Digital presence for remote community pharmacies

Industry

August 31, 2018

I own a remote community pharmacy in WA. Is there a need for my pharmacy to have a digital or online presence?

In the 20th century, the front door for patients to visit you was limited to the physical pharmacy during opening hours, phone, fax machine and snail mail. But the internet means your patients now have access to you anywhere in Australia, which only limits your pharmacy’s potential opportunities to the level of products, professional services, and specialties you and your team already provide or choose to offer in the future.

There should be three main areas of focus for your digital presence.

Your website: The experience your website offers visitors can be customised to match that inside your physical pharmacy. By telling your story through your site’s content and by publishing regular articles to your blog, Google will get to know you well and refer patients to you who search for the type of expertise you provide.
E-commerce: Any product or service that you sell in your physical pharmacy can be made available to purchase online by patients anywhere. The most popular e-commerce plug-in with most nationwide logistics providers (eg. Australia Post) so the delivery process is only a few clicks away.
Social media: This is where your patients’ attention is. There has never been a better place to educate (and occasionally entertain) your patients through sharing stories from your team, just as you would when a patient visits your pharmacy.

Robert Sztar MPS is a pharmacist, pharmacy owner and the founder of Pharmactive.

Need some advice? Lodge your own question at editorial@australianpharmacist.com.au

ACT³	No comparable criteria
NSW⁴	· pharmacist gives the person an opportunity to seek advice as to the use of the substance · quantity, or for a purpose must accord with the recognised therapeutic standard of what is appropriate in the circumstances
NT⁵	· pharmacist must not intentionally supply to a person in a manner reckless to their circumstance
QLD⁶	· pharmacist reasonably believes the patient has a therapeutic need
SA	No comparable criteria
TAS⁷	· pharmacist forms the opinion use in the treatment of the patient is justified on consideration of the condition, disease or symptoms of the person
VIC⁸	· for treatment of a patient under pharmacist’s care · pharmacist has taken all reasonable steps to ensure a therapeutic need exists
WA⁹	No comparable criteria

ACT³	No comparable criteria
NSW⁴	· pharmacist gives the person an opportunity to seek advice as to the use of the substance · quantity, or for a purpose must accord with the recognised therapeutic standard of what is appropriate in the circumstances
NT⁵	· pharmacist must not intentionally supply to a person in a manner reckless to their circumstance
QLD⁶	· pharmacist reasonably believes the patient has a therapeutic need
SA	No comparable criteria
TAS⁷	· pharmacist forms the opinion use in the treatment of the patient is justified on consideration of the condition, disease or symptoms of the person
VIC⁸	· for treatment of a patient under pharmacist’s care · pharmacist has taken all reasonable steps to ensure a therapeutic need exists
WA⁹	No comparable criteria

ACT³	No comparable criteria
NSW⁴	· pharmacist gives the person an opportunity to seek advice as to the use of the substance · quantity, or for a purpose must accord with the recognised therapeutic standard of what is appropriate in the circumstances
NT⁵	· pharmacist must not intentionally supply to a person in a manner reckless to their circumstance
QLD⁶	· pharmacist reasonably believes the patient has a therapeutic need
SA	No comparable criteria
TAS⁷	· pharmacist forms the opinion use in the treatment of the patient is justified on consideration of the condition, disease or symptoms of the person
VIC⁸	· for treatment of a patient under pharmacist’s care · pharmacist has taken all reasonable steps to ensure a therapeutic need exists
WA⁹	No comparable criteria

ACT³	No comparable criteria
NSW⁴	· pharmacist gives the person an opportunity to seek advice as to the use of the substance · quantity, or for a purpose must accord with the recognised therapeutic standard of what is appropriate in the circumstances
NT⁵	· pharmacist must not intentionally supply to a person in a manner reckless to their circumstance
QLD⁶	· pharmacist reasonably believes the patient has a therapeutic need
SA	No comparable criteria
TAS⁷	· pharmacist forms the opinion use in the treatment of the patient is justified on consideration of the condition, disease or symptoms of the person
VIC⁸	· for treatment of a patient under pharmacist’s care · pharmacist has taken all reasonable steps to ensure a therapeutic need exists
WA⁹	No comparable criteria

1. PBS co‑payment will drop

2. Transition to the new MMR credential must be completed

3. Continued freeze on PBS concessional co‑payment

4. Optional allowable discount phase out continues

5. New PSA standards for CPD accreditation launch

Is advance provision of S3s legal?

But don’t we need to assess a patient’s therapeutic need?

So when is advanced supply of S3 OK?

What other things do I need to consider?

So what about the Rikodeine?

Table 1 – Legal requirements for pharmacists when prescribing Schedule 3 medicines

References

What motivated you to seek election as the next PSA National President?

What do you hope to achieve as PSA President?

Why do you feel this is such a pivotal moment for PSA and the profession?

What are the major challenges pharmacists are facing right now?

How do you see the profession evolving in 5 years?

How have your background and previous experiences shaped your views of the profession?

Case scenario

Learning objectives

Introduction

Aetiology and pathophysiology

Clinical features

Diagnosis, differential diagnosis and prognosis

Management and treatment

Knowledge to practice

Conclusion

Case scenario continued

Key points

References

Our authors

Our reviewer

Conflict of interest declaration

1. PBS co‑payment will drop

2. Transition to the new MMR credential must be completed

3. Continued freeze on PBS concessional co‑payment

4. Optional allowable discount phase out continues

5. New PSA standards for CPD accreditation launch

Is advance provision of S3s legal?

But don’t we need to assess a patient’s therapeutic need?

So when is advanced supply of S3 OK?

What other things do I need to consider?

So what about the Rikodeine?

Table 1 – Legal requirements for pharmacists when prescribing Schedule 3 medicines

References

What motivated you to seek election as the next PSA National President?

What do you hope to achieve as PSA President?

Why do you feel this is such a pivotal moment for PSA and the profession?

What are the major challenges pharmacists are facing right now?

How do you see the profession evolving in 5 years?

How have your background and previous experiences shaped your views of the profession?

Case scenario

Learning objectives

Introduction

Aetiology and pathophysiology

Clinical features

Diagnosis, differential diagnosis and prognosis

Management and treatment

Knowledge to practice

Conclusion

Case scenario continued

Key points

References

Our authors

Our reviewer

Conflict of interest declaration

1. PBS co‑payment will drop

2. Transition to the new MMR credential must be completed

3. Continued freeze on PBS concessional co‑payment

4. Optional allowable discount phase out continues

5. New PSA standards for CPD accreditation launch

Is advance provision of S3s legal?

But don’t we need to assess a patient’s therapeutic need?

So when is advanced supply of S3 OK?

What other things do I need to consider?

So what about the Rikodeine?

Table 1 – Legal requirements for pharmacists when prescribing Schedule 3 medicines

References

What motivated you to seek election as the next PSA National President?

What do you hope to achieve as PSA President?