The proposed FHO+ (Family Health Organization Plus) model for family physicians in Ontario is a significant development in the healthcare landscape. While the deal directly impacts family doctors, its ripple effects are poised to create a new era of collaboration with pharmacies, ultimately benefiting patients through more streamlined and integrated care.
The Challenge: A Disconnected System
Historically, one of the biggest barriers to effective communication between physicians and pharmacists has been time. Family doctors are often overwhelmed with patient appointments and administrative tasks that are not billable, making it difficult to find the time to connect with pharmacists about medication questions, prescription renewals, or dosage clarifications. This has led to delays and, in some cases, less than ideal patient outcomes.
The Solution: Compensating for Collaboration
The FHO+ model aims to fix this by introducing, for the first time, compensation for administrative work. This is a game-changer. By paying physicians for the time they spend on tasks like managing inboxes, reviewing lab results, and filling out forms, the new model effectively values the “behind-the-scenes” work of a family doctor.
This is where the direct benefit to pharmacies comes in. When a pharmacist needs to contact a physician to discuss a patient’s medication, the physician’s time is now valued and compensated. This removes a major barrier to communication, leading to several key improvements:
- Quicker Communication: Physicians can respond to pharmacy inquiries without feeling like they are losing valuable time. This means prescription renewals and clarifications can be processed faster, reducing patient waiting times.
- Enhanced Medication Management: With more time for consultation, physicians and pharmacists can work together to conduct comprehensive medication reviews, identify potential drug interactions, and optimize dosages. This interprofessional dialogue leads to safer and more effective treatment plans.
- Improved Patient Outcomes: By fostering a more collaborative environment, the FHO+ model ensures that the patient’s care team—which includes both the physician and the pharmacist—is working together seamlessly. This integrated approach can lead to better management of chronic diseases and overall improved health for patients.
Looking Ahead
At Centrum Pharmacy, we have always had close collaboration with your family doctor in jointly looking after your health. This is nothing new for us, but we look forward to even increased and integrated collaboration between pharmacist and physician with the patient benefiting the most. We believe this new contract will foster stronger relationships between family doctors and community pharmacies, leading to a more connected and patient-centered healthcare system. We are committed to working closely with our physician partners to leverage this new model for the benefit of our shared patients.
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