PAS Public Site

Pharyngitis & Ear Infections

Pharyngitis & Ear Infections

Pharyngitis and ear infection services initially launched on January 22, 2025 starting with 11 locations for pharyngitis and acute otitis media and 35 locations for just acute otitis media. Based on positive evaluation, the pilot was expanded and eventually became a permanent program. Including the assessment of acute otitis externa in addition to acute otitis media. The number of pharmacies in Saskatchewan offering these services will continue to expand with permanent funding outlined in the Pharmacy Proprietor’s Agreement.

More information can be found on our public webpage.

Operational Support:

  • Welcome package July 2026 – Key information on required equipment and supplies, training, infection prevention and control, etc.

Program Overview for Pharmacy Professionals

The following documents are intended to provide a general overview for all pharmacy professionals regarding the program.

A webinar was held on July 9, 2026 for all pharmacies to discuss the program. To view the recording please follow the link below (note: you may be required to register to view):

Downloadable Marketing Materials:

Billing Information:

Policies and billing information are available on the Saskatchewan Drug Plan website.

This also includes links to the secure website to access the Standard Operating Procedures for pharyngitis.

SCPP Policies:

SCPP has developed a playbook to help navigate the policies related to acute otitis media and pharyngitis services. This includes information on pharmacy requirements, pharmacy manager requirements, and pharmacist requirements.

Infection Prevention and Control Policies

Clinical Resources (SHIRP access required):
medSask guidelines for Sore Throat (Pharyngitis) and Ear Infection (Acute Otitis Media & Acute Otitis Externa) can be found here:

RxFiles has also developed a number of resources which can help support you in prescribing and providing patient education.

Note: to access the above webpages you will need to login through your SHIRP account.

Infection Prevention and Control Resources
– SHA Steps to Put On (Don) Personal Protective Equipment Video
– SHA Steps to Put On (Don) Personal Protective Equipment Poster
– SHA Steps to Take Off (Doff) Personal Protective Equipment Video
– SHA Steps to Take Off (Doff) Personal Protective Equipment Poster
– USask CPE Pharmacist PPE Patient Poster

Additional Webinars

• PAS ‘Antimicrobial Stewardship in Community Pharmacy’ YouTube Video
• medSask webpage with access to Antimicrobial Stewardship resources including the webinar with the Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacists

Medical Transportation coverage for POCT for clients with NIHB

As all pharmacies have been supporting patients in accessing care for pharyngitis and acute otitis media services across the province, we would like to provide some additional information that can help you in supporting your patients. For those pharmacies directly providing pharyngitis services, this information will be highly applicable. For all other pharmacies, you may wish to guide patients to access transportation services in order to receive care at a pharmacy providing pharyngitis services. The following information is being shared in collaboration with the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program:

The Non-Insured Health Benefits program provides coverage to clients for transportation to and from some medical appointments. One of the appointment types that may be covered are diagnostic tests. With the recent expanded scope of practice for pharmacists in Saskatchewan, the team at NIHB wanted to make pharmacies aware of this benefit. If a client visits a pharmacy to obtain POCT for Group A Streptococcus, they may qualify for reimbursement for the cost of their transportation.

To help determine eligibility, a pharmacist or pharmacy team member will be required to provide confirmation that a client has visited the pharmacy. This can be done in one of three ways:

1. Prior travel approval – Pharmacies may be contacted by community transportation coordinators prior to the client’s visit to the pharmacy. This is to confirm that the client has an upcoming appointment so the client may access medical transportation benefits for the trip and have limited out of pocket expenses.

2. Reimbursement – A client will provide the pharmacist with a Confirmation of Medical Attendance form. The pharmacist will sign the form to confirm the client visited the pharmacy and then the client’s travel expenses can be processed for reimbursement by the NIHB team.

3. Reimbursement – A community coordinator or the medical transportation call centre will contact the pharmacy after the client’s visit to the pharmacy to confirm the client was there. Once confirmed, NIHB will process reimbursement to the client for their travel expenses.

In all instances, the pharmacy team is only providing confirmation that the client visited the pharmacy to receive a diagnostic test. The Medical Transportation team will complete all reimbursements to the client.

Please note: this reimbursement is currently not eligible for clients visiting the pharmacy for acute otitis media, or other pharmacy services.

For more information, please refer to the NIHB policy framework (General Principles 1.1 & 1.3) : Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Medical Transportation Policy Framework for First Nations and Inuit (Interim)

General Principles 1.1

“Medical transportation benefits are funded in accordance with the policies set out in this framework to assist clients to access medically required health services that cannot be obtained on the reserve or in the community of residence and when access would otherwise be denied.”

General Principles 1.3

“Medical transportation benefits may be provided for clients to access the following types of medically necessary health services:
• diagnostic tests and medical treatments ordered by a physician or other health professional within their scope of practice and which are covered by provincial or territorial health plans”