EDITORIAL

What is the job of a pharmacist?
As pharmacists, we should be able to clearly and succinctly be able to communicate exactly what we do.
But do we?
Too often we seem to be sending messages that are not clear to those who have to interpret.

For example, stand outside any pharmacy and examine the offering.
What do you see?
The first image may be a group of "specials", which may or may not contain a range of grocery items.
What does this say to our customers/patients?

Clearly our customers support pharmacists for the range of merchandise we are keeping, and clearly they like us (at least according to the Gallup Poll they do).

I see no problem with pharmacists retailing any merchandise they like, provided they have a rationale for doing it, and that it fits a logical market plan. Also, it is a given that if items of ordinary commerce are kept, then the rules of commerce apply in price and service. If it cannot be done properly, then seek out a replacement market.

Can you forgive the majority of supermarket owners (including Woolworths) who think that pharmacists are ordinary retailers (with many not doing the job of retailing too well), and that they just supervise dispensing (which they argue, can be done just as well inside a Woolworths supermarket as it is done outside with a sole trader pharmacist).
Are you able to convincingly argue against this viewpoint?
If not, why not?

Well, why don't you try a bit of role play with your colleagues.
Imagine one of you is Roger Corbett and the other the independent pharmacist in near proximity.
Then debate the issue of pharmacy ownership and see if the current offering by pharmacists is logical and suitable for the 21st Century.

If you honestly look at the situation, you might find some glaring holes in some of your arguments.
Are you truly practising in the area of cognitive pharmacy, and how do you promote this service?
Do your patients know exactly what you do, and that dispensing is only a minor part of your role (even though to the average onlooker, dispensing seems to be the only major professional activity in the pharmacy).

As you begin to rationalise your arguments and justify what you do and how you do it, examine your work flows and again ask yourself if you present an efficient image.
Does what you do over a day really need a management team with different, but synergistic skills, to be able to cope?
Are you coping?
If not, why not?

Roger Corbett is able to exploit all of the above weaknesses, because he is certain as to what his management goals are, and he has the organisational infrastructure to deliver whatever he sets his mind to. He is also able to simplify the messages he fires against pharmacy, and is then able to convince media, politicians and the community at large, that he is able to do a better job.
Well, where are your arguments to refute all of the above?

Make no mistake.
Short-term victories engineered by the PGA will not necessarily be able to be capitalised as long-term gains, until pharmacy can match or better, those skills that have made Woolworths famous - low prices, highly skilled management, and the ability to achieve market goals.
If this is not your objective, then you might as well give up now.
Legislative protection will only prolong the agony and the demise will be complete when it actually comes.

Woolworths is working with a long-term plan and strategy. It includes the ownership of pharmacies.
When this event takes place, will you be large enough in scale to combat the local marketing warfare that will emerge?

What happened to the corner grocery store is so analagous to the current pharmacy model.

Well, the survivors turned around and became almost as efficient as Woolworths, with many of them being bought out along the way (because they were too efficient to "go down the tube" and would cost too much to compete against).

Pharmacy is going over the edge, and my frustration is that it need not happen.
We can have it all with a bit of common sense and planning, that requires us to break with many traditions.

Is that so hard?

Neil Johnston
May 2004

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