Page 34 - Retail Pharmacy Magazine October 2020

32 BUSINESS THROUGH INNOVATION DISPENSING FROM PAGE 30 software and the robot hardware are well integrated. “What we’ve observed is the better pharmacies understand dispensing is their lifeblood, and they see technology as a path to continuing to evolve and grow.” When considering automation, Mr Finster says people must first believe that technology and automation have a role to play in progressing and evolving their pharmacy business. “We don’t get overly prescriptive about ‘it has to be us’, but we know we’ve no chance of anyone wanting to buy anything from us unless they’ve first bought into the idea of automation,” he said. “I’ve always likened automation to the industrialisation of a cottage industry. For example, when I watch a reasonably busy pharmacy, there are all these people behind the counter, grabbing things, dropping things off and doing very manual, labour intensive, cottage- industry types of tasks. “What automation does is automate or industrialise a lot of those manual activities, bringing accuracy, speed, consistency and efficiency. It also opens up the opportunities to increase volume and capacity beyond the previous non- automated thresholds. “With automation, aged care DAA packaging can be achievable where it wasn’t before. “If there’s one message I’d like people to hear, it’s that technology has a role to play in dispensing – and we know this because about 20 per cent of our customer base have multiple machines. That’s because, after getting the first one, they focus on it and it builds their business, so they buy another. Before long they start using the capacity of the second one, too, and so it continues. Of course, the great opportunity at the moment is the tax advantage allowing a pharmacy to write-off 100 per cent straight away.” It’s certainly a point worth considering, as the current tax incentives present opportunities across a range of products. Picture this When it comes to any kind of upgrade, particularly around dispensing, technology in the form of both software and robots has become a powerful aid for pharmacies. Will you face the future boldly, exploring the opportunities and building your business in new ways? Or will you hold on to the existing picture, not realising it might be your very own Kodak moment? The cold reality One opportunity to explore is presented with the likelihood of a vaccine being made available for Covid-19 in the coming months, and vaccines typically require refrigeration. Pharmaceutical quality refrigeration is not only vital, but also legally mandated. It might just be time to consider upgrading to a high-spec fridge in readiness. Andi-Co Australia is the importer and agent for Liebherr Biomedical refrigeration products. Projects Manager Andrew O’Brien says the products are among the most accurately temperature controlled in the world. “We use sensors that are accurate to 0.1 of a degree Celsius, and every one of our fridges is individually met off the production line where all nine sensors in the fridge are tested,” he said. “So, we know the range of temperatures our fridges run at is really spot on. We also build refrigeration specifically for the intended purpose. Our fridges aren’t just something that conforms to the required standards, they go far beyond it.” With the hopefully imminent introduction of a new vaccine that is likely to require refrigeration, and the possibility that pharmacists could be involved administering that vaccine, now may well be a good time to consider an upgrade. “The Leibherr pharmacy fridges are uncompromising German engineering, purpose-built to store and maintain the efficacy of your refrigerated medication,” Mr O’Brien said. “This is a high quality product, so it’s not something that you’ll buy and dispose of in a few years. It’s designed to be kept for a very long time.” Your data, safe in the cloud Your data, safe in the cloud Keep your dispensing data safe and secure. Automatic backups, for when you need them most. Ask us about Safeguard Plus today corumhealth.com.au 1300 669 865 sales@corum.com.au /corumhealth /company/corum-group RETAIL PHARMACY • OCT 2020