So The Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada (NPAC) (formerly known as the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores or CACDS) has announced a new central theme focused on “transparency and collaboration in its ongoing relationships with the national and provincial pharmacy associations, governments, and private insurance payers”.
“This is an exciting and pivotal time…as we usher in a new era of transparency, member engagement, industry collaboration, and delivery on important but focused advocacy outcomes,” Justin Bates, Neighbourhood Pharmacies’ CEO, said in a statement.
Could anyone please translate what this last statement means? A new era of transparency? Does this mean up to now things were not so transparent?
This is another recent quotation from Justin Bates:
“As the scrutiny of pharmacy practice and business increases, it is critical that we enhance our capability to develop the highest degree of cohesion and unity, in order to earn the trust and respect for the association in the current Canadian healthcare environment.”
Huh?
When the organization formerly referred to itself as the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores (CACDS), membership was restricted to big chains, & the association’s name described exactly what it was…an organization dedicated to the interests of chains…the business of pharmacy which now controls 85% of pharmacy, and employs the majority of pharmacists in this country as retail employees with few rights, or control over their profession. Though if you look at the NPAC membership list today, all the pharmacy banners are included, which means individual pharmacy owners…not restricted to chain drug stores at all. So is this is more of a commercial/business association rather than a chain store association?
Perhaps this is why Shoppers Drug Mart left the CACDS a few years ago, citing their interests were already well served through the Federation of Independent Business… as I recollect. Anyhow NPAC is a real hybrid today.
Regardless of the name change or the composition of various associations like CPhA, NPAC or the OPA etc. power has shifted distinctively, and it now lies with the big players. Even the professional colleges (OCP etc.) won’t take on these big guys. The pharmacy associations have tilted markedly towards business owner interests, while the pharmacy faculties dutifully churn out more graduates (now Pharm Ds) every year to blindly serve those retail business interests. Little thought is given to the professional satisfaction levels that graduates may or may not enjoy in this new world of BPR.
As for government, at least the gates have now been largely closed to the flood of International Pharmacy Graduates (IPGs)… but the harm has already been done. A huge pharmacist oversupply is the reality today, with the consequence of compensation decreases of as much as 40% in many markets, and now even unemployment. In Toronto today a pharmacy technician working in a hospital may make the equivalent of a PharmD working as an employee in a retail pharmacy. Who would ever have believed that unemployment would be a problem for pharmacists today? Yet more and more graduates are thrown into the marketplace every year.
The pharmacy world has evolved in an unfortunate direction; the future now lies with a new breed of graduates who hopefully will not accept the status quo, and who will seek out and find ways to develop themselves and the pharmacy profession in the future. There is hope for the profession and this burden of hope lies with these fresh newly minted pharmacy pioneers
So, back to the question. Since when does a big box grocery pharmacy, or a mass merchandise discounter conjure up the image of a “neighbourhood” pharmacy? What is the real purpose of this rebranding exercise?
What do we now call a really independent pharmacy (few as they may be) situated in the heart of a residential community now owned and operated by an independent pharmacist? Are they all neighbourhood pharmacies… 100,000 sq.ft. mega stores and 1,000 sq. ft. dispensaries alike? Are they all dedicated to “focused patient outcomes”? I guess the message would be yes…if they are physically in your neigbourhood. I’m not so sure.
At the same time, what does “collaboration with associations, and governments” really mean? What are these “focused patient outcomes” which are referred to as being the new goal of the NPAC?
I thought the focus of retailing, especially big retailing, was to sell as much stuff as possible to every person that walks into these mega food/general merchandise/pharmacy retailers.
Changing one’s name and declaring a new mission statement may make good press, but it does not change the business strategy.
So back to “collaboration” … when the fox invites the rabbit to lunch, the rabbit first asks what’s on the menu.”
Crossing the Rubicon 
Bill – I hope you get lots of readers.
Frank
LikeLike
Congratulations Bill.
LikeLike
Hi Bill,
I strive to maintain an open mind, and have valued your opinions as just that – your opinions. You have provided some great food for thought through the CHN and I look forward to hearing more of what you say.
Best of luck with your blog!
LikeLike
Thanks Heather
I value both your compliments and your criticisms always. Opinions are always important and when there are enough of them sharing a common theme, opinions become a movement.
LikeLike
Congratulation to become “Independent” Blogger. You have not 10000 sq ft space but you can provide good thought through your 1000 sq ft independent store.
LikeLike
Thanks Dhar
Loud voices from small pedestals can still have an impact.
LikeLike
Congratulations on your new blog, Bill ! Loved reading your stuff over at CHN and I’ll be following you here. Your opinions and mine mesh very closely as regards the direction the profession has taken since I graduated in the 1970’s. I have watched with horror as “BPR” have slowly co-opted both the Profession and the Colleges and Associations. I was fortunate to have spent my career with an Independent pharmacy, first as an employee, then as an owner, and then as an employee again. To a certain extent I was always a master of my own destiny, but I am one of the “old guys” who has finally tired of the regulatory burden particularly and cashed in my chips. I feel nothing but sympathy for those young, bright-eyed graduates who have no idea what the will face in the real world. Keep fighting the good fight, Bill !
LikeLike
Many thanks Randall
I agree with you. My greatest concerns are for the new grads who have invested so much, not only money, but energy & enthusiasm, only to be swallowed up by a vortex of business interests.
I will keep on talking about it.
LikeLike
As a new working graduate, I’ve already seen firsthand the impact and power BCP has and it saddens me. I appreciate that you have stepped out to voice your opinion and open the minds of individuals such as myself, to what we should and shouldn’t tolerate. I hope us new grads will stick together and voice our opinions, so our profession and ability to provide adequate patient care isn’t corrupted any further.
LikeLike
Hi Newgrad,
You may be interested in the three links below. The first and third are blogs I wrote about a year ago, but he middle one represents the comments of the dean of the University of Waterloo. The three pieces together are very telling.
Do not get disheartened, you are young enough to strike a new path and carve your own destiny, But do wait too long; it’s incredible how quickly time flies and the opportunity becomes lost,
http://www.canadianhealthcarenetwork.ca/pharmacists/discussions/blogs/crossing-the-rubicon/how-academia-fails-to-prepare-new-pharmacists-for-the-real-world-31462
http://www.canadianhealthcarenetwork.ca/pharmacists/discussions/commentary/letter-pharmacy-education-in-canada-31537
http://www.canadianhealthcarenetwork.ca/pharmacists/discussions/blogs/crossing-the-rubicon/welcome-to-the-real-world-35215
________________________________________
D
LikeLike
Good work Bill. Your thoughts ( as controversial as they may seem to some, need to be voiced. What you are saying about the profession seems obvious. My suggestion would be to make the students aware of your blog( in all faculties). At least they will become aware of the isssues as they prepare for their career. The other day I was reading an article when ask a survey question” if you knew how pharmacists were allowed to practice would you have gone into pharmacy.” answer …absolutely not!….Making students aware of what situations exist in the real world may have a down stream effect.
Good luck with your new blog
LikeLike
Garry
You will remember that I actually wrote about this subject about a year ago or so only to be attacked by the dean of Waterloo University as “misinformed”. My Blog addressed the matter of how academia failed to prepare graduates for the realities of the marketplace. The dean interpreted my words as “academically prepared). He missed the point.
I wish I knew how to get a student list. Right now I rely on a few students who pass my stuff along. I believe what academia is doing today by not informing students of what they may be facing is borderline misrepresentation.
LikeLike
Bill, CAPSI represents all students across Canada. I suggest if you contact the President and introduce your Blog to him/Her.
LikeLike
Bill:
Congratulations and best wishes moving forward!
As for students, this might be an additional resource: the OCP public register. If you go to their website and choose the “find a pharmacist” (top right) icon, you can then expand the search options and click on “student”, then “search”. That will give you a list of all registered students (some 1,567 of them): http://members.ocpinfo.com/tcpr/public/pr/en/#/forms/new/?table=0x800000000000003D&form=0x800000000000002C&command=0x80000000000007C5&donotreload=ShowSRL1
The general search window is: http://members.ocpinfo.com/tcpr/public/pr/en/#/forms/new/?table=0x800000000000003D&form=0x800000000000002C&command=0x80000000000007C5
LikeLike
Thanks Kim. I will do some research on this.
LikeLike