MedsCheck
The MedsCheck medication review provides an opportunity for pharmacists to meet one-on-one with patients, helping them to identify and resolve common medication-related issues in order to get the most benefit from their medication.
During this review pharmacists help patients understand drug names, strengths, adverse effects and usage instructions, and ensure that they are taking their medications as their doctor has directed. As part of this service, pharmacists provide patients with an accurate and complete medication list that they may take with them when they visit their physician or go to the hospital. Ontarians with a valid OHIP card taking three or more chronic prescription medications are eligible for one MedsCheck per year. There is no charge to patients.
On June 7, 2010, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced the MedsCheck program will be expanded to include initial and followup consultations for people with diabetes, quarterly medication reviews for long-term care home residents, and at-home reviews of medications for people who have difficulty travelling to a local pharmacy.
MedsCheck Follow-Up
The additional MedsCheck(s) provided to patients within the one-year timeframe is referred to as the MedsCheck Follow-up. All MedsCheck policies and procedures apply; however, as it is considered a follow-up service building on the earlier annual MedsCheck, there are additional criteria.
The MedsCheck Follow-up may be conducted based on defined criteria for the following situations:
a) A patient is discharged from hospital
b) A pharmacist’s documented decision
c) A physician or registered nurse in the extended class (RN[EC]) request
d) A planned hospital admission
MedsCheck Consult
As a result of conducting the MedsCheck review, many pharmacists identify drug related problems and medication-related issues that require collaboration with the physician who wrote the original prescription. The MedsCheck Consult program was created to facilitate that collaboration. Whereas the MedsCheck and MedsCheck Follow-Up reviews focus on the relationship between the pharmacist and the patient, the MedsCheck Consult is a program designed to bring pharmacists and physicians together for consultations and follow-up, with the ultimate goal of optimizing a patient’s drug therapy. More details on the launch of this new program will be posted when they are available.
Tools for pharmacists
Tools including the MedsCheck Guidebook, general payment rules and personal medication records can be found at: