Bayshore Specialty Rx provides specialty pharmacy, infusion clinics, and patient support services for clients such as government programs and pharmaceutical companies. They aim to improve patient care through integrated home and community services. Diabetes is a serious health issue affecting many Canadians. There are two main types of diabetes - type 1 is caused by insufficient insulin production while type 2 can sometimes be prevented through lifestyle changes but is on the rise globally. Bayshore Specialty Rx is expanding its diabetes education and management services by partnering with pharmaceutical companies on programs and recently won contracts to be the sole provider of infusion equipment and supplies for two Ontario community care organizations.

1. specialty pharmacy
MARCH 2011
infusion clinics
patient support services
Confluence
Bayshore Specialty Rx Newsletter
Taking a proactive approach to diabetes education and management
Type 1 diabetes, often diagnosed
during childhood or adolescence, is not Bayshore Specialty Rx offers a wide
COMPANY OVERVIEW
preventable. People who have type 1 range of specialty pharmacy, infusion
diabetes must manage the condition by and patient support services to clients
taking insulin regularly. There are many such as government care programs,
types of insulin, and it is available in pharmaceutical companies and other
syringes, pumps and pens. health care organizations. Our goal is
The vast majority of people with to improve patient care through an
diabetes have type 2, in which the pancreas integrated approach to home and
doesn’t make enough insulin, or the body community infusion services. We are
a division of Bayshore HealthCare,
may not be using insulin properly. Unlike
Canada's largest provider of home
type 1 diabetes, type 2 can be prevented
and community health services.
or delayed through interventions such as
being physically active, maintaining a Specialty Pharmacy
healthy weight and choosing nutritious Our state-of-the art pharmacy
foods. However, the disease is on the rise specializes in the preparation,
around the world, as the population ages storage and delivery of infusion,
injection and specialty medications
Diabetes is one of the most serious and becomes increasingly sedentary, and
used in areas such as anti-infection
health issues facing Canadians today. obesity rates creep higher.
therapy, chemotherapy and TPN
According to the Canadian Diabetes (total parenteral nutrition). We also
Association, nine million Canadians ˗ distribute infusion equipment and
or about one in four people ˗ are already Diabetes causes over supplies and provide support
living with this disease or its precursor, services in this area.
a condition called prediabetes (in which
40,000 deaths per year
Infusion Clinics
blood sugar is elevated, but not high
Our national network of over 25
enough for a diabetes diagnosis). People of Asian, Aboriginal, Hispanic,
community care clinics offers an
Research shows that the prevalence African or South Asian descent are at alternative to the hospital setting for
of diabetes is on the rise. higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Other people who require infusion or
There are two forms of diabetes. risk factors include high blood pressure; injection of specialized medications.
About 10 per cent of cases are type 1, having an immediate family member
which is caused by the insufficient who has diabetes; impaired glucose Patient Support Services
We assist pharmaceutical companies
production of insulin, a hormone created tolerance; and having high levels of
and health care organizations through
in the pancreas. The body needs insulin cholesterol or fats in the blood. The
services that include specialty
to produce glucose (sugar) from foods Canadian Diabetes Association reports nursing, clinical consultants, case
and control blood sugar. Without insulin, that diabetes is a contributing factor in management, reimbursement
sugar can build up in the blood to harmful the deaths of about 41,500 Canadians services, home infusions, injection
levels, and this can contribute to serious annually, and adults who have diabetes training, clinical trials support, a
health problems including heart disease, are twice as likely to die prematurely clinical programs call centre, and drug
stroke, kidney disease and blindness. than people without the disease. warehousing and distribution.
(continued on back page)
Bayshore Specialty Rx, 2155 Dunwin Drive, Unit 10, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 4M1
2093545

2. Diabetes education and Bayshore Specialty Rx
management (continued) wins contracts with
two Ontario CCACs
partnered with a pharmaceutical company
to provide education in diabetes Bayshore Specialty Rx recently won a
management, and is planning additional two-year contract (with renewal option)
programs over the next few years.
to be the sole provider of infusion
“We’re expanding our diabetic
equipment and supplies for Ontario’s
expertise and the services we offer to
Central East Community Care Access
clients with diabetes,” says Suzanne
Centre (CCAC), which serves a large area
Nagy, Director of Pharmaceutical
Services at Bayshore Specialty Rx. that includes Campbellford, Haliburton,
“This year, we’re developing support Lindsay, Peterborough, Port Hope,
services for DECs across the country.” Scarborough and Whitby. Bayshore
Bayshore also recently became a part will provide syringes, intravenous bags,
owner of Diabetes Express, a company tubing, pumps and poles.
in Mississauga, Ont., that offers diabetic The contract begins in April, and the
supplies such as insulin pumps and company is hiring staff to accommodate
There is also a staggering financial blood-sugar testing strips, online to the growth in business.
cost to this disease. A person living with diabetic patients (diabetesexpress.ca). “We’re pleased to offer care to people
diabetes may spend up to $15,000 per With Bayshore’s assistance, the company in their communities, so they don’t have
year on medication and supplies. It’s plans to increase client support and to stay at or return to the hospital,” says
estimated that in a decade, diabetes share its diabetes expertise through Janet Daglish, Bayshore’s Director of
will cost our health care system nearly patient education (such as workshops on Community Partnerships.
$17 billion a year. insulin pumps), explains Jean LeBlanc,
Bayshore Specialty Rx, in partnership
Health care providers are taking Director of Sales and Marketing, who
with Canada Care Medical, has also
measures to educate their patients and founded the company in 2005. Diabetes
been awarded a contract with Ontario’s
the public about the impact of type 2 Express has the potential to reach many
diabetes and what they can do to lower Central CCAC to provide 50 per cent
people through Bayshore’s national
their risk, especially lifestyle changes such network of branches. of infusion supplies, equipment and
as exercising more and losing weight. As research on the impact of diabetes medication to clients in northern
People who are at high risk or have in Canada continues, many health care Toronto and York Region.
been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes professionals are taking steps to combat
can benefit from the support of Diabetes what is already being called an epidemic.
Education Centres (DEC), which are “We’re committed to helping people
Specialty Rx pharmacy
located in hospitals and community manage chronic disease,” says Nagy. has been investing in
health centres across Canada. DECs offer “Diabetes is a major issue in Canada,
classes on topics such as meal planning, and patient education is an essential
people, technology and
understanding food labels and managing part of effective disease management.” warehouse systems.
stress. Educators also cover aspects of
diabetes management, including how to For more information, please contact “We are very excited about continuing
monitor blood glucose, preventing snagy@bayshore.ca and expanding our services to meet the
complications and foot care.
needs of Central East CCAC and its
Other organizations are also helping References:
clients, as well as being selected as a new
to raise diabetes awareness. Bayshore http://www.diabetes.ca
provider for Central CCAC,” says Bill
Specialty Rx has several nurses who are http://eatrightOntario.ca
certified diabetes educators. It has also Perks, Director of Pharmacy for Bayshore
http://tndms.ca
Specialty Rx. “We are well-prepared to
meet both CCACs’ needs. Over the past
several years we’ve made ongoing
investments in people, pharmacy
INFUSION CLINICS OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE technology and warehouse systems.”
TO HOSPITAL SETTING For more information, please contact
Bayshore Specialty Rx operates over 25 infusion clinics across the country that offer a jdaglish@bayshore.ca or
comfortable environment and alternative to the traditional hospital setting for individuals who bperks@bayshore.ca
require infusion or injection of specialized medications.
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about any of the services mentioned in this newsletter, please contact
Bill Perks at bperks@bayshore.ca (specialty pharmacy) or Suzanne Nagy at
snagy@bayshore.ca (infusion clinics and client support services).
Confluence is published by Bayshore Specialty Rx for the information of its clients and referral sources. For more
information about this newsletter or to submit story ideas, please contact Mary Mamak at 1-800-668-9490, Ext. 339 or
mmamak@bayshore.ca.