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The Concept of a Precinct Pharmacy – a Different Form of Collaboration
We are all aware of the changing dynamics with our own profession of Pharmacy and the fact that it is a global phenomenon, even where different health funding models exist. We have seen the rapid growth of Retail Clinics in the US after a decade of evolution. The now accepted model is showing a high…
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A Former Community Pharmacist Now a Practice Pharmacist- We Have a Q & A With Him
Clinical service pharmacists basically find themselves as a “divided bunch” and have an unclear vision for the future. Certainly they have been derailed by having their voice taken from them by the PGA/PSA controlled Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy (AACP), which incidentally, had its named changed from the original which had “pharmacist” in the title.…
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Intervention skills compromised
A new study in the Medical Journal of Australia doesn’t reflect on us all that well. How’s this for a statistic? “…..of patients admitted to hospital with broken bones following a fall, 85.4% were 65 years or older and had been prescribed a falls-risk medicine”. Does this mean that at some stage, 85 out of…
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Walk-In Clinics for UK Pharmacies
UK community pharmacies are considering the adoption of a US style “walk-in” clinic that involves collaboration with clinical nurse practitioners, to ease the burden on an overstretched NHS service. Walk-in centres were more likely to be used by those aged 16-45, with women slightly more likely to attend according to a recent Monitor review. Since…
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Patients First – A Unique Recruitment Process Underpinning Clinical Services Development
i2P has published many articles over time relating to clinical services and the strategy for recruiting patients. The basic concept has been first to recognise that pharmacists, in their consumer mix attract both customers and patients, and that the primary strategy to sustain core business is building a customer base plus having a marketing process…
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Vitamin C Infusions – where’s the evidence?
Soon after finding an engorged tick in my hair, during a recent visit to northern New South Wales, I found myself nursing a sore head in the waiting room of a busy ‘Integrative Medicine Clinic’. This was not the first time I had experienced a tick bite, so, as a cancer patient concerned about infection,…
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Pharmacy Paradigm Shift is Occurring – Vision Still Needed
Australia needs a new vision for care models and funding to ensure healthcare remains sustainable and accessible into the future, according to a report published by the George Institute recently, following consultation with various health organisations. “The report recognises the growing burden of chronic disease as a driver in increasing health costs. Evidence of this…
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Menopause and “alternative” therapies
The recurring press chestnuts just keep rolling on and on, just as predictable as the four seasons. It seems that medical efforts to classify menopause as a disease state have failed miserably. Women are now seeking advice on other options from their medical practitioner. However, because of poor training, poor understanding of what role menopause…
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A question for the Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott
Currently the Abbott government is removing parents’ right to choose how many vaccines are injected into their children’s bodies in the first 19 years of life. The new social welfare policies called ‘Choices for Families” are removing all objections to vaccination other than a medical exemption signed by a doctor. This means that families will not be…
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The Opportunity for Pharmacist Provided Triage Services
Triage, is a word derived from the French verb trier, which means to separate, sift or select. It is really a management process and management consultants constantly use the system to make management systems more efficient. It can can be applied to any workflow component of a pharmacy, and so the word has slightly different meanings depending on…