A new pilot project from the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance sees pharmacy techs making follow-up appointments with discharged patients in their homes.

Pharmacy technicians first started visiting patients who have recently left hospital since October 1. There they go through medication lists with them and insure all the correct meds are being taken, while disposing of expired or unneeded medication.

Director of Pharmacy Nancy Kay says they’re focusing on medically-complex individuals to start. “Somebody with lung disease, heart problems, our seniors who are taking lots of medication,” says Kay. “And any kind of cognitive impairments: if they’re deaf, if they’re blind, if they’re just struggling to understand.” Kay adds two technicians are handling these appointments, and the pharmacy usually gets to around ten patients in a day.

Connie Newman is one of those pharmacy techs. She says it’s rewarding to step outside the pharmacy and interact with patients. “In the hospital we’re used to being down and preparing medications, and we don’t have that patient interaction normally. But this is just the next step where we actually see the difference that we’re making.”

The CKHA received $195,000 from the Ontario government to fund the project.