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ROLLO MANNING

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PHARMACY STRUCTURE
A Worrying Profession

If the small things in life become big, there is something wrong with the management style of the leader.
Good leaders do not have time for the little problems, they only want to know when they become big ones.
A look at the problems of pharmacy indicate the need for lesser managers for the lesser issues.
See if you agree.
The Liberal National Party Coalition gives a sense of stability that Australians obviously wanted in returning the Libs. Pharmacy will also be pleased it does not have to speak with another Party forming Government and wanting to be appraised of progress on the Third Agreement.
A conservative Government is also always likely to be more sympathetic than a Labour Government to the private sector. Also an understanding of the meaning of service is instilled into men and women who have been involved with private sector enterprises, a factor more likely to be in people in Parliament from the Conservative side of politics.
Pharmacy is unique in the health professional arena as always being under pressure to provide service.
Many pharmacists will not realise the pressure they are under as it comes with the job they have been brought up in.
It is only when they leave "retail" that they realise how much it bore down on them. It is this constant pressure that all pharmacists learn to cope with before it overtakes them and allows the "little things" to become big problems.
No doubt all politicians and aspiring ones at the recent election understand the meaning of pressure. It is to be hoped those who will occupy the Government benches in the new Parliament will be able to relate to the frustrated pharmacist who may approach them with the "niggling" problems that tend to overwhelm them day to day.
A glance at the Auspharm List gives a good indication of the issues that overwhelm.
Once again the HIC seem to be the big winners when it comes to the number of "hits". Closely followed by doctor shoppers and wholesaler charging mistakes. Really, need this be such a big thing?
The Medicare number fiasco has become all embracing.
Surely there are more important issues to occupy the pages of such an excellently produced bulletin board.
Or maybe not.
Maybe these are the big issues in the minds of the people who post the messages.
If this is the case then management style and strategy must be brought into question. A good manager, in a big scale sense, will delegate the concern about these small issues to an underling who will report back in a week or a month on progress.
Maybe in pharmacy the operation of a retail store is too much in the "micro" sense to warrant a management strategy that has room for delegation.
The answer, think big.
See who you have to palm off the little things to, so you have time to look at the big picture.
This could be a picture for survival in years to come.
Instead of you the store manager worrying about HIC claim rejects, just call for a three monthly report form your Claims Bureau chief!
Where will that come from you ask?
Well think about it, spend a few minutes examing the small issues that worry you and look around to see who they can be passed to for attention.
I will look forward to your answer, there is one, but you tell me first!

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