Pharmacists at the 2019 NACCHO Members' Conference[/caption]
Yvette McGrath and Kate Gill[/caption]
Pharmacist Emily Waddell sharing her expertise on antimicrobial stewardship in primary care settings during a panel discussion[/caption]
Pene Wood MPS presenting in the medicines stream[/caption]
It’s been a year since a pharmacist-led team from the University of Sydney took out the 2018 Pharmacy Shark Tank competition with their SetDose concept: a dose-metering device and system to reduce medicine errors. The $10,000 prize money helped the team continue to develop the system, and after some initial re-designs, this year they filed a provisional patent for their two lead SetDose prototypes.
‘Two of us have also completed a commercialisation training program in medical devices through Cicada Innovations, and we’ve been refining one prototype in particular and doing some very early user testing,’ said Associate Professor Rebekah Moles FPA (pictured), a PSA NSW Branch Committee volunteer.
The SetDose system uses a syringe attachment and encoded punch cards to ensure patients only receive correct doses of their medicine. A/Prof Moles said the Pharmacy Shark Tank funding went towards a laser cutter that helped with accurately fabricating parts, including the encoded cards.
‘We’ve done further testing with different liquid viscosities, and [SetDose] seems to be quite accurate. The punch cards accurately control the volume, no matter the viscosity of the fluid being drawn up into the syringe,’ she said.
The initial concept focused on hospital-based paediatric medicine, where highly accurate dosing is essential. But after extensive consultation with hospital-based clinicians and stakeholders, A/Prof Moles said the focus is now on aged care and community settings to launch SetDose. More investment – probably another $100,000 – for a design company to create models and produce the first run of the devices for further testing was needed. Joint industry-government grants might be possible, A/Prof Moles said.
The successful Life Cardiac Clinic at Cooleman Court Pharmacy in the ACT took out this year’s People’s Choice Award, receiving $1000 for its service that provides community follow-up and advice for patients who’ve suffered a cardiovascular event.
‘We make sure they’re aware of their condition, their medicines, and also check in with how they’re doing, how they’re going with rehab, checking with their GP to make sure they’ve got their management plan set up,’ said Brooke Veasey MPS, one of the key pharmacists behind the program.
Cooleman Court Pharmacy owner Brad Butt MPS encouraged Ms Veasey to develop her idea for the clinic, which started seeing clients in April. A stroke or heart attack can mean substantial life changes, not to mention multiple new medicines, and while cardiovascular patients receive considerable support after a cardiovascular event, Ms Veasey said many felt lost after their initial six weeks of rehabilitation and didn’t know where to turn. ‘So, we’re trying to be there to try and catch them so that they don’t fall,’ she said.
The team has had positive feedback on the clinic and plans to use the prize money to train staff ready to launch the program at a second location. ‘One of the things that I did, which really opened my eyes, was the ambassador program from the Heart Foundation, so we’re trying to get more staff going through that,’ she said.
Luke Vrankovich MPS[/caption]
State and federal health departments have advised of options available to pharmacists in parts of NSW and Queensland affected by this week’s catastrophic-level fires.
Under the existing three-day emergency supply rule they can dispense medicines without a prescription until ‘at...
Pharmacist salaries in rural and remote areas are on the rise as the demand for professionals in community and hospital roles increases.
According to the 2019 Raven’s Recruitment Pharmacy Market Report, released last week, demand for pharmacists in the past...
Pharmacy and medicines featured prominently at the annual National Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) members’ conference1 in Darwin last week.
An overview of the IPAC study (Integrating Pharmacists within Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to Improve Chronic Disease Management)* was one...
Pharmacists are Australia’s most accessible healthcare professionals. The winner of the PSA19 Pharmacy Shark Tank innovation contest hopes that trend continues with an app to ensure a pharmacist is always available to answer a question.
We all expect answers,...
A watershed moment for patients, pharmacists and medicine safety was reached last week when federal, state and territory health ministers declared Medicine Safety and the Quality Use of Medicines as the 10th National Health Priority Area.
Beginning with the January...
Critical problems with medication management, including overuse of psychotropic medicines on aged care facility residents were among the findings of the Interim Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety last week needing urgent attention.1
The commissioners...
Mental illness has been treated as an ‘add-on to the physical health system’, the Productivity Commission has found, with up to 1 million Australians lacking the treatment and support services they need.
Half of Australians will be affected by mental...
Early Career Pharmacists (ECPs) are emerging as a force for change as the profession moves to the safe and quality use of medicines, practising to the full extent of their skills and recognition for providing safe, equitable healthcare.
The PSA...
Data released last month shows an increase in the number of aged care residents prescribed antimicrobials, highlighting the need for pharmacists to use their expertise to fight antimicrobial resistance.
The 2018 Aged Care National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (AC NAPS) found...
The Pharmacy Board of Australia has recognised that pharmacists should be able to prescribe under two monitored models of prescribing, in a move welcomed by PSA.
In a position statement released this month,1 the Board’s vote of confidence in pharmacist...
