and enhancements in service delivery.