In this episode of the Pharmacy View Podcast, host Scott Carpenter, EVBC, has an exciting conversation with Lucy Walker, Owner of Terry White Chemmart Pharmacy, Goondiwindi.
Listen in as the two of them chat about how technology can be used to increase efficiencies across the Pharmaceutical Industry with the goal of better serving the health needs of community members.
Born and bred in Brisbane, Lucy moved to Goondiwindi for love. Based on her experience, Lucy believes that in a place like Goondiwindi, where everyone knows and looks after one another, working as a Pharmacist can be rewarding. She adds that the place has been supportive of embracing innovation and has allowed her to try new things.
Then she goes on to talk about the three major technologies in use in the Pharmacy:
1. Spenser the Dispenser - BD Rowa™ - dispensing robots & digital selling solutions
The business has been using Spenser for close to five years now. Lucy says that doing so has saved them time and effort. In addition to being able to multitask and prioritize tasks better than humans, Spenser has also been a draw card for the Pharmacy as people like to see a robot in action.
Lucy’s advice for anyone looking at using a robot in the Pharmacy is that they go for the best available technology and also one that is bigger than what one would expect because businesses always tend to get busier and grow.
2. Bister Bill - Home - Synergy Medical (synmedrx.com)
Lucy is a Churchill Fellow, and that fellowship allowed her to explore global innovative Pharmacy practices. She was rather impressed by how blister packing was done in Canada and so brought the technology to her Pharmacy.
Lucy says that blister packing technology has sped up the process and is much more accurate than humans. She says that what would otherwise take a week, takes as little than half a day with blister packing. She adds that a blister pack, however, is just a tool or a conversation starter with a patient who has a medication adherence issue.
3. Drones - Home - Swoop Aero
Drones are the most recent addition to Lucy’s team where trials have been ongoing for longer than expected because of Covid.
Earlier, people would have to carry their paper scripts and walk up to a Pharmacy and collect their medication—either walk in themselves or ask or friend to collect it for them; sometimes even ask that Australia Post does the service. Things have changed now. There are e-scripts, and then there are drones. Even though licensing can be tough Lucy hopes that more and more people use it so that it becomes cheaper in the long run and more benefits are reaped—as in many other countries where the use of drones is more common and where it has a wider area of coverage.
