Page 20 - Retail Pharmacy Magazine October 2020

18 NEWS CAMPAIGN CATCH-UP MEDADVISOR LAUNCHES E-PRESCRIBING NATIONALLY MedAdvisor is launching its e-prescribing functionality to help connect GPs, pharmacists and patients as they navigate the rollout of e-prescriptions across Australia. The MedAdvisor platform, approved by the federal government via the Australian Digital Health Agency, utilises tokens as a streamlined, private and secure way to handle e-prescriptions. The rollout began in Victoria, followed by the rest of Australia. “With the rise of telehealth and digital consults during this Covid-19 pandemic and the changes to prescribing temporarily allowed by the government, prescribers have needed to send digital images of scripts directly to pharmacies via fax or email, which adds significant administrative burden for both prescribers and pharmacies, and poses the risk of prescribers channelling patients to specific pharmacies,” MedAdvisor CEO and Managing Director Robert Read said. MedAdvisor says tokens via its app represent a simple and secure way for patients to receive and manage their e-prescriptions. From a patient perspective, tokens are similar to paper scripts but accessed digitally via SMS, email or mobile application, thereby minimising the risk of confusion and medication misadventure. The system also allows patients to remain in control of who is accessing their medication information. Much like an airline ticket, tokens can be tapped into MedAdvisor and then automatically organised into a digital script wallet that can be easily sent direct to a pharmacy’s dispensing workflow. This, says MedAdvisor, removes faxes, emails and other disruptive processes that pharmacists are currently experiencing with digital image dispensing. For pharmacists, the company says processing of tokens will be faster and more efficient than paper scripts, meaning minimal change and disruption to current workflows. ‘KNITTING FOR GOOD’ WEARS WELL DESPITE COVID Guardian Pharmacy has hailed its 22nd year of the ‘Guardian Angel Knitting for Good’ program a success, following positive engagement with this year’s social-led campaign. Despite Covid-19 restrictions impacting the collection of knitted garments, the program in partnership with St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) attracted interest from Australians of all ages, serving more than two million combined impressions, with those aged 55-plus most likely to get involved. Encouragingly, Guardian says, 68 per cent of those who expressed an interest in 2020’s knitting program were return visitors, indicating an eagerness to once again put their knitting skills to task and help the vulnerable. While this year’s knitters are not yet able to donate their items due to Covid-19 restrictions, Head of Guardian Kurt O’Brien says the campaign’s results suggest that 2021 will be bigger and better. “Many of us have been seeking a bit of social connection and new ways to occupy our time during lockdown, and better still, our Guardian Angel Knitting for Good program helps us to spread a little bit of warmth and look after the most vulnerable in our community,” he said. More information: guardianpharmacies. com.au/guardian-angel FIRST FREE NATIONAL FOOD ALLERGY E-TRAINING COURSE A free, potentially life-saving online food allergy training course for hospital staff working in kitchens and on wards was launched by the National Allergy Strategy as a partnership between the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) and Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA). “People understandably assume that their food allergies are going to be managed well in a hospital environment because they see hospitals as a safe place,” said A&AA CEO and Co-chair of the National Allergy Strategy Maria Said. “Currently, many hospitals don’t have adequate practices in place, and this is concerning.” The ‘All about allergens for hospitals’ training is aimed at all staff involved in the food service chain in a hospital. This includes kitchen managers, kitchen staff, ward managers, dietitians, nurses and other ward staff. They all play an important role in keeping patients with food allergy safe when they are in hospital. The training provides practical information and there are free downloadable templates and resources available from the Food Allergy Training website. All these courses are available via the Food Allergy Training website: foodallergytraining.org.au. AQIUM KEEPS SANITISER HANDY ON TAXI NETWORK Ego Pharmaceuticals has partnered with 13cabs to make Aqium hand sanitiser a standard issue across the fleet of taxis in Australia. Drivers have free of charge access to Aqium’s product for both themselves and their passengers. “We all know how important it is to encourage good hand hygiene, which is why you’ll be able to find Aqium’s hospital grade, gentle-on-the-skin hand sanitiser in all 13cabs nationally for passengers and drivers to use,” Ego Managing Director Alan Oppenheim said. RETAIL PHARMACY • OCT 2020