The Family Doctor and the neighbourhood Pharmacy.

               The Health Care system costs us a package.  It shows every sign of becoming more expensive with developing technology, increasing longevity with more and more resources being allocated to those in the  last years of life and more heroic procedures being developed at an impressive rate.  Where are all the resources going to come from?  What is going to be rationed and how is it going to be done?
                 Recently  we have seen the 'Choose Wisely' program initiated as an attempt to rationalize tests and various investigations to avoid harm and waste and that is admirable.  However, let there be no doubt that this will have many other consequences as it is manipulated by health care administrators and their political masters.   Expect to see further initiatives in  the  future and while every effort has to be made to conserve our resources, a healthy wariness as to where these changes may lead is warranted.
                 A recent supplement with my newspaper last week was entitled "Healthcare closer to  home" and labelled 'An  independent supplement by MediaPlanet'.      The supplement deals with evolving your local pharmacy into a sort of  mini health care centre for dealing with minor ailments, and expanding the role that pharmacists play in patient care.  The supplement has several articles on the manner in which this can  be effected.  Some of the suggestions are already in  effect, such as flu vaccination, medication education including instruction regarding diabetes management and diet.  These roles are effective and probably financially sound.   Other expansions, sometimes possibly of questionable safety, have already been enabled, and vary from  province to  province.  These include changing drug dosage/formulation, making therapeutic substitution, initiating prescription drug therapy, prescribing for minor ailments and conditions, ordering and interpreting lab tests.   There is no doubt more changes are coming. 
                    One article in the MediaPlanet supplement reads as follows:  " If you or a family member are suffering from  a bad head cold, a sore throat, a rash, an ear infection or other minor but troubling ailment, the benefits of quick and convenient access to  professional health care are simple and convenient."
                    The problem is that most of the  above can be the prodrome  of a more serious illness.
                                        
                                       Follow this space for more on this.  Feel free to comment.