MedsCheck · A free annual review
Twenty to thirty unhurried minutes about your medications.
Murray Shore Pharmacy offers MedsCheck reviews in North York: a free, private, sit-down conversation with a pharmacist, funded by Ontario, that goes through everything you take and why. If you manage several medications, or you help a parent who does, it is often the only time anyone reviews the whole list in one sitting.
What a MedsCheck actually is
It is not a transaction at the counter. It is an appointment, around 20 to 30 minutes, once each year, where you and the pharmacist sit down with everything you take and go through it together. What each medication is for. How they interact with each other and with the over-the-counter things you take alongside them. What has quietly stopped making sense since the last time anyone looked at the whole list.
You leave with answers you can repeat in your own words, and with an up-to-date medication record. Ontario suggests bringing that record to your doctor and to any hospital visit, so the next person treating you starts from the truth instead of from memory.
Do you qualify?
Ontario funds a MedsCheck once a year when either of these is true:
- You take three or more prescription medications for an ongoing, chronic condition, or
- You have been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, even if you are not taking diabetes medication.
Helping a parent? The same rules apply to them, and you are welcome in the room. Not sure whether you fit? Call 416-789-1800 and we will tell you in two minutes.
What to bring
- Everything you take, or a list of it All your prescription medications, or a written list if carrying them is a nuisance.
- The non-prescription things too Vitamins, supplements and herbal remedies count. They are part of the picture, so they belong in the conversation.
- Your valid OHIP card Ontario asks for a valid OHIP card, though it is not required if you live in a long-term care home.
MedsCheck questions
Does a MedsCheck cost anything?
No. It is a free meeting with your pharmacist, funded by the Province of Ontario for eligible patients. You will not be handed a bill afterwards.
How long does it take, and how often can I have one?
Plan for roughly 20 to 30 minutes, once each year. Ontario also allows follow-up appointments for some patients, depending on need and program criteria, so if things change mid-year, ask us.
How do I book one?
Call 416-789-1800 or mention it at the counter. The appointment is arranged between you and the pharmacist directly, and we will pick a time when we can sit down without rushing.
What do I actually get out of it?
A clear conversation about every medication you take, why you take it, and how they fit together, plus an up-to-date medication record. Ontario suggests bringing that record with you to doctor and hospital visits, and families tell us that alone is worth the half hour.
I cannot easily get to the pharmacy. Is there anything for me?
Ontario runs a MedsCheck at Home program for patients taking three or more chronic prescription medications who cannot make it to a pharmacy. Call 416-789-1800 and we will talk through whether a home visit can be arranged for your situation.
Can my son or daughter sit in on the review?
Yes, with your permission, and it is often a good idea. A caregiver who hears the conversation first-hand can help keep things on track at home, and can ask the questions you might not think of in the moment.
Is a MedsCheck the same as blister packs?
No, and the difference matters. A MedsCheck is a once-a-year conversation that makes sense of your medications. Blister packs are a weekly packaging service that organizes every dose by day and time. Many patients use both: the review to understand the plan, the packs to live it.
Program details on this page were checked against Ontario’s take your medication safely page (opens in a new tab) and Ontario’s professional pharmacy services page (opens in a new tab). Call 416-789-1800 to confirm eligibility for your own situation.
Your pharmacist is one call away.
416-789-1800 Call nowPrefer not to call? Email info@murrayshore.com or visit us at Bathurst & Baycrest.