Computachem
E-Newsletter
Editor:
Neil Johnston
Regular Contributors:
Rollo Manning
Leigh Kibby
WWW(Who, What, Where) + E-VENTS
As
one commentator put it, the ordinary Olympics have now finished and
the extraordinary (Para-olympics) are now about to begin. Australia
can be well proud of the personal best performances exhibited by their
elite athletes in all categories, which no doubt will be emulated in
this second round of games.
The examples provided by our athletes should also provide a source of
inspiration for pharmacists to achieve their "personal best", so this
month we touch on continuing education and focus on a program developed
by Nottingham University Pharmacy School in the U.K.
Education creates career opportunities, and Rollo Manning says:
"New pharmacy graduates must seek a career in one of the diverse sectors of the pharmaceutical industry needing top-level input from the profession itself. The future development of the professional practice of pharmacy will be enhanced by such action. Pharmacists for pharmacy must direct future trends if the health outcome for the patient/consumer is to benefit from "best practice" standards."
We also discuss some of the emerging legal problems associated with
genetic testing and we continue the e-commerce dialogue with a brief
summary of Internet marketing strategies.
Leigh Kibby is back with men's issues and discusses an intriguing program
entitled "Men in Sheds".
Sounds just what I need!
Finally, our "Roundup" column, devoted to rural and isolated issues,
discusses how a potential $40,000 rural allowance could be spent by
pharmacists.
CAREER OPTIONS
FOR PHARMACY GRADUATES HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER
From Rollo Manning
The
scope for pharmacy graduates to have a broad approach to career opportunities
has never been greater than it currently is and will become even greater
as time progresses.
"Pharmacy" is no longer a career which will lead to owning a retail
shop or working in a hospital environment. There are pharmacists in
a variety of posts across a wide spectrum of administration, education,
information technology and marketing.
The diverse experience being gained by these individuals should be harnessed
to expand the number of options presented to students if they consider
choosing a career in the pharmaceutical "industry".
As technology takes a greater hold on all aspects of daily life, so
too will the need for people to guide the direction of the developments
in that area. Similarly the move to consumerism, and the trend towards
"outcomes focussed" results as the benchmark for success in professional
pursuits will open new doors for the budding executive.
The task of "dispensing" in the traditional sense will disappear with
the advent of electronic data transmission, bar code scanning and "smart
card" technology.
A patient ID will be checked against a magnetic strip, a drug ordered
by a doctor through electronic messaging, product selected by bar code
ID and label printed as part of the data entry process.
The input of a pharmacist will no longer be at the coal face with the
patient but in the system design, training of technicians and quality
control checking and evaluating process.
The scope here for new career paths presents a unique opportunity for
diversification.
All present day "pick and lick" pharmacists need to recognise this trend,
as with their assistance, the future role for pharmacists in system
development will be secure.
To fail to present this option to incoming pharmacists will be to hand
the task over to another professional. If present day pharmacists do
not acknowledge this need it will no longer be possible to have systems
built by pharmacists for pharmacy.
A feature of change to the dispensary environment over the past 20 years
has been the involvement of visionary pharmacists in the development
of the computer based dispense programs in use around Australia today.
It is to be hoped this continues and the health professional of the
future has trust in the pharmacy profession because of the leading edge
presented by the systems used. "Best practice" is the modern term for
"doing things as good as possible". The benchmarks are set, standards
decided and performance measured against these criteria.
Pharmacy must be sure it controls it’s own destiny and has a skilled
workforce to both set the standards and meet them. Pharmacy conferences,
workshops or seminars should be established to draw on the experience
of those now in the diverse aspects of the industry to help decide how
this can be achieved.
The educators will then have a pool of resources it can draw upon to
articulate to the incoming professional aspirants the scope of choices
they will have as graduates.
The pharmacy graduates now working in the IT industry will be able to
obtain recruits from the "new breed" of graduate keen to make a contribution
to the systems developed for pharmacy, and it really will be "by pharmacists".
The team of recruits now being employed by the Pharmacy Guild will assist
the professional standard setting. A future career path will be assured
in this aspect of management once the role can be established as having
positive health outcomes.
ends
The
comments and views expressed in the above article are those of the author
and no other. The author welcomes any comment and interaction that may
result from this and future articles. The editor would be pleased to
publish any responses.
MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION...What Form will it Take?
One
of the recent CoAG recommendations was that pharmacy was to put in place
a mandatory system of continuing education.
The concept initially irritated.
Why should I be subject to mandatory and continuing education when I
have been involved in continuing education all my professional life,
without compulsion?
Not a day has gone by when I have not absorbed some aspect of the pharmacy
profession, as I am sure the majority of pharmacists do as a routine
activity.
The word mandatory conjures up potential images of inflexibility, manipulation
and punitive action. Is this to become another area of regulation in
an already over-regulated profession?
But on reflection, I began to examine the negatives of my basically
unstructured current method of education:
* I do not receive it in any organised fashion. Even though it is my
choice as to what I study and when I study, there are often gaps in
the flow of information, resulting in an uneven absorption.
* I do not necessarily receive acknowledgment for the study performed because I am the only person who knows what I have studied, and there is no registration body or other academic authority conveniently available to evaluate what I have done. The positives from unstructured education are:
* I can do it in my own time and at my own pace and choose my own subject.
* I only need to travel to obtain information where I can see benefit.
* It is cheaper than the range of structured education currently on offer, and for which I generally need to travel.
So
it seems that if I am going to be able to renew my practice certificate
in the future, I will need an educational delivery system that is flexible
in content, easily accessed, economical in cost, provides recognition
for work completed, and which further builds to a formal qualification
that is preferably globally recognised.
It is inevitable that such a system would have to be totally web-based.
Given that vast distances exist in Australia between individual pharmacists
and generally major or regional city-based educational establishments,
education will have to flow to the individual, and not in the reverse
manner.
This is achievable via the Internet.
Educational material would have to be delivered in "bite-sized" pieces
to enable absorption,say,over a lunch hour, or at home after the evening
meal.
This can also be achieved via the Internet.
Material would have to be diverse, because "one size does not fit all".
If I have the right to choose which material I study, and from a network
of global education providers, then I begin to feel quite enthusiastic.
Provided the word mandatory only means that a certain number of points
have to be earned each year, from the widest selection of material available,
with minimal cost and with no other restriction (other than there be
an evaluation process), then I could live with it.
This scenario could only occur on the Internet and would further require
registration authorities to be outward-looking and endorse material
not necessarily originating from Australian education providers. The
stage is now set for Australian Universities and other education providers.
to develop a knowledge market on a global basis.
Given the quality of Australian education, it has a high export potential, with the promise of good returns. I was therefore, very interested to receive a subscription to this newsletter from the Pharmacy School at the University of Nottingham this week. From the website address provided, I was able to determine that this education provider has established a Virtual School of Pharmacy Practice. It's mission statement reads:
"By providing an environment open to free exchange of ideas, our mission is to develop an online, interactive community of practising pharmacists, where professionalism, scholarship and learning can flourish. We are striving to be a virtual centre of learning where experience, discovery, integration and practical application are integral and complementary components of scholarship."
Nottingham University's Pharmacy School has already derived success from its Virtual School of Molecular Sciences, which is an entirely Internet course in Structure-Based-Drug-Design. It is funded by three multinational drug companies, includes international students and is extremely successful. The advantages of a virtual education are claimed by Nottingham University as follows:
* Virtual education is about creating a learning community. It is not
so much about expensive technology, but the content of the course and
the social dynamics of the members.
* It has no geographical limitations, anyone with Internet access can
participate.
* Participants can self-pace themselves, studying at their own speed,
in their own time, and at their most convenient location.
* It offers a high degree of flexibility, study programs can be adapted
to suit individual students.
* World authorities can communicate directly with many students and
data from international centres can be used.
Now the above principles have been incorporated into an educational
program titled "Pharmacy Practice Enhancement Program".
Described as not a traditional distance learning course delivered with
vast quantities of instructional material, but an online virtual community
of practising pharmacists, all keen to enhance their professionalism
and practice.
The program was developed because of the workforce crisis in the profession,
with pharmacists unlikely to be able to participate in daytime education.
It also seeks to capitalise on the fact that pharmacy practice is rapidly
becoming electronic both from an information storage, retrieval and
usage basis, and provide an educational program for pharmacists while
continuing their current employment.
The objectives are:
*
Personal and professional development...to engender professional development
of practising pharmacists; to develop reflective practitioners; to promote
life-long, self-directed learning.
* The enhancement of pharmacy practice....to promote an academically
rigorous, evidence-based approach to practice; to support the maturation
of pharmaceutical service skills, particularly cognitive skills; to
support pharmacists in, and promote innovative practice.
* The promotion of practice research...to enhance understanding of practice
research methodology; to develop within learners the skills, confidence
and ability to undertake practice research.
The course is problem based with a high degree of interactivity to draw extensively on the learner's practice experiences. The course is also supported with an online tutor. The Diploma program comprises 14 modules: Pharmacy and the Internet; Pharmacy as a Profession; Practice Portfolios as a Tool for Enhancing Professional Development; An Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice; Models of Practice; Responding to Symptoms; Pharmacy and Health Policy; Health Promotion; Prescribing Advice; Working with General Practitioners; Sociology for Pharmacists; Introduction to Health Economics; Research Methodology and e-pharmacy. A demonstration site has been established at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/vspp/ppehome.htm and further information can be obtained from Dr Clair Anderson at e-mail address: Claire.anderson@nottingham.ac.uk
Computachem Newsletter would be interested in hearing from any Australian pharmacy schools that are developing similar projects, and who would like to publicise their future development aspirations.
GENETIC TESTING OF PATIENTS...NEW LEGAL PROBLEMS?
The
American Medical Association has released a report indicating that doctors
may be held legally liable if genetic testing is not performed as a
component of diagnosis.
This leaves doctors, and patients, in a quandary.
For the patient, it creates a legal liability to disclose the results
of such testing to health insurers, something a patient may wish to
avoid altogether, and for the doctor, a potential legal action for negligence
if the tests are not offered or performed.
In Britain this week, insurers were given the go-ahead to use genetic
testing to identify the hereditary condition, Huntingdon's disease.
This occurred after a report was announced by Professor John Durant
of the "Genetics and Insurance Committee", which ruled that a genetic
test for the hereditary risk of getting Huntingdon's disease was both
reliable and relevant to the insurance industry. This government decision
means that insurers will now be able to factor the results of genetic
tests to assess risk, and decide whether or not, to grant cover or elevate
premiums.
People will not be forced to take genetic tests, but critics state that
compulsion will eventually occur, in the same way as people are forced
to take a standard medical test today, before being given insurance
cover. There already exists a compulsion to disclose existing genetic
testing results to insurers.
Professor Durrant said, "It is not a punitive step. This will actually
benefit many people seeking insurance. The only people who are likely
to have taken a test for Huntingdon's disease are people with a family
history of the disease."
A spokesman for the American Medical Association has suggested that
doctors proceed cautiously with genetic testing, particularly for diseases
such as Huntingdon's disease, which don't have any clear treatment,
stating that such a test may hold no real benefit for the patient at
this point in time.
The Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions has
disclosed that among the 4000 malpractice cases on its database, only
20 involved genetic testing.
The company insures 8,600 physicians in addition to Harvard's medical
institutions, and has paid $3 million for genetic testing cases since
1976. There is an expectation that malpractice lawsuits will be filed
against doctors over the next five years, specifically in the conditions
of Fragile X syndrome in children with delayed development, cystic fibrosis
and breast cancer.
There is also an expectation that genetic tests will become a routine
part of good medical care, despite critics fears that it will open a
floodgate of problems for patients and insurers alike.
The Association of British Insurers is believed to be currently seeking
approval for the use of results for other illnesses such as breast cancer
and Alzheimer's disease. It has also denied suggestions that it will
exploit the use of gene testing information to make it expensive or
difficult for some people to get life insurance cover or mortgages.
Each type of genetic test is liable to stimulate its own unique debate.
For example, in the case of breast cancer, a positive test will tell
a woman she has an 80 percent chance of developing the disease, but
because of early detection, she can make essential changes to lifestyle,
take the preventive medication Tamoxifen, and plan any radical future
treatments in a more calm and less emotional timeframe.
It will be interesting to see how the Australian legislation for genetic
testing will eventually evolve. The precedents already set in Britain
and America will inevitably be the logical starting points.
Advertising, branding and ideaviruses are the three major components of e-commerce marketing, and if used correctly in the right proportions, can lead you to becoming an icon in the e-pharmacy global environment. Some simple definitions:
* Advertising- this is your tactic to bring your products and services to your targeted consumers. Unlike the ideavirus approach, it is an "interruption" tactic, and one which consumers tend to try and avoid. It is a costly process, because of its low penetration rate.
* Branding- this is actually the reverse of advertising in that it is a state where consumers actually come to you, stay, and keep buying from you. It is the glue that holds everything together. The concept here is not branding your products, services or website, but it is the branding of YOU the person. The branding process embraces a feeling of trust that consumers feel when dealing with your enterprise. In a recent survey conducted by Odyssey Research, it was found that 57% of actual online consumers stated that they would only shop at trusted sites. At its basic level, branding links desires and emotions with a product or service. At the extreme level it becomes impossible for a consumer to escape the name, symbols and other components of your brand across all forms of media.
* Ideavirus-that intangible idea or theme or product that is unique to your business and has the ability to infect others and spread exponentially. It is similar to "word of mouth" but is more powerful and spreads at a faster rate for a longer period of time. It is often described as "word of mouse" and the Internet is its natural environment. It is also a phenomenon where people carry your ideavirus on your behalf, willingly and without prompting. It is generally something you give away free, and it must be interesting and useful. This concept has been discussed in detail in previous editions of this newsletter.
These
days, Internet marketing is about putting consumers at ease in what
to most, appears to be a radically new environment. Internet businesses
that create the feeling of a bricks and mortar environment in a website
will encourage consumers to take that "leap of faith" to deal online.
Successful branding strategies will ensure that this will occur, successful
advertising strategies and successful ideaviruses initiate and complete
this process.
Before going online, a "bricks and mortar" business should analyse existing
brand strategy and core values, and determine how best to transport
those values to a website. Challenge all aspects of your store's ambience
and atmosphere and invite comment from all areas, particularly staff,
as to how these intangibles can be translated. The more intuitive you
can make your site the more your existing customers will make the transition.
Maintenance of values is also very important.
As societal attitudes and values evolve and change, so must your brand
reflect these movements without losing core values.
Always apply a "value analysis".
Ask the questions, How? When? Where? Why? and most importantly, Is it
necessary at all?
There is a correlation between a consumer's first impression of your
site and the likelihood of a purchase. Important perceptions are those
of leadership within the industry, simplicity of design, efficient navigation,
strong policies on privacy, and the actual purchasing process involving
the normal retail essentials-product, price, where and how you get it
and all within the shortest timeframe.
Access to information all along the purchasing process also needs to
be a feature, which equates to that helpful pharmacy assistant.
A section devoted to frequently asked questions (FAQ's) can be of enormous
benefit. Do not clutter the site with unnecessary information up front.
Remember, the primary essence of a retailer is to connect a consumer
with their needs as efficiently as possible. This process should not
be inhibited by distancing consumers from their ultimate product or
service, by scattering hurdles of voluminous information directly in
the purchase process.
A customer will enthusiastically drill down deep into a site for information,
provided you have already matched the basics.
The golden rule for successful retailing is to know the needs of your
customers/patients and ensure they know how and where to procure those
needs.
This may mean limiting the number of offerings on your site at any given
time to keep it focussed, or it may mean staging the offerings in logical
groups that can be accessed by sharp navigation processes.
Confusion on a site decreases a customer/patient comfort zone and reduces
the likelihood of a purchase. Online sales are steadily increasing,
but most people are using e-commerce sites for information, comparison
shopping, or organising their purchase of goods and services.
In its purest sense, branding helps people organise their lives, so
get out of their way and let them do it on your site.
There are many successful brands within pharmacy such as Chemmart, Pharmacist
Advice etc, with others quite successfully promoting themselves e.g
Warren Harrison, Don Gardiner, Terry White. While some of these names
have merged with another, these brands started life as highly motivated
individuals who successfully communicated their vision.
A more recent brand success is Pharmacy Direct, which appears set to
be a clear winner in the branding stakes.
So what about your brand?
You can assemble a brand through association with other recognisable
brands, but you must endeavour to emerge with one clear brand name...your
own!
YOU'VE GOT
MALE
by Leigh Kibby
The issue of Men's health is developing its own momentum which is spreading well beyond the allied health and medical fields. Whilst conducting my series of Internet interviews, I posed to Greg Stephen the same questions I sent to Rick Hayes. Greg has provided the following response which I will let speak for itself because the flavour of Greg's response adds as much to any picture as a formal or academic piece could provide us.
Men’s Health and Wellbeing?
Greg Stephen, Project worker for men’s health, Bendigo. Currently on to the evaluation research phase of a positive retirement for men project, better known "men in sheds".
"The project was initiated on the basis of research that recognised
the value of the shed to men throughout their lives and more particularly
from the time of retirement.
The shed offers men a place to call their own, to do what they want,
in the times they choose and with whom they want. They can come and
go with purpose, plan, create, produce and provide without the pressures
so often concomitant with the workplace.
The community shed we have developed offers all of the above plus furthers
the opportunities for interaction, comradeship and recognition. There
is strong support for the shed project from all family members, especially
the spouse, from whom we are able to glean much valuable feedback on
the impact of men’s involvement.
The men have incorporated and with project worker support are going
about the business of providing their own service whilst informing,
welcoming and including others in the project.
Generally the evaluation research phase of the project is about;
* researching men’s health and wellbeing issues,
* sourcing health and wellbeing information for men,
* tracking what action (if any) is taken on any information,
* testing how and where to best communicate with men,
* recording men’s perceptions of the health and wellbeing suppliers,
* facilitating support and communication systems between men,
* leading in regard to the responsibility that men must take for their own actions and those of others, and
* advocating for and supporting the "shed" as a forum and place for men.
Human
Services are funding the evaluation research phase through Care on Mundy,
City of Greater Bendigo, and expect a model for developing such "sheds"
in rural Victoria with recommendations as to how best to communicate
with men to achieve better life outcomes.
Throughout the life of the project there has been a strong recognition
that the value of the "shed" rests as much with health and wellbeing,
especially emotional, as it does with producing fine wood product(s).
There is plenty of qualitative "evidence" to support what we can now
say about the value of the "shed", but with some time to go until conclusion
of research, a lot of what can be said now is a collation of personal
stories, opinions, and statements combined with group responses to celebrations,
threats, others, questions etc…
The felt needs of the men raises the following as the most important
and urgent;
* Anxiety, stress, change
* Information
* Trust
* Isolation and loneliness
These issues are not exclusively those of men, but there are prevailing
cultural and social conditions that require consideration of gender
to enable positive change and growth around these issues for men. Men
can best do this for each other through showing the way and listening.
Leading and mentoring.
Recognition of the difference in men’s health and wellbeing issues and
their behaviour around this is an important step towards providing setting
and service solutions.
Relevant information that not only addresses the symptoms but proposes
and informs of ways that personal responsibility can be taken for a
healthier life. 'Active script' is a good example of encouragement and
support for individuals to be responsible for their own health actions.
Be creative.
Interaction and engagement must be respectful, transparent, focussed,
curious and honest whilst enabling each party to maintain integrity
and self.
Establish context and listen.
Whatever our role, if we consider, and act upon the above in all of
our relationships, we are moving towards better and more human outcomes."
Ends
The comments and views expressed in the
above article are those of the author and no other. The author(s) welcomes
any comment and interaction that may result from this and future articles,
and can be contacted directly by e-mail at kinematic@bigpond.com . Alternatively,
the editor would be pleased to publish any responses directed to neilj@computachem.com.au
.
ROUNDUP
A regular column devoted to Rural and Isolated Health Issues
Pharmacies
in remote places could benefit to the tune of $40,000 a year from the
new index being used to determine the size of the Rural Pharmacy Maintenance
Allowance.
This is no doubt in recognition of the fact that the "cost of dispensing"
in remote places is not the same as the mythical 26,000-script volume
a year.
This is good news for those in the bush. It must also be cheaper for
the Commonwealth to pay the isolated operator a lump sum rather than
clicking on a dispensing fee of say $10 a script.
Until this changes the fee is still $4.40 for the pharmacy in Cooktown
or Port Headland, as it is in Bourke Street Melbourne.
The true cost of providing pharmacy services to remote living Australians
will never be known while this "head in the sand" philosophy is followed.
It is no wonder the Registered Nurse operating out of Alice Springs
is still waiting for a pharmacist somewhere to find her an improvement
on the old fashioned dosette box, with all of it’s desert dirt and ants
with the lid sliding off!
Maybe someone’s $40,000 could help fund the research, but then again,
don’t hold your breath waiting.
THE NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH ALLIANCE
Want to subscribe to another interesting newsletter? The National Rural Health Alliance has a publication dedicated to news and reviews of all aspects of rural health. You can subscribe on the website at http://www.ruralhealth.org.au or you can contact the independent editor, Jim Groves, at grovesc@winshop.com.au
*
Don't forget to advise of any change in your e-mail address so that
your subscription may be continued without interruption.
*
Letters to the editor are encouraged, or if you have material you would
like published, please forward to the editor.
* You are invited to visit the Computachem web site at http://www.computachem.com.au
.
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on their desktop each fortnight, please send a single word e-mail "Subscribe"
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* Looking for an organised reference site for medical or other references?
Why not try (and bookmark) the
Computachem Interweb Directory , for an easily accessed range of
medical and pharmacy links, plus a host of pharmacy relevant links.
The directory also contains a very fast search engine for Internet enquiries
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