The Ontario Pharmacists Association Partners with MedEssist Ltd. to Offer Pharmacies Tools for Managing COVID-19 Vaccinations

TORONTO, March 11, 2021 /CNW/ - The Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) is pleased to announce a partnership agreement with MedEssist Ltd. to offer a digital health solution that will enable community pharmacies across Ontario to meet the immediate demand for COVID-19 vaccinations. The collaboration is part of a broader plan to enable the future of Pharmacy Health Hubs.

Together, OPA and MedEssist will endorse and market the effective patient-first, digital health solution which will be available for purchase by pharmacies. The solution is a web-based tool that can also be accessed on mobile. As Canada's first and only inventory-based, patient-triaging platform for pharmacies, MedEssist's system is designed to enable pharmacies to operate more efficiently and provide exceptional patient care while minimizing vaccine wastage. MedEssist's innovative system has helped pharmacies across Canada to successfully manage a record-breaking flu vaccination campaign in 2020.

"The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present opportunities to enhance how pharmacy professionals provide care to patients," says Lilliette Davidson, Vice President, Business Management & Development with the Ontario Pharmacists Association. Empowering pharmacies to operate more efficiently while minimizing wastage is the focus of this tool. "It is important for OPA to align with a technology partner who supports the immediate needs of pharmacies when managing patients especially for administering the COVID-19 vaccine."

MedEssist's unique workflow designs prevent overbookings and vaccine wastage. An inventory-based model enables pharmacies to seamlessly triage and schedule patients for COVID-19 vaccines (including second-dose appointments). The comprehensive solution accounts for every step of this vaccine rollout, pre-registration, scheduling, documentation, automated appointment reminders, and COVID-19 screening. Diversity and inclusion are important values of OPA. MedEssist's multilingual platform enables pharmacists to manage a variety of patients, including senior patients with limited access to technology.

"I've been an OPA member for over 10 years and I am so excited to work side-by-side with OPA to push the boundaries for what community pharmacies are able to accomplish together." Michael Do, Co-Founder of MedEssist and a Registered Pharmacist in Ontario.

Over the next few months and into 2022, OPA will announce new clinical services and expand upon providing pharmacies with a reliable digital infrastructure to help provide a bigger role in daily patient care.

About OPA

The Ontario Pharmacists Association is committed to evolving the pharmacy profession and advocating for excellence in practice and patient care. With more than 10,000 members, OPA is Canada's largest advocacy organization, professional development and drug information provider for pharmacy professionals across Ontario. By leveraging the unique expertise of pharmacy professionals, enabling them to practise to their fullest potential, and making them more accessible to patients, OPA is working to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the healthcare system. The pharmacy sector plays a strong role in Ontario with an economic impact of more than $6.3 billion across 4,600 pharmacies, employing 60,000 Ontarians. Visit: https://www.opatoday.com.

About MedEssist

MedEssist is a Toronto-based healthcare company that helps community pharmacies manage and coordinate medication refills, vaccinations, COVID-19 testing, and other healthcare services. MedEssist turns pharmacies into proactive healthcare hubs for their communities. By modernizing these pharmacies, MedEssist is changing how large-scale health initiatives such as COVID-19 vaccinations can be adapted to meet the requirements of local communities.

MedEssist's core mission is to improve the everyday health of patients by empowering them to access, understand, and manage their health through technology. MedEssist has been relied on since 2018 across Ontario for patient-centric services through supporting community pharmacies.

Please visit the website at www.medessist.ca and use the chat feature to get in touch with the team.

SOURCE Ontario Pharmacists Association