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Four trends that will drive future health policy – PGA analysis
A recent bulletin was issued by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia (PGA) that gave an insight into the thinking behind the 7CPA preparation that will commence shortly. i2P thought that this would be an excellent point in time to contribute comment in a constructive manner. Hopefully a “think-tank” process may evolve where input can be…
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The Value Of Free Pharmacy Consultations.
There is nothing as frustrating as a patient asking for a pharmacists advice to then walk out empty handed as though all you had said was worthless. In an industry where time and profits have become scarce, pharmacists don’t need the extra waste of time if their is no direct sale. After all, many pharmacists…
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17 traditional medicine modalities discriminated against
The 2016 federal elections are really about the control of Australia’s health system. And many special interest groups are using the elections to further their agendas at a time when the election polls are showing a “neck and neck” result between the major parties. One little drama played out recently was the Victorian legislation enacted…
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A Patient’s Real Cost – Their time Involvement and a future cause for health system collapse
For some time we have seen media references portraying GP’s as overworked, becoming more stressed and now being underpaid due to the freezing of Medicare rebates. It seems GP’s have now been put on the same treadmill as pharmacists. Welcome to the real world that we pharmacists already inhabit! But what is not identified within…
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Do You Promote Free Advice?
Frequently there is a lament recycled by pharmacy commentators that the business model for community pharmacy has relied on providing services through the margins received for recommended products. That model is still a valid part of community pharmacy culture, except that it has not been appropriately adjusted to counter market changes that have occurred over…
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A Cautious Introduction of Marijuana into Your Pharmacy
Recently, an Israelis company lodged an application to approve its topical cannabis derived products for sale in the Australian market place. So topical marijuana may be the first entrant in the Australian pharmacy market. Some marijuana products already exist in the retail market place – but they are for external use only. Hemp oil, for…
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Avatars May Take Over Patient Communications – Where to from there?
Global Pharma’s are known to be funding the development of systems to deal directly with patients. These systems will involve the use of Artificial Intelligence and the use of Volumetric 3D immersion technologies. The former will allow delivery of technical information through well modulated voice transmission, while the latter will provide an “avatar” transformed from…
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Why are health professionals so hostile to each other?
The amount of hostility among health professionals seems to be at an all-time high. Are “scope of practice” and “turf” battles really escalating, or it it just more visible in this modern era of anonymous comments and online posts? The conversation gets louder and uglier. Patients are complex creatures. Medical care is multi-faceted. We see…
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Medical postcard from New York, April 2016
Dear Colleagues, I can report that spring has sprung in New York. After a cold start, April has seen a wonderful transition from winter bareness to a colour-wheel of splendid blossoms, bulbs and canopy greenery. Easter was early this year and so were the cherry blossoms which are at their peak over a week before…
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Low dose aspirin – pro or con?
The US Preventative Services Task Force now recommends that all 50 to 70 year olds take a low-dose aspirin for preventing cardiovascular disease. Medical press last week gave this story legs, and I’m puzzled as to why? Current Australian Heart Foundation guidelines reflect the position that there are no or minimal cardiovascular benefits. In fact,…