Your Pharmacy & Pharmacist
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Your Pharmacy
When you see this symbol, you can be assured that the pharmacy has been accredited, and is part of a regulated profession governed by the Ontario College of Pharmacists. |
Your community pharmacy, regardless of its location, is accredited by the Ontario College of Pharmacists.
Your community pharmacy is also inspected regularly to ensure that it meets all provincial and federal laws governing dispensaries, drug handling and community pharmacy standards.
All community pharmacy owners, whether they are pharmacists or non-pharmacists, must also meet the same regulations and standards to operate a community pharmacy.
While hospital inpatient pharmacy departments operate under the auspices of the hospital's management, all pharmacists practicing in the pharmacy are still accountable to the College.
The following staff can be found working in your pharmacy:
Pharmacists:
The pharmacist(s) in your pharmacy is a health professional licensed and regulated by the Ontario College of Pharmacists. More information about your pharmacist can be found here
Other Dispensary Personnel: Working under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist, pharmacy technicians and dispensary assistants support your pharmacist in many aspects of preparing your prescriptions and maintaining the pharmacy.
On December 3, 2010, pharmacy technicians officially became recognized as a new class of registrant with the Ontario College of Pharmacists when the College’s Registration Regulation (Ontario Regulation 451/10) made under the Pharmacy Act was proclaimed.
The regulation of Pharmacy Technicians will allow for support of pharmacists in the provision of more comprehensive patient care services and promotion of optimal pharmacy services for the public. The College began the process of regulating pharmacy technicians in 1998, after Council agreed that creating this class of member with the appropriate training could enable registered technicians to take responsibility for certain dispensing activities within the pharmacy, and allow pharmacists to expand their services and scope of practice to improve patient care. For an overview and history of this initiative, click here.
Cashiers, Drivers, Stock people, etc.: Other staff either work in or near the pharmacy area. It is important to know that all of these staff are under the supervision of the licensed pharmacist and must maintain the confidentiality of all patient information that is received in the pharmacy.
Your Pharmacist
Your pharmacist is a highly-educated, trusted member of your family’s health care team. Pharmacists are professionally trained individuals held to a high standard of practice. Your pharmacist has met the following standards before receiving their license to practice:
- At least four to five years of university-level pharmacy education
- Trained and qualified in all aspects of handling medications, including dispensing prescription and non-prescription medications, drug therapy and understanding drug interactions and side-effects
- Trained in the principles of good pharmaceutical care including patient counselling and care
- Aware of all health care and pharmacy laws governing pharmaceuticals, pharmacists roles and pharmacy operations
- Qualified to counsel patients in at least one of Ontario and Canada's official languages, English or French
- Successfully completed provincial and national examinations on pharmacy practice and applicable pharmacy laws and standards
- Maintain a continuing education program (portfolio) as well as participate in life-long quality assurance program
- All legal requirements necessary to operate as an Ontario health professional including professional conduct rules, patient care and confidentiality
- The Standards of Practice as set by the Ontario College of Pharmacists
- The Code of Ethics as set by the Ontario College of Pharmacists; and
- All legal requirements for practising in and/or operating a pharmacy
Internet Pharmacies
If you are considering accessing your pharmacy services over the Internet, make sure the website is operated by an accredited Ontario pharmacy and overseen by licensed pharmacists.
In Ontario, all Internet "pharmacy" or "drugstore" websites must be operated by a "bricks and mortar" pharmacy. The site must display:
- The identity of the pharmacy to which the website belongs
- The pharmacy's OCP Accreditation number (Certificate to operate)
- The name of the owner
- The physical location of the pharmacy including the address (street, town/city)
- The telephone number to contact the pharmacy
- The Designated Manager of the pharmacy
- The hours that a licensed pharmacist is available (the pharmacy cannot dispense medications when a pharmacist is not on duty)
- All Ontario sites must also display the green Point of Care symbol (see above)and OCP Accreditation. Note the OCP Accreditation number of the pharmacy from the website and call the Ontario College of Pharmacists at 1-800-220-1921 to verify its legitimacy. Or, click here to confirm it online through our "Pharmacist/Pharmacy Search".
Click here for Fact Sheet on Internet Pharmacies.
Billing Practices
The dispensing or professional fee which is charged for every filled prescription can vary between pharmacies. The fee is intended to cover the cost to the pharmacy of filling the prescription, including such things as salary and overhead as well as services required to be performed when a prescription is filled. This is sometimes referred to as the “usual and customary” fee and is required to be posted in a location visible to every patient.
The College does not set fees or set restrictions on fees.
Additional fees may be charged for other services such as medication reviews. Please refer to OCP's Policy on Fees for Professional Services, which sets out College expectations when pharmacists charge fees for professional services outside of usual and customary dipsensing activities.
Managing Your Care
When taking care of yourself or a loved one, there are a number of simple steps that you can take, to make sure that you are getting the most out of your medicine and optimal care from your pharmacist.
Stay with one pharmacist or one pharmacy
Staying with one pharmacist or shopping at one pharmacy is the best way for you and your pharmacist to keep track of your care. Your prescription records and history are maintained in the pharmacy where the medications are filled, and cannot be accessed by other pharmacies. This way, your pharmacist can better understand your prescription history and identify possible drug interactions or allergies with any new prescriptions, medicines or herbal products that you purchase at that pharmacy.
Take all medications exactly as prescribed
Most medicines have to be taken exactly as directed by your pharmacist for them to have the proper effect. Be sure that you understand all instructions before you take your medicine, and ask your pharmacist for more information or a demonstration in taking the medicine if you have any doubts. If you notice side effects or feel sick from taking the medicine, call your pharmacist or physician immediately for advice.
Talk to your pharmacist
Remember, you can call the pharmacy at any time, should you have any questions or concerns about your medication or its effectiveness. And, if need be, your pharmacist may intervene on your behalf and contact your doctor to discuss the effectiveness of your medication.
Ask for a list of your medications
To keep track of your prescribed medications, your pharmacist can provide you with a comprehensive review of all prescribed drugs and dosage. This is also helpful if you are caring for an elderly parent, helping them to monitor their health needs and requirements. And, if you know that you will be going to hospital for care, take this list to your hospital pharmacist when you are admitted so they too can be informed of your medications. Similarly, when you leave the hospital, ask that pharmacist to provide you with a list of any new or changed medications that you started in the hospital, so you can share this with your community pharmacist when you return home.
Get advice before you mix two or more prescription or non-prescription medicines or herbal products.
There are many possible dangerous interactions between non-prescription and herbal products. Dangerous interactions can occur with common foods, and interactions are not restricted to just mixing prescriptions medicines.
Make sure you feel comfortable taking your medicine
Your health depends on you taking your medication properly. Make sure you understand what the medicine is for and why you are taking it. If you don’t feel that you will be able to take the medicine as prescribed, talk to your pharmacist.
Don't be afraid to ask more questions
Be sure that you have asked the necessary questions to understand all the information to take your medication properly. As a rule, you should know the following things for every medicine you take:
- What is the name of your medicine and what is it used to treat
- When and how often you should take the medicine
- How long you should be taking your medicine
- What you should do if you forget to take the medicine
- When and if you should notice the medicine taking effect (i.e. outcome)
- What, if any, special instructions there are for taking the medicine (such as food, drink or medicine container instructions)
- What side effects can occur in taking the medicine and how you can recognize the warning signs of certain adverse symptoms or dangerous side effects
- What to do if you experience any problems in taking the medicine
- How to store the medicine
Some medicines have complicated directions, and we all have had times when we forget to take our prescriptions as directed. Talk to your pharmacist if you find this happening. They can give you helpful advice on how to stick to your medication plan.
Make your pharmacist your most reliable source for information about medications
No other health professional possesses the unique body of knowledge that pharmacists draw upon to monitor and manage drug therapy. As highly trained professionals, pharmacists maintain a lifelong learning program to understand and remain current on all drugs. Rely on them as your primary source for information that can help you decide what is best for you. And, as a patient, you can also choose to give your pharmacist permission to provide your personal information to other members of your health care team.
Ask if you want privacy
Many pharmacies now have private counselling areas. If not, ask your pharmacist to schedule a time that you can talk in private about your care.
Don't alter or stop taking your medicine
Many people decide to stop taking their medication because they either think it is "not working", causing an allergic reaction, or interacting with another medicine. Stopping your medication suddenly can cause serious side effects.
Talk to your pharmacist or doctor first (unless they had previously advised you to stop if certain things occurred with your medicine or health).
Find out how you can order your refills to avoid interruption
With many medicines used to treat ongoing conditions (such as heart, asthma or diabetes medications) it is important that you get your refills from your pharmacist in advance,’ to avoid any interruptions in taking the medicine. Your pharmacist may have to contact your doctor if your repeats have run out. Its best to anticipate this need, and order your prescription a few days in advance.
If you have questions, compliments or complaints about the care you have received from a pharmacist or pharmacy, please call the Ontario College of Pharmacists at 1-800-220-1921 or (416) 962-4861.
