Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Province plans to put pharmacists in ERs

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 06/5/2011 3:35 PM | Comments: 0 (including replies) | Last Modified: 06/6/2011 2:38 PM | Updates

Expect a pharmacist in the ER from now on.

The province is paying the salaries of 10 pharmacists in hospital ERs --seven in Winnipeg, one each in Brandon, Selkirk and Thompson -- to work alongside doctors and nurses in the busiest emergency departments in the province, Health Minister Theresa Oswald’s office announced Sunday.

Putting pharmacists in ERs in Winnipeg, Selkirk, Brandon and Thompson reflects a new reality in hospitals everywhere: ailing and elderly people often come into ERs with multiple prescriptions, adding the risk of side effects from drug interaction if new prescriptions aren’t reconciled with existing ones.

"Having pharmacists as part of the emergency department team will better support patient safety and help ensure Manitoba families have access to emergency care and the medication they require," Oswald said in a news release.

The new pharmacists will cost $1.75 million, the province said.

The announcement follows on the heels of a mixed national report on the state of medicare.

A report care on health care in Canada last week said one of the weakest links is electronic. Doctors and nurses struggle to swim in a sea of paper records instead of relying on modern communications, the Health Council of Canada said.

The use of electronic health care records is patchy and varies by province and many doctors still prefer pen and paper to keyboards and screens, said the council, which is responsible for monitoring progress on a decade-long accord that infused $41 billion into provincial medicare in 2004.

The provincial announcement said the new money is part of a program to build up ER departments.

History

Updated on Monday, June 6, 2011 at 2:38 PM CDT: The province is paying the salaries of 10 pharmacists in hospital ERs, seven in Winnipeg, one each in Brandon, Selkirk and Thompson. Incorrect information appeared Monday.

(You must be logged in to post your reaction)

Your reaction?

More Latest News

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.