Pharmacists will need to rely on full-line wholesalers
Pharmacists will not have the time or motivation to pursue the last penny of profit on drug purchasing in the future, Steve Dunn, group managing director of AAH Pharmaceuticals, told the AAH
convention in Monaco this week. Pharmacists will need to depend on full-line wholesalers to provide
a “one-stop solution” in future.
As the service role becomes more important, remuneration is to be refocused
on quality and services provided, and primary care trusts are becoming
pharmacists’ paymasters, Mr Dunn said. “Pharmacists will
have to acquire new skills and the pharmacy business model will have
to change.” He added: “One of the most underestimated threats
to pharmacy is the impact of the electronic transmission of prescriptions
on patient loyalty.”
In this time of stress, independent pharmacists would need the support
of full-line wholesalers to weather the changes, Mr Dunn said. “AAH
is committed to supporting pharmacy in the long term. Yet the typical
independent pharmacist only buys 50 per cent of his stock from a full-line
wholesaler. This is wrong. It is wasting time and effort when the pharmacist
should be out in the front of the shop delivering services to serve patients
and earn money. This lack of support also means that full-line wholesalers
might not be able to invest sufficiently to support pharmacists.” |
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