The federal government is supporting a University of Saskatchewan pilot project aimed at helping reduce opioid use and to improve the health of those battling chronic pain.

The three-year pilot will see doctors and nurses refer patients to pharmacists who will then create personalized pain management plans to ensure that every patient with chronic pain has a plan that is effective for them.

Derek Jorgenson, a U of S pharmacy researcher will lead the team of researchers during the pilot.

He says the program will utilize pharmacists who are currently looking for more opportunities and more responsibility in patient care to take the lead in managing patients’ medications with chronic pain.

Jim Carr, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative to the Prairies believes that once the pilot is complete, the new model will gain traction across the country.

During the announcement Tuesday afternoon, Carr mentioned that in 2018, more than 4300 Canadians died from unintentional opioid-related overdoses.

Janet Gunderson who has been suffering from chronic pain since being diagnosed with a rare type of inflammatory arthritis in 1999 says the federal funding announcement is exciting and she hopes the pilot will prove to be beneficial for patients.

Other goals of the pilot are to reduce the number of visits to emergency rooms and the number of opioid-related deaths in the country.