Primary Care Clinic

• Strep Throat (pilot in 12 project sites only)
• Bladder Infections
• Shingles
• Vaginal yeast infections
• Fungal infections of the skin
• Impetigo
• Cold Sores
• Lyme disease prevention after black legged tick bite

• Diarrhea (non-infectious)
• Heartburn/Reflux
• Hemorrhoids
• Nausea

• Allergic Rhinitis
• Headache (mild)
• Oral Thrush
• Oral Ulcers
• Sore Throat

• Birth Control
• Dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps)
• Emergency Contraception
• Vaginal Yeast Infections

• Acne (mild)
• Calluses and Corns
• Contact Allergic Dermatitis
• Dandruff
• Eczema (mild to moderate)
• Fungal Infections of the Skin
• Hives (mild)
• Impetigo
• Warts (excluding facial and genital)

• Dry Eye
• Joint Pain (minor)
• Muscle Pain (minor)
• Sleep Disorders (minor)
• Smoking Cessation
• Threadworms and Pinworms

Patients diagnosed with heart disease and high blood pressure qualify to receive chronic disease care from a pharmacist.  

The pharmacists will provide an initial assessment to collect patient information, identify any potential medication problems to resolve and discuss your goals for care.

Together the patient and pharmacist will create a plan which could include:

• The pharmacist prescribing changes to your medications to help reach A1C, glucose, blood pressure and other goals.
• Guidance in minimizing or avoiding adverse effects from your medication
• In-pharmacy finger-stick testing for A1C and cholesterol (reducing the number of lab visits required)
• Training and support with home blood glucose or home blood pressure monitoring
• Support and coaching to meet any lifestyle goals you set such as diet, exercise or smoking cessation
• Ensuring you are up to date on the recommended immunizations for your condition 
• Setting a follow-up plan with the pharmacist to support you in achieving your goals.

Patients diagnosed with diabetes qualify to receive chronic disease care from a pharmacist.  

The pharmacists will provide an initial assessment to collect patient information, identity any potential medication problems to resolve and discuss your goals for care.

Together the patient and pharmacist will create a plan which could include:

• The pharmacist prescribing changes to your medications to help reach A1C, glucose, blood pressure and other goals.
• Guidance in minimizing or avoiding adverse effects from your medication
• In-pharmacy finger-stick testing for A1C and cholesterol (reducing the number of lab visits required)
• Training and support with home blood glucose or home blood pressure monitoring
• Support and coaching to meet any lifestyle goals you set such as diet, exercise or smoking cessation
• Ensuring you are up to date on the recommended immunizations for diabetes
• Setting a follow-up plan with the pharmacist to support you in achieving your goals.

Patients diagnosed with asthma or COPD qualify to receive chronic disease care from a pharmacist.  

The pharmacist will provide an initial assessment to collect patient information, identity any potential medication problems to resolve and discuss your goals for care.

Together the patient and pharmacist will create a plan which could include:

• The pharmacist prescribing changes to your medications to help you feel better and/or prevent worsening of your symptoms.
• Guidance in minimizing or avoiding adverse effects from your medication
• Counseling and support with proper inhaler technique
• Support and coaching to meet any lifestyle goals you set such as diet, exercise or smoking cessation
• Ensuring you are up to date on the recommended immunizations for lung conditions 
• Setting a follow-up plan with the pharmacist to support you in achieving your goals.

Pharmacists can assess patients age 3 and over that have a sore throat to confirm if they have strep throat (Group A Streptococcal infection) which will require antibiotics. The pharmacist will ask questions about medical history, signs, and symptoms that the patient is experiencing and perform a head, neck and throat exam.  If the patient has signs of strep throat confirmed by the exam, the pharmacist will also take a swab of the back of the throat and perform a rapid molecular test in the pharmacy which will take approximately 10 minutes. If positive, the pharmacist may prescribe antibiotics.

This service is only for those seeking a method of hormonal contraception. Pharmacists cannot provide this service if reasons you require birth control are not for contraceptive purpose (such as managing menstrual cramps, acne, etc.).

During the assessment process, the pharmacist will work with you to determine the therapy that best meets your needs. You and your pharmacist will select the most appropriate method of birth control based on your medical history, medications, risk factors, guidelines and your preferences. Pharmacists may only prescribe intra-uterine methods (also known as IUD or IUC) of birth control when practicing as part of an arrangement with a primary care provider who can conduct an appropriate physical exam and insert the device. An initial three-month trial is usually prescribed for new treatment.  The pharmacist will follow up with you to re-assess.  Once an appropriate therapy is established, your prescription may be valid for up to one year.

During your consultation, the pharmacist will provide you with information on proper use of your birth control, what to do when you miss a dose, and possible adverse reactions. Your pharmacist will provide you with information and resources pertaining to other sexual health topics (such as sexually transmitted diseases, sexual dysfunction, assault, abortion, and screenings for cancer). They will also assess for any potential sexual health risk factors. Your pharmacist will send your primary care provider (or specialist) a notice of what they have prescribed.  If you do not have a primary care provider, your pharmacist can provide you with a copy of this notification.

An early start of antiviral medications for patients with shingles (herpes zoster) is very important. During your assessment, the pharmacist will assess your symptoms. Symptoms can include:

• pain or a tingling sensation in a limited area on one side of the face or torso
• red rash with small, fluid-filled blisters
• fever
• headache
• chills
• upset stomach

You will be provided information on skin care management, vaccines to prevent recurrence and be prescribed an antiviral medication, if needed. If a medication is prescribed during the assessment, the pharmacist will write a prescription. If the pharmacist finds that you have symptoms that can lead to more serious complications (such as vision impairment), they will refer you to emergency care.

Your pharmacist will send your primary care provider (or specialist) a notice of what they have prescribed. If you do not have a primary care provider, your pharmacist can provide you with a copy of this notification.

If you have been bitten by a tick, the pharmacist can assess the need for treatment to help prevent Lyme disease. Pharmacists can determine whether a preventive antibiotic is appropriate. The assessment will include:

1. whether the tick bite was from a blacklegged tick
2. whether the tick was removed in the previous 72 hours
3. whether the tick was attached for at least 36 hours

The treatment is only recommended if it can be administered within a 72-hour window after the tick is removed. If there are any symptoms of Lyme disease, such as a rash or bull’s eye rash at the bite site patients will be referred to their primary care provider for other treatment options.

Your pharmacist will send your primary care provider (or specialist) a notice of what they have prescribed. If you do not have a primary care provider, your pharmacist can provide you with a copy of this notification.

Pharmacists are able to prescribe for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI), often referred to as bladder infections. In order to be assessed by a pharmacist you must:

• be 16 years of age or older
• have been assigned the sex of female at birth
• have been previously diagnosed with the condition at least once before

Pharmacists cannot assess or prescribe for UTIs for men or individuals under 16 and those that have not had a UTI in the past.

Your pharmacist will ask you a series of questions to determine if your infection meets the criteria for ‘uncomplicated’ or not. If they determine you have an uncomplicated infection, your pharmacist can prescribe an antibiotic based on your specific needs, medical conditions, allergies and past history.

You will not be required to provide a urine sample at a pharmacy, as guidelines do not require this for uncomplicated infections. 

If your infection does not meet the criteria for an uncomplicated UTI, your pharmacist will refer you to your primary care provider or nurse practitioner for further testing. Your pharmacist will send your primary care provider (or specialist) a notice of what they have prescribed.  If you do not have a primary care provider, your pharmacist can provide you with a copy of this notification.

Pharmacists are effective in providing a smoking cessation program and contributing to patient quit rates or reductions in the amount of nicotine used. They help smokers and those that use nicotine products reduce their use by providing behavioural counselling, creating quit plans, recommending nicotine replacement therapy and scheduling follow-up visits.

Naloxone is a medication that is injected to provide a partial or complete reversal of an opioid overdose.  This medication can prevent death and respiratory depression associated with opioid overdose.  Pharmacies can provide you with a free take home naloxone kit, recommended for those at risk of an opioid overdose and those who are most likely to witness and respond to an opioid overdose. The pharmacist will provide opioid overdose prevention education as well as training on the administration of naloxone.

• Opioid Addiction Treatment
• Anti-psychotic medications

Prescription from another provider may be required for injectable medications