PharmaChoice Canada has signed an agreement to include Pathway Health’s Medical Cannabis Management System (MCMS) into more than 900 of its independent pharmacies across Canada. 

The joint initiative has two components. The first consists of Pathway providing an accredited continuing education course to train pharmacists in patient assessments and current prescription reviews for contraindications. The second initiative involves implementing Pathway's MCMS in PharmaChoice's pharmacies. 

Will provide access points for medical cannabis care 

MCMS was designed to be used in retail pharmacies with the goals of providing access points for medical cannabis care and enabling pharmacists to offer medical cannabis assessments to pharmacy patients. Under MCMS, patients are then connected to a Pathway physician or nurse practitioner for further evaluation through physical or virtual care. 

Alternatively, MCMS lets pharmacies connect patients through their own affiliated physicians. The system has also been designed to be integrated into a formal medication review for the pharmacist. 

Offers patient assessment tools  

MCMS offers patient assessment tools for the pharmacist including consent forms, marketing material, back-end patient communication, standard operating procedures and additional continuing education opportunities.

"We believe it is essential for Canadians to have access to support from experienced health-care professionals to help them navigate medical cannabis safely and effectively," said Curtis Chafe, director of Pharmacy Services at PharmaChoice Canada.