Hospital pharmacy in Canada

The status of Canadian hospital pharmacy and the impact of national hospital insurance on its development are discussed. The provision of health care services for Canadians is shared by the federal and provincial governments. The federal government enacts protective and regulatory legislation, compiles health statistics, promotes research, and provides direct health care for those citizens for whom it is directly responsible. Each province is responsible for hospitals, the education and training of health care professionals, public health, and the financing and administration of health insurance for all its citizens. Largely because of line-item budget allocations and a bureaucratic tendency to equalize services for the whole population, funds for existing pharmaceutical services have been assured but the introduction of upgraded or innovative programs has been difficult to achieve. The result has been an even quality of health care services, including pharmacy, throughout the country and a deficiency in clinical pharmacy programs and the trained personnel to run them. The last decade has brought advances, however, as allocation methods have changed and both hospital and insurance administrators have recognized the patient benefits and cost effectiveness of many of the newer pharmacy programs. The main challenges facing Canadian hospital pharmacy are to upgrade clinical services and education and to improve managerial and bureaucratic competence among department directors.