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Pharmacies are offering other services to patients to combat the Corona pandemic. Chamber President Ulrike Mursch-Edlmayr announced in an interview with APA that pharmacies are ready to take on additional free tests.
At the same time, with an expert paper and positive experience from Germany, she reiterated her demand that pharmacies should also be able to provide Covid vaccinations.
Pharmacies want to secure supply of free Corona tests
Mursch-Edlmayr pointed out that in view of increasing vaccination coverage, local authorities are increasingly cutting back their offer of free tests. In any case, she said, pharmacies stand ready to work with physician offices to compensate for this shortfall. “There will be no gap,” the president assured that pharmacies guarantee the supply of free tests.
But with their existing infrastructure, the pharmacies also want to offer other services, Mursch-Edlmayr affirmed the offer for vaccination. And she referred to an expert paper supporting this demand. This paper from the “COVID-19 Future Operations Platform,” which was prepared by experts from the IHS, Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG), the Red Cross and various universities, calls for “measures to provide low-threshold vaccination and testing services.” “People should be provided with a low-threshold (almost casual) vaccination opportunity at primarily frequented locations,” the paper, which is available to APA, states.
Corona vaccination also wanted in pharmacies
For Mursch-Edlmayr it is clear that with it also in pharmacies a vaccination possibility should be offered. And the president affirms that the pharmacists and pharmacists are ready for it. Although many obstacles had been put into the way of their colleagues, with the advanced training program on 8 August the 1,000 vaccine-trained pharmacists will be available. Mursch-Edlmayr countered the physicians’ argument that a trained physician must be present in the event of severe side effects by saying that pharmacists are also trained in first aid and emergency measures. In addition, he said, pharmacies in Germany also provide vaccinations in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Saarland and Upper Palatinate and, starting in the fall, in Baden-Württemberg. The evaluation there had “clearly refuted” the doctors’ argument that this posed an increased risk to patients.
Pilot project for medication analysis in preparation
As a third service, pharmacies want to offer medication analysis. Mursch-Edlmayr reported that a pilot project is being prepared in Vienna and another federal state in cooperation with the social insurance system, in which possible interactions are checked for patients with several medications. For this purpose, certificate courses are being offered to pharmacy employees. In addition to e-medication, which offers an electronic quick check, this would allow patients’ medications to be analyzed in much greater detail.
The president also announced a new campaign entitled: “When it comes to health, play it safe with Austrian pharmacists.” This is also the title of the annual report that has just been completed. It states, for example, that pharmacies serve not only as service providers, but also as a regionally important employer for more than 17,000 highly qualified workers throughout Austria. The campaign will start in autumn this year.
— sources: vienna.at/APA/picture: hp
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