Pharmacist-led walk-in clinic opens in Edmonton area

People in the Edmonton area now have another option when it comes to finding health care. A pharmacist led walk-in clinic opened it’s doors Friday to patients in Fort Saskatchewan.

“I think its wonderful, I think its going to help so many people,” said Sylvia Viczko, who was visiting the store.

Loblaws opened its first pharmacist-based clinic inside a Superstore in Lethbridge back  in June.

This one opened inside a Shoppers Drug Mart in Fort Saskatchewan’s West Park Plaza.

The clinic works similarly to any other walk-in clinic, except instead of seeing a doctor you speak with a pharmacist who assess your symptoms.

“That ranges from treating things like minor ailments — like if you have a bladder infection, you don’t want to be sitting in the emergency for a number of hours, save that spot for somebody who has a more complex issue — to things like managing your diseases like hypertension, high blood pressure, diabetes and stuff like that,” Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacist and owner, Rajan Bharadia said.

A pharmacist can only treat minor illnesses or injuries and anyone needing more serious medical care still needs to go to a hospital. Pharmacists are also able to prescribe and renew certain medications without the need of having to see a doctor.

“If you don’t have a regular doctor in Fort Saskatchewan you, cannot get into the walk-in clinics the same day or you have to go to Sherwood Park,” Viczko said.

It’s a much-needed alternative, Viczko said, for the city and surrounding communities.

“I have gone to emergency for something that I don’t feel is emergency care, but that’s the only option I have,” Viczko said.

The city’s mayor said she would like to see more open up.

‘We’re hearing from citizens all over the province that they can’t get in to see a doctor, the walk-in clinics are fully booked, go to emergency and they wait 10 hours. That’s not acceptable,” Mayor of Fort Saskatchewan Gale Katchur said.

“Even if it’s not something we can deal with under our scope of practice, what we can do is direct you where to go. Also, maybe communicate with your other health-care providers and that circle of care to help you get care quicker,” Bharadia said.

An option Bharadia said he’s happy to help provide, given the challenges facing our healthcare system.

‘I think that is fabulous, it’s long overdue,” Viczko said.