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Dealing with distraction
Our digital lives might be making us more distracted, distant and drained, according to to research presented by the American Psychological Association. For example, even minor phone use during a meal with friends is enough to make diners feel distracted, and it reduces their enjoyment of the experience. Even people with their phones easily accessible…
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Pharmacist Prescribing – It’s Time!
Australian pharmacists lag behind their counterparts in other western economies (particularly the UK) in their scope of practice involving independent prescribing. In Scotland, for example, around 40 percent of pharmacists are registered as prescribers. The problem in Australia is a cultural one. Firstly, there has been disharmony within the pharmacy profession through disruption of the…
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The Difference Between Care and Service is Significant
I’m not bemoaning the current state of pharmacy, but what percentage of your time is spent doing what you went to pharmacy school to provide? How can we ensure that we prioritise care over service? Somehow, we have to re-educate our patients and customers that outstanding care is essential, and good service isn’t. We don’t…
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Marketing Focus Newsbrief – Australian Service Standards Costing Business Big Time
The customers have spoken. Australian customer services are consistently falling short of expectations. It is costing businesses pedestrian traffic, sales enquiries, revenue, profits, repeat business and customer loyalty. Many of the key contributing issues are cultural and systemic. On the road to “redemption” there are no shortcuts. However, the potential rewards are bountiful. Recent experiences…
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Self-Care….A Perfect Fit with Community Pharmacy
The concept of Self-Care as a tangible health tool has been formally recognised by Australian community pharmacy since the 1970’s. It’s original introduction was generated by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) through a set of information fact cards written in a patient-friendly format that formed up as a suitable reference point for pharmacists and trained…
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Calm Your Emotions Before They Get Out Of Control
A young woman was waiting for her flight at a big airport, so she decided to buy a book to read and a packet of cookies to snack on. She sat down in an armchair in a VIP lounge to relax and read in peace. A man sat down in the next seat, opened his…
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Countdown as Australian Pharmacy Begins the Transition as Part of a Global Network
In an i2P editorial dated May 29 2017, an analysis of the rift between Sigma and Chemist Warehouse was provided. Please take the time to revisit this analysis. While dialogue between the parties continued since that date, the inevitable has now happened and the rift has become a split. In the i2P analysis at that…
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Mistakes Are Opportunities To Learn
A young vice president was appointed by the board of directors of a bank to replace the retiring president and founder. With fear and trepidation, he made an appointment to visit with the seasoned retiree to seek his advice. “Mr. Clark, I need your counsel. How can I possibly be successful in this job?” The…
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Marketing Focus – 1. THE “HAWTHORNE EFFECT” LIVES ON. 2. SERIOUSLY, FUN 3. TRUE TO YOURSELF 4. INITIATING, NOT MANAGING CHANGE 5. GUARANTEED – REALLY?
1. THE “HAWTHORNE EFFECT” LIVES ON. It warrants attention, involvement and refinement by all the lessons learnt have been profound, but often unexpected. During the 1950s academics from University of Chicago undertook a study of employee performance at The Western Electric plant in the locality of Hawthorne, Illinois, United States of America. They were studying,…
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What’s going on here?
Interesting reporting from within the medical/pharmacy media about the ego-driven (on both sides) reporting of the pharmacists versus doctors. There’s nothing new here, but why the sensational reporting? It’s even come down to the “evidence” – “you show me yours and I’ll show you mine…….we’ll agree to disagree and then retreat to our professions”. The…