Refer a Patient to Apothecare

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Why we exist

You know better than anyone how hard it is for patients to access timely primary care right now. Preventive care gets deferred. Follow-up falls through the cracks. And conditions like hypertension, dyslipidemia, and early diabetes — silent by nature — progress quietly in the background.

We also know that when patients do get in to see you, the visit is rarely long enough to do everything: review all the medications, go through the labs, explain what each drug does and why, troubleshoot side effects, and still address whatever brought them in that day.

And that's before accounting for everything else a family physician is expected to carry. You are asked to stay current on guidelines across hundreds of conditions — cardiology, endocrinology, nephrology, respirology, and more — while managing full patient panels, complex documentation, and increasing administrative demands. No single provider should be expected to do all of that alone.

Apothecare was built to help with that.

We are not here to replace you or your relationship with your patient. We're here because pharmacists are often the most accessible provider in a patient's life and we want to use that access in a structured, clinically meaningful way. Most patients won't book an appointment specifically to talk about their cholesterol or their blood pressure medications. But they will come to us, and we can make that count.

We also work closely with specialists. Cardiologists, endocrinologists, and others frequently refer patients to Apothecare, not because a family physician isn't involved, but because they recognize the value of dedicated medication support between specialist visits. They understand the load family physicians carry, and they see Apothecare as a way to keep patients better supported without adding to your plate. Our role in those cases is the same: focused pharmacist-led care, with communication back to everyone on the team.

What we do

When you refer a patient to Apothecare, they receive a dedicated clinical appointment, not a prescription pickup, but a proper sit-down review. 

Depending on the referral reason, our pharmacists may:

• Review medications, labs, vitals, and relevant clinical history
• Assess for drug therapy problems, interactions, or adherence concerns
• Provide clear, practical patient education on medications and conditions
• Optimize therapy within pharmacist scope of practice
• Support lab monitoring and follow-up
• Address tolerability, affordability, and access barriers
• Identify gaps in preventive care, including vaccines, labs, and risk-factor monitoring
• Communicate assessments, management taken, recommendations and updates back to you
• Refer back promptly when physician assessment or escalation is needed

We see the patient holistically; not just the condition named in the referral. If they come to us for cholesterol management and we notice their blood pressure hasn't been checked recently or there's a potential drug interaction, we'll address it.

Patients who may benefit from referral

We commonly support patients with:

• Hypertension assessment and management
• Dyslipidemia, Lp(a), or cardiovascular risk reduction
• Diabetes, prediabetes, or vascular protection
• Heart failure medication optimization
• Atrial fibrillation and risk factor management
• MASLD or cardiometabolic risk management
• GLP-1 therapy assessment, initiation, education, and monitoring
• Polypharmacy or complex medication-related problems
• Medication side effects, intolerance, or therapeutic uncertainty
• Adherence concerns
• Preventive care gaps

How we work with you

We operate as an extension of the patients' care team. When we see a patient, we document our assessment and send you clinically relevant updates including any medication changes or recommendations, monitoring plans, follow-up timelines, and items we believe require your review or a specialist referral.

Our documentation typically includes:

• Reason for referral and clinical assessment
• Relevant medication history and lab values
• Any medication changes or recommendations made
• Monitoring plan and follow-up timeline
• Items flagged for physician or specialist review

When something falls outside pharmacist scope, we refer back clearly and promptly.

How to refer

Referrals can be sent by:

• Fax: 1-844-222-7023
• Phone: 403-993-6678
• Address: #1130, 324 58 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2H 0P1

When referring, it's helpful to include:

• Reason for referral and relevant diagnosis or clinical concern
• Relevant consult notes, if not available on Netcare

Once we receive the referral, we'll contact your patient directly to arrange an appointment and you'll receive a notice when they are booked for their first visit.