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 breakdown in inter-professional communications has been in the regular media lately, where career-ending mistakes have been made by both sides.
I know that modern times demand perfection, but where has our patient-centric focus gone?

Are we so brow-beaten in our own self-assessments that we are no longer able to communicate with a doctor?

Are our GP colleagues so uppity that a chat about possible patient outcomes isn’t worthwhile?

It certainly seems the case in community pharmacy at the moment.

In my herbal medicine clinic, I see instances most days where conflicting advice is being given by a variety of medical experts and where the pharmacist is really in the middle, trying to reassure the confused patient.
Specialisation has now caused a total breakdown in holistic care whereby all contributing practitioners are not  “on the same page” and patients are tiring of it all.

It’s no wonder therefore that those patents are stepping outside the medical model and striving to take some sort of control of their health, wellness and illness.
What an amazing opportunity for pharmacists to get involved.
But are we ready?
Do we have the skills?

Do we know our local medicos well enough to ring and say that something isn’t making sense, or do we just tell the patient to go back to their doctor and sort it out for themselves?
In my view, we have allowed ourselves to become a little irrelevant in the process.
After all, we were reminded years ago that we are the final link between the doctor’s instructions and the patient expectations and ultimate outcome.
In the drive to fast, cheap supply has this professional concept been swept to one side?

My conspiracy theory mind might even suggest that, using the vaccination argument and turf impositions as an example, the Federal Government might take control of the process.
Is that what our patients want? It would certainly be cheaper – tender out the process, call at the Post Office and get the jab.

In the doctors versus pharmacists standoff at the highest levels, I wonder what our patients think?