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.

COMMON & MINOR AILMENTS THAT PHARMACISTS CAN ASSESS & PRESCRIBE FOR:

GASTROINTESTINAL/DIGESTIVE TRACT

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

INFECTIONS

• Bladder Infections (Uncomplicated urinary tract infection)
• Shingles
• Strep Throat (pilot in 24 CPPCC project sites only)
• Vaginal yeast infection
• Fungal infections of the skin
• Impetigo
• Lyme disease prevention after black legged tick bite
• Eye Infection/conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• Ear infection
• Sinus infection (bacterial) 

HEAD/ NOSE/ THROAT

• Allergy Symptoms including the eyes and nose (allergic rhinitis)
• Cold sores
• Headache (mild)
• Oral Thrush
• Oral Ulcers
• Sore Throat

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

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

SKIN CONDITIONS

• Acne (mild)
• Contact Allergic Dermatitis
• Eczema (mild to moderate)
• Fungal Infections of the Skin
• Hives (mild)
• Impetigo

OTHER

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

The pharmacist will have a detailed discussion with you to assess your ailment. They will ask what medical conditions you have, what medications you take, what kind of symptoms you are having, and how long have you had them. The pharmacist will then recommend an over-the-counter medication or a prescription medication. If a medication is prescribed during the assessment, the pharmacist will write a prescription. If the pharmacist believes your condition is more serious, they will refer you to your primary care provider.

A notification of any medications prescribed or test results will be sent to your physician or NP.  If you do not have one following your care, records are available to patients and available on the pharmacy file for 10 years.

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.

A notification of any medications prescribed or test results will be sent to your physician or NP.  If you do not have one following your care, records are available to patients and available on the pharmacy file for 10 years.

This service is free with a valid Nova Scotia Health Card at all pharmacies. Contact your local pharmacy to ask if they have appointments available.

Click Here to book an appointment at a 

This service is available for those patients who meet the guidelines of having an uncomplicated UTI and therefore do not require additional testing. For example, to be an uncomplicated infection, the patient must have:

• a vagina (with no past genital surgery) who are post pubertal (have had your first period) AND
• had an uncomplicated UTI in the past that was diagnosed by a physician or nurse practitioner

Symptoms of an uncomplicated UTI include:

• pain, discomfort, burning sensation when urinating
• frequent urination
• a feeling of urgency to urinate
• discomfort or pain in the lower abdomen or pelvic region

There are cases where a UTI is considered complicated and those patients must seek care from another provider to order a urine sample and/or provide other assessment. Examples of when to see a non-pharmacist provider include:

• Patients with additional symptoms such as fever (>38°C), flank/back pain, nausea/vomiting, chills, significant bleeding
• Patients with vaginal discharge or vaginal itching
• Patients who have been treated for a UTI in the past 30 days
• Patients who have already been treated for a UTI 2 times in the past 6 months or 3 times in the past year
• Patients who are pregnant
• Patients with indwelling catheters/difficulty urinating/chronic kidney issues/bladder obstruction
• Patients who have uncontrolled diabetes
• Patients who have had a recent procedure on the urinary or reproductive organs
• Patients who take medications/conditions that cause immunosuppression

If you have any of these criteria, please seek care from another provider who can provide the proper assessment and order the recommended test.

Medication & Mental Illness Assessments (Bloom Program)

Your pharmacist can help you with your mental health/addiction diagnoses in many ways including managing medication-related issues and provide one-on-one care. Patients must have been diagnosed with one or more mental health or addiction diagnoses and have a medication problem that they would like to work on with their pharmacist.  Click here to learn more about the Bloom Program and click here to find a site near you. 

Nicotine Dependence

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.

Take Home Naloxone Kits & Training

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.

Injections pharmacy professionals can administer*:

• Opioid Addiction Treatment
• Anti-psychotic medications
• Other (please ask)

*Prescription from another provider may be required for some injectable medications.  The pharmacist will conduct an assessment before each injection to ensure it is safe/suitable to administer.  Not all pharmacies provide this service, call your pharmacy to inquire. 

Pharmacists participating in the Community Pharmacy Primary Care Clinic Project can assess patients age 3 and over who have a sore ear(s).   These pharmacists can assess for both acute otitis externa “swimmer’s ear” and acute otitis media “ear infection”.  The pharmacist will ask questions about medical history, signs, and symptoms that the patient is experiencing and check inside the ears using an otoscope.  If the patient has signs of an acute bacterial infection a second device may be used to further support the diagnosis.

Patients that are excluded from this assessment in the clinic are those who have had ear tubes/previous ear surgery, those taking immunosuppressive medications/conditions, those with malignancy, those with recurrent acute otitis media (> 3 episodes in 6 months of >4-6 episodes in 12 months), those with persistent hearing loss (3-4 weeks following resolution of infection) or speech developmental concerns, those with chronic tympanic membrane perforation (>12 weeks) or those with pre-existing comorbidities (children with significant hear/lung/renal/liver/neuromuscular disease, cystic fibrosis or immunosuppression).

Depending on the signs/symptoms and the ear exam, patients might be instructed to watch-and-wait to see patients symptoms improve over 24-48 hours, patients might be given an antibiotic and pain management if it looks like a bacterial infection, or patients may be given recommendations on pain management if it appears to be a viral infection. In all recommendations, patients will be given signs/symptoms to monitor, follow up details or instructions on when to see another health care provider if necessary.