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Getting Involved!
How often are you asked for an opinion as to whether a particular test is worthwhile. Instances here might be vitamin D or more commonly, a coronary artery calcium score (CACS). The first cardiologist who used this, and openly discussed the benefits, was high-profile Dr. Ross Walker in Sydney. His colleagues really gave it to […]
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A Sensible Community Pharmacy & GP Collaboration
In a win for commonsense, a professional collaboration between community pharmacists and local GP’s coupled with a simultaneous a solution for a major public health problem, a mutually respectful system has been piloted in the County of Staffordshire in the UK. And patients involved in the pilot study have documented high levels of satisfaction, simply because […]
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Dementia – can we educate and reduce risk?
At the inaugural Swisse Preventative Health Symposium held in Melbourne last Friday, I was privileged to hear a fascinating address by Professor David Smith, Professor Emeritus, University of Oxford on “the role of nutrition in the prevention of cognitive impairment”. He classes dementia as a disease – not an inevitable part of ageing and certainly […]
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Micro-practice – Future Direction for Pharmacy
I2P has long proposed that pharmacy attracts two types of consumers – customers and patients. A little reflection will resolve this issue because clearly, customers will be attracted to the more commercialised aspects of pharmacy that compete with retailing in general, and the reason why pharmacists see their major competitors as supermarkets and variety stores. […]
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Three Bioethicists Critical of Pharmacy Retailing
Three bioethicists have combined to criticise the concept of community pharmacy conducting retail front of shop activities, while simultaneously working in the best interests of the patient. Their comments are published in Croakey here. The bioethicists, Wendy Lipworth, Christopher Mayes and Ian Kerridge (all medical academics attached to the University of Sydney) discuss what is […]
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Biometric Systems – Coming to a Place Near You
Devices for measuring personal biometrics have been evolving for some time now, with the promise of continuous monitoring of a patient or a well person undertaking a strenuous fitness program. On balance, the fitness industry is driving this type of monitoring to ensure safety and guidance for fitness trainers, but there is obviously room for […]
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Opportunities for Clinical Services
I was interested to read that Chemmart had introduced a genetic testing system designed to tailor drug treatments to an individual patient. At least that has been the promise of these types of tests as they have gradually made their way into the market-place. With the introduction of the myDNA test into a pharmacy environment […]
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Robots,dogs,sci-fi and intravenous drugs
I’ve been thinking about robots, dogs, sci fi, and the intravenous drugs hospitals are pushing into patients’ veins. 2030. A robot, a dog, and a pharmacist walk into a bar. A chatty bar tender learns that his three customers comprise the entire pharmacy department of the large hospital in town. When asked what each does, the […]
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Bio-Wearables – “Tech Tats” with a Difference
A new group of technologists has taken up the challenge of “bio-hacking” – a range of systems for unlocking, measuring and transmitting various body biometrics. This group stands for citizen ownership of the new technology and is developing products that while being functional, may also be a fashion item. Above all, they will be affordable. […]
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Telehealth and Telemedicine – Major Pharmacy Opportunities in Healthspot concept
Telehealth and telemedicine represent a significant opportunity for pharmacists and providers to partner on cutting-edge healthcare models, and pharmacy chains such as Walgreens and CVS are looking to embrace this technology in a big way. This new and quite disruptive technology (particularly for GP’s) has been adapted as a kiosk fitted with a range of […]