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EDITORIAL
Pharmacy
on the Edge
NEIL
JOHNSTON
Management
Consultant Perspective
On
the 24th March 2004, a conference was held in the Rydges Hotel, Jamison
St, Sydney (The Australian Pharmaceutical Summit).
I was a speaker at that conference, and presented a paper titled "Pharmacy
on the Edge".
Perhaps it needed to be more accurately titled "Pharmacy over the
Edge".
The conference embraced most of the elements that make up the pharmaceutical
industry and was characterised by the general feeling that community
Pharmacy had already lost the ownership battle.
There was a general feeling that Pharmacy needed, and should, be protected.
However protection did not extend to exclusive ownership.
There was also a feeling that Woolworths is telling a lot of people
a lot of things that they want to hear, and that the integrity of their
statements is not being tested.
Given that this is an election year, the PGA needs to be seen to be
at its "rough and tumble" best in dealing with our political
masters, no holds barred.
I cannot shake the feeling that all major decisions have been already
made, including ACCC approval of a pharmacy takeover (Gordon Samuels
was recently quoted as saying he could not see the difference between
a pharmacy inside Woolworths, adjacent to Woolworths or across the mall
from Woolworths).
While the PGA have an excellent record of political lobbying, they have
a woeful record in terms of shackling community pharmacy, to the extent
that it is now unable to defend itself in an open market place.
The price
is about to be exacted, as all the predators circle Pharmacy to pick
its bones and take the juciest morsels unto themselves.
If everything goes according to the Woolworths plan, the PGA may indeed
find that its credibility with pharmacists will plummet so low, a new
leadership group will need to emerge.
PHARMA-GOSS
With
Rollo Manning
A
regular column reporting the news behind the news
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THE ASPIRATIONS CHANGE
Strategies
for pharmacy in the 21st century :
Discourses with Kevin McAnuff
CON
BERBATIS
Pharmacy
Researcher Perspective
Editor's
Note: Kevin McAnuff was a highly respected Western Australian Pharmacist
who recently passed away.
He operated a community pharmacy in Shenton Park in the 1980s and the
Brentwood pharmacy since 1991.
In 1985 he was elected to the Pharmaceutical Council of Western Australia
and in 1991 became its president .
Kevin
McAnuff had a quick repartee and good grasp of complex issues that prepared
him for his most important contribution to pharmacy nationally - a key
member of the negotiating team for the Third Agreement (2000-2005) and
of the management committee implementing initiatives of the Agreement..
He passed away while in Canberra preparing for the Fourth Agreement.
Con Berbatis highlights some of the thinking and strategies of this
visionary pharmacist.
To
Dream the impossible (?) Dream
KEN
STAFFORD
Consultant
Pharmacist Perspective
The anticipation
was building as I opened my treasure, a 100 year old copy of The Australian
Journal of Pharmacy.
What prized bits of history would I find as I perused the crinkled pages
of my profession's past?
Would I be able to see the genesis of clinical services to the community
or pharmacy's first tentative steps out from the restrictive supply
functions that had dogged pharmacists for many decades?
As I contemplated the role of pharmacists today I eagerly looked for
pearls of wisdom from the writers, skilled practitioners I'm sure, to
indicate how pharmacy's leaders of that time had guided the profession
to its current status.
Knowledge
Architecture
BRETT
CLARK
Internet
Pharmacy Perspective
In
just over three years, ePharmacy has evolved from an idea with one employee
to become one of Australia's leading internet pharmacies employing over
seventy staff with multiple revenue steams.
However, it has become rapidly apparent to the ePharmacy management
that the competitive advantage created by being a "first market
mover" could easily be eroded, and that the environment that fosters
innovation is paramount to future growth strategies.
It is with this realisation that ePharmacy has recently attempted to
develop a knowledge management system (KMS) to facilitate continual
e-commerce innovation internally, support the deployment of a new franchise
concept, as well as transfer knowledge from experienced staff and management
to those new to the organization.
It is the knowledge created by ePharmacy that sustains their competitive
advantage (Anell & Wilson, 2002), cultivates returns from the market,
which in turn fosters continued growth. (Nonaka & Konno 1998)
A
New Look for an Old Friend
KARALYN
HUXHAGEN
PSA
Councilor Perspective
The Australian Pharmaceutical
Formulary and Handbook has always been a valuable tool to pharmacists.
The pharmacies that I have worked in have always carefully kept and
treasured their old copies as these contained formulas for extemporaneous
products of a bygone era.
I have my favourite formulas noted in the back pages, for example, Shaw's
cocktail.
I have also added in any other notes of worth when preparing extemporaneous
products.
Between
the Lines
HEATHER
PYM
Division
of General Practice Perspective
Lessons between
the lines for pharmacists, inspired by a GP's commentary.
An article (tongue in cheek) but with some truth and a lesson between
the lines in the Medical Observer of March 19th, brings up the issue
of doctors and pharmacists and the professional tension that may or
may not still lie somewhere out there, in a clever "humerus"column.
Acknowledging that pharmacists are still top of the most trusted tree
above nurses, marginally, and then our medico colleagues, the justice
when compared to the respective situations of pharmacists and medicos
is questioned.
Osteoarthritis
- A Proven Complementary Approach
VAL
JOHANSON
Complementary
Healthcare Council Perspective
Editor's
Note: It is not so long ago that herbal medicine was the norm for pharmacy
dispensing.
Known as extemporaneous medicine, prepared from basic "galenicals",
it constituted at least 80 percent of a pharmacist's compounding time,
circa 1960.
I have often thought that the replacement of this area of medicine in
pharmacy, with higher potency manufactured alternatives, was done with
little thought or cost/benefit analysis.
As recently as 24th March, 2004, glucosamine was highlighted at the
Australian Pharmaceutical Summit Conference as being an effective and
cheaper alternative to orthodox preparations, particularly NSAIDs.
Val Johanson echoes these comments in providing the following article.
Flu
Vaccine - lets make a decision
SIMON
RUDDERHAM
New
Community Pharmacist Perspective
As winter rolls
in, we are once again reminded by drug company representatives of the
dangers of suffering from the flu for the elderly and workers who simply
cannot afford to take days off.
In the three short winters that I have worked in community pharmacy,
there is one issue that remains constant.
Woolworths
Rx Behaving Badly
JAMES
ELLERSON
Marketing
Consultant Perspective
What a complex web
we weave.
In an election year, we have the Federal Government, through National
Competition Policy (NCP), forcing changes to the NSW Pharmacy Act, that
could lead to an eventual and total deregulation of the pharmacy marketplace.
Further momentum was given when ACCC boss, Graeme Samuels, said that
he did not have a problem with pharmacies being located inside a Woolworths
supermarket.
Graeme Samuels, prior to his appointment, was noted as being sympathetic
to the ambitions of the "big end of town".
Is
There a Digital Future for You?
LES
BRENER
Digital
Imaging Perspective
Editor's
Note: Les Brener is an ex-pharmacist who is heavily involved in the
promotion of digital imaging.
The umbrella organisation looking after this area of the photographic
market is the Photo Marketing Association's Pharmacy Group.
Community pharmacists interested in developing this fascinating lifestyle
market, should consider attending the PMA Annual Convention in Darling
Harbour, on the afternoon of Sunday 23rd May.
For details, contact PMA Consultant Les Brener, who is assisting the
group
(lesbrener@ozemail.com.au or phone (02) 9360-6504 or alternatively the
PMA Australian Office on (02)9663-5880).
The PMA will hold its annual convention at Darling Harbour from May
20th to 23rd, and includes a Digital Imaging Day conference.
Les Brenner has agreed to write for i2P e-magazine, from the perspective
of a pharmacy positioning in the rapidly emerging digital imaging market,
as well as comment on the industry at large, its trends and the type
of competition faced by participants.
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