Shoppers Drug Mart is being called out for alleged sketchy billing practices

Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacies are facing censure for what some are calling unethical billing practices, which include random and unnecessary calls to patients that the brand then bills the Province for.

Pharmacy customers have vented online about the disruptive, out-of-the-blue calls, which are part of a medication review service called MedsCheck.

After a brief phone call, pharmacists can bill Ontario up to $75 — which is almost double the amount that most doctors in the province get for actually examining a patient in-person.

How can ordinary people refuse the spam “medication reviews”from Shoppers Drug Mart?

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As franchisees (technically termed “associate-owners” by Loblaw-owned Shoppers) come under the microscope for the practice, some are saying that they’ve been pressured by corporate to conduct more of these “consultations.”

Multiple former pharmacists at the chain told the CBC this week that due to this push, they conducted these calls with individuals that they wouldn’t have deemed in need of the service otherwise.

Some mentioned that locations have billing targets to reach, which were supposedly recently increased.

MedsCheck is intended for people on multiple medications that could have adverse interactions and/or side effects, and each call should last 20-30 minutes as the pharmacist and patient work together to explore potential alternatives if their medication isn’t working for them.

But lately, it seems customers are getting much quicker calls that they are likening to “spam.” And, they aren’t the only ones bemoaning the over-use of the service online.

“Every store in Ontario is using a special COVID exemption to perform MedsChecks on patients who are at home and have not solicited the service (we are cold calling people at home to be able to bill $60-75 to the government for a short conversation about their meds,” one person who claimed to be a Shoppers pharmacist said on Reddit earlier this month.

“This service is supposed to be performed only when a pharmacist deems it appropriate, not when the MBAs think it can be used to increase the dividend yield.”

That post, like others on the topic, has racked up hundreds of comments and finally prompted some discussion of what the company is doing.

Professional Services in Pharmacy has gotten out of hand

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But, a representative from Loblaw told blogTO that the notion that pharmacists are making these calls needlessly and in excess is “a completely inaccurate mischaracterization.”

“Given the challenges currently facing Canadians, including getting timely access to care from a doctor given 1 in 5 don’t have a doctor, one important way that pharmacists can make sure their patients have better health outcomes is through medication reviews,” a representative said, adding that in 40 per cent of cases, patients benefited from some sort of change to their prescription regimen after a call.

“Medication Reviews are offered at most pharmacies and are part of a continuity of care that enables the pharmacists to mark progress, catch and address emerging issues, and develop a deeper understanding of the patients’ healthcare needs. These interventions reduce the likelihood of adverse drug reactions, emergency visits and hospitalizations.”