Our pharmacist Greg has specialty training in Palliative Care Management from the Victoria Hospice Society. He has collaborated with the Physician acting as Medical Director for Moog and Friends Hospice House as well as Moog's Social Workers, Coordinator of Palliative Care Services and Nurses from Home Care Nursing to devise a system to allow access to medications for Palliative Care Patients. This system ensures the immediate availability of medications crucial to the care of Palliative patients on a 24 hours a day and 7 days a week basis.

Skaha Pharmacy provides medications in a locked Medication Box to which Home Care nurses have a combination. When patients are admitted to the Palliative Care Program, the necessary paperwork and documentation is completed and stays in the Medication Box. The medications are routinely checked for expiry dates by the Pharmacy Staff and/or the Home Care Nursing Staff. Any outdated medications are replaced at no-charge by Skaha Pharmacy.

This emergency medication box has given our Homecare Nurses and Family Physicians another tool that they can use to help Palliative Care Patients remain stable at home for longer periods of time, or even to stay at home to die if that is their wish. We are lucky to have the infrastructure here in Penticton - including the great Homecare Nursing Team and the Moog and Friends Hospice House Team - to support these patients and their families at home during these difficult times. Skaha Pharmacy is proud to participate in this important Health Team that continues to provide excellent service to our community.