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Pharmacist Interventions Improving Care for People with Diabetes
New Sustainable Solutions Report shows how pharmacist interventions support diabetes manag...
About this update from Serrano Resources Ltd.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\nNew Sustainable Solutions Report shows how pharmacist interventions support diabetes management and improve health outcomes\n\n\n\nTORONTO, March 24, 2015 /CNW/ - As part of Pharmacist Awareness Month, Shoppers Drug Mart and Great-West Life are releasing a new report that demonstrates how pharmacist interventions in diabetes management can make a real impact and improve people's health.\n\nThe Sustainable Solutions Report: Pharmacist Interventions in Diabetes, released today, shows how pharmacists were able to support diabetes management and influence improvements in health outcomes for participants in a research study, and illustrates how these same benefits could be expanded for all Canadians living with diabetes.\n\nDiabetes Support Program resultsUsing the results of a five-minute finger prick blood test (an A1C test), Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacists provided participating Great-West Life plan members with appropriate lifestyle counselling, medication recommendations and, where necessary, physician referrals.  For those patients who returned for a second test, the study found that:\n\n\nThe number of patients who reached their target tripled after the first intervention with a Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacist; \nApproximately half of all patients with a follow-up appointment had a clinically significant reduction in their blood sugar levels; \nPatients who met their target increased fourfold after the pharmacist consulted with their physician; and \nOf patients who were not initially at target and received a therapy change, half successfully reached target by their follow-up appointment.\nMonitoring average blood sugar levels through pharmacist-administered A1C testing can provide important information to assist with optimal diabetes management.  This report also includes supporting research where Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacists provided patients with a range of interventions that escalated depending on the severity of the A1C test results.  These interventions included discussions on diet, nutrition, exercise and insulin if applicable, adjusting their medication, follow-up appointments or physician referrals.\n\nWhy diabetes?These results are significant because diabetes rates in Canada are rising fast, impacting not only the health of Canadians, but also placing greater costs and strain on our healthcare syst...