Uptake of the Medication Assessment Program in Saskatchewan: Tracking claims during the first year

Background Medication assessments have become a prominent clinical activity in community pharmacies, and most Canadian provinces now provide compensation to varying degrees. Although medication assessment programs have been offered for several years, little is known about population-wide uptake. Historically, implementation of additional pharmacist professional services has been difficult, and barriers to higher participation have been well documented. A 2014 systematic review found only 17% to 45% of eligible patients receive clinical services from community pharmacies following the establishment of remuneration programs. “MedsCheck,” a government-sponsored medication assessment program in Ontario, has been performed on approximately 10% of residents taking 3 or more chronic medications over the first 6 years of the program. Saskatchewan’s provincial drug plan launched a medication assessment program in 2013 (Saskatchewan Medication Assessment Program [SMAP]). Under this program, medication assessments conducted by community pharmacists are remunerated for drug plan beneficiaries who are 65 years of age and older and who satisfy at least 1 of the following criteria relating to medication use: 5 or more chronic medications (including nonprescription products), an anticoagulant covered by the provincial drug plan or any medication listed in the 2012 edition of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Use in Older Adults. The program allows for a medication assessment once every 365 days and up to 2 follow-up assessments every 365 days. Patients sign a written consent agreeing to receive the medication assessment service and to share the information gathered with health care providers within their circle of care. The aims of this study were to 1) describe uptake of the SMAP since its launch on July 8, 2013, and 2) to compare characteristics of individuals receiving, versus not receiving, a medication assessment under the SMAP.