Lunch break symposium supported by Abbott
Chair(s)
Mr Sherif Guorgui, President Executive Committee, FIP Community Pharmacy Section, Canada
Introduction:
Point-of-care testing (POCT) brings clinically useful results into the patient encounter, creating an opportunity for pharmacists to recognize risk, explain findings, and initiate the next step before the patient leaves. However, a result alone does not change an outcome. This session examines the care model required around POCT: appropriate patient selection, trained teams, clinical interpretation, standardized workflows, quality assurance, referral and escalation, documentation, follow-up, and continuous improvement.
Mohamed Elsabakhawi will draw on a multi-site community pharmacy program across four pharmacy locations in Mississauga, Canada, which assessed over 8,000 unique patients. The program identified a substantial burden of previously unrecognized cardiometabolic risk: the majority of patients had at least one clinically relevant out-of-range finding, and over 50 patients with critically elevated blood pressure were referred for urgent assessment. Patient journeys will show how real-time HbA1c and lipid results supported triage and longitudinal monitoring through medical treatment, lifestyle change, nutrition support, and follow-up.
The patient journey is organized around a model of Triage, Monitor, and Support. Examples of enabling technologies will be presented in the context of the clinical decisions and care pathways they support. The session will also introduce an implementation ladder, ranging from measuring and educating through collaborative management and test-and-treat where local authority permits.
The session will show how the model can be adapted to local disease burden, pharmacist scope, regulation, funding, digital infrastructure, culture, and referral pathways. Attendees will leave with a practical understanding of how POCT can become part of an accessible, evidence-informed model for earlier detection, disease prevention, and continuity of care.
Speaker:
Mr Mohamed Elsabakhawi, Shoppers Drug Mart, Canada
Programme:
| 13:00 – 13:05 | Welcome, speaker introduction, and sponsor disclosure by the chairperson |
| 13:05 – 13:12 | Opening patient story and introduction to point-of-care testing (Version 2026) |
| 13:12 – 13:22 | Triage, monitor, and support; Enabling technologies; and the Pharmacy care loop |
| 13:22 – 13:37 | Real-world outcomes from over 8,000 unique patients and selected patient journeys |
| 13:37 – 13:45 | Prevention, resource stewardship, and adaptation across healthcare systems |
| 13:45 – 14:00 | Moderated questions and discussion |
Explain how point-of-care testing can support real-time triage, monitoring, patient education, referral, and follow-up in community pharmacy.
2. Evaluate real-world outcomes from a four-pharmacy program involving 8,000 unique patients and identify the care processes behind those outcomes.
3. Describe how pharmacist-led point-of-care testing can be adapted across jurisdictions with different scopes, funding models, infrastructure, and referral pathways.
Take home messages:
Point-of-care technology produces real-time results, and a care model turns results into action. Pharmacists can triage, monitor, educate, refer, support treatment, and reconnect with patients. The Canadian experience demonstrates a scalable framework that can be adapted in other setting as to local scope, funding, infrastructure, and referral pathways.
