WSIB Drug Benefit Program Our WSIB Drug Benefit Program pays the cost for medication prescribed by physicians for work-related injury or illness. Through this program, we provide medications to treat workplace-related conditions for more than 55,000 Ontario workers each year. The program also has an automated online approval and billing system that allows Ontario pharmacies to obtain authorization for worker's prescriptions and to bill us directly through the system. New Partnership In 2005 we created a new partnership with the Leslie L. Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, to improve our WSIB Drug Benefit Program. This partnership will continue to provide services on issues requiring pharmacy-related expertise, previously provided by Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre. It includes two key aspects: formulary management and research and educational initiatives. Review of the formularies The partnership's goal of reviewing the contents of the formularies is underway. The purpose of the review is to improve efficiency in the administration of the Drug Benefit Program, based on five guiding principles: Efficacy in treating the injury/illness Therapeutic uniqueness and the availability of alternatives Safety Interchangeability within its drug class Cost-effectiveness Future plans include revising the contents of each of the current injury-/illness-specific formularies, and the possible addition to or modification of formularies currently in use. Following an impact analysis, we will implement revisions in an incremental manner that ensures the quality of care for workers receiving health benefits from WSIB is not compromised. Retrospective drug utilization analysis To more easily identify opportunities for further improvement and for potential practice-based research, we engaged the Medical Outcomes and Research in Economics (MORE) Group. The MORE Research Group performed a retrospective drug utilization analysis of medications workers received through the WSIB Drug Benefit Program for the years 1997 through 2005. This provides an update of the drug utilization studies previously done for this population by the Health Outcomes and PharmacoEconomics (HOPE) Research Centre. Based on results that will be presented by MORE in 2006, several specific, targeted interventions will be designed. These strategies will add to the interventions previously recommended by HOPE which included decreasing the long-term use of ketorolac, a highly gastrotoxic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent (NSAID) indicated for short-term use only and increasing the use of generic substitution. Rational drug use and fiscal accountability go hand in hand with providing quality care to the workers of Ontario. These initiatives, have been designed to advance these goals. Regular communication Communication with treating physicians and relevant colleges and associations is of great importance, and we will make every effort to ensure this is provided on a regular basis. If you have any comments please feel free to contact Dr. Michel Schofield Acting Director, Clinical Services Branch Health Services Division, WSIB (416) 344-3001 Fax: (416) 344-5678 E-mail:michel_schofield@wsib.on.ca Please note: Dr. Schofield cannot respond to any e-mails from non-health care practitioners.