Page 24 - Tropic Magazine Issue 37

TROPIC • HEALTH

Futuristic

pharmacies

TECHNOLOGY
Robots are now dispensing
medications at Alive Pharmacy
Group stores.
They are a popular topic
At Westcourt’s Alive Pharmacy, it’s known of conversation between
as ‘AJ’, the Edmonton store has ‘Roberta’,
while ‘The Claw’ and ‘Frankie’ are in customers and staff
service at the Innisfail and Smithfield in-store
Doctors outlets respectively.
Welcome to the new era of pharmacy, Hassan Mohsen ,
where Meditech’s MT.XS robots have Pharmacist
taken over the often laborious and Alive Pharmacy Assistant Dion McCarthy with the
time-consuming task of stock new technology.
management, while increasing “It allows for a smoother workflow at “Our frontline health workers have been
dispensing efficiencies. dispensary and improves going to extraordinary lengths to keep
Alive Group Pharmacist Hassan Mohsen business efficiency.” the Cairns and surrounding population
said the installation of the state-of-the- The robots can accurately deliver 15 healthy,” Mr Mohsen said.
art technology is helping pharmacists packages in under three seconds, “It has been a unique challenge but the
and pharmacy assistants optimise enabling Alive Pharmacy to adapt to Alive Pharmacy Group is using
the filling of prescriptions so they can the rapid evolution of the healthcare ever-advancing technology to the best of
dedicate more time to their customers. system, which was accelerated during the its ability to be one step closer to an even
“The robot is very space and time saving, pandemic. Reducing the workload and happier, healthier community.”
which allows us to focus more on other stress of pharmacists means they
pharmacy services such as vaccinations can focus on giving back to the MORE: alivepharmacy.com.au
and med-checks,” Mr Mohsen said. wider community.

The Queensland Government allowed “Virtually every woman under this
pharmacists to conduct a trial to treat and scheme was sold antibiotics, whether she
prescribe antibiotics for the condition needed them or not.
two years ago, and with the results now “What happened to the 4,300 women
in, it’s become permanent. “In most who were not followed up on? We will
cases, women taking part presented for never know. There are good
a single episode of care with symptoms reasons why doctors prescribe and
consistent with an uncomplicated pharmacists dispense.”
UTI,” said Queensland Health Minister The AMA has also been campaigning the
Yvette D’Ath. “(They) received immediate Queensland Government to abandon
treatment or advice, in line with the its North Queensland Pharmacy Pilot,
pilot’s aims. We know from international in which pharmacists can diagnose
Scope of practice experience on how effective this can be, and prescribe drugs for a further 23
conditions. It’s a program aimed at
particularly in the United Kingdom,
Canada and New Zealand where addressing the shortage of general
PRESCRIBING
community pharmacists provide a wide practitioners by relieving pressure on
A trial allowing pharmacists to range of patient care activities.” medical clinics.
treat patients for urinary tract However, the Australian Medical
Association (AMA) strongly opposes the
infections has now become move. AMA Queensland President Dr
permanent. Maria Boulton said the evaluation of the DURING THE TRIAL ...
program had no scientific rigour. 820 pharmacies provided
Historically, a GP appointment and a “The pilot’s evaluation report shows that treatment and advice for
script was required to access treatment the vast majority of women who took almost 9,000 women
for urinary tract infections (UTIs). part in the pilot were never followed up
According to the Pharmacy Guild of with and, of those who were, at least
Australia, half of all Australian women 313 needed further assessment and
experience a UTI at least once in treatment,” she said. “Four ended up in MORE: tropicnow.com.au
their lifetime. emergency departments.

24 • Tropic • Issue 37