Pharmacy Industry News: Duphat Conference and Exhibition commences its second day with outstanding participation
Duphat Conference and Exhibition commences its second day with outstanding participation
Despite the fact the pharmaceutical industry had achieved a tremendous progress in the past years, yet there are lots of pressing issues that are vague due to the lack of data and resource. However, the Duphat conference this year sheds light on these issues of interest in the pharmacology science and tries to present solutions.
Distinguished Speakers from the UAE, Belgium, United Kingdom, Denmark, Australia, Egypt and Japan specializing in Pharmacology, Academics and Research shared their latest expertise and greatly contribute to the pharmacy profession during Duphat conference.
Dr. Ali Al Sayed Director of Pharmaceutical Services Department at the Dubai Health Authority and the conference chairman said “For the second consecutive day, the speakers have discussed many relevant topics including; The pharmacist’s Role in personalised Medicine, the Role of Pharmacists in Individualized Medicine; Evolving Science in Pharmaceutical Practice, Implementation of a Robot for Chemotherapy Preparation, Technology Driven Topical and Systemic Drug Delivery Systems, Pharmacy Practice Governance, Worksite Health and Productivity Management to Name a Few.
Dr. Ali also said that Duphat conference intends to meet the interests of pharmacists from hospitals and community pharmacies, professionals from the pharma-industry, marketing professionals, researchers, academics, scientists, biotech experts, clinicians, students and other healthcare professionals.
The scientific program also included a number of workshops presented by internationally renowned specialists. The second day workshops covered topics such as Monitoring Pharmaceuticals during Storing, Handling, and Transportation by Means of Indicators, Health Risk Appraisal at the Worksite, Medication Safety, and Strategy to Enhance Patients Adherence to Medication.
On the exhibition side, more than 300 regional and international pharmaceutical companies are showing their latest products and researches at the Duphat. The exhibition attracts more and more exhibitors every year due to many attendees interested in this field. Duphat conference and exhibition is expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors and participants this year.
Congratulations Ken Wicks~ 40 years
HART’S Pharmacy owner Mr Ken Wicks has been congratulated by the Pharmacy industry for achieving a feat very few of his colleagues can claim. Ken has provided the local community with 40 years of continuous pharmacy advice and service.
We caught up with Ken recently to gain an insight into what it takes to operate a business and provide a high standard of service for such an extended period.
Gazette: How long did you originally come for?
Ken: The initial contract was for three months with an option to extend if both parties agreed. The series of extensions continued until 1985 when I purchased the business.
Gazette: Where did you live in those early days?
I boarded at the Commercial Hotel among a large group of people and we were spoilt foodwise by the owners, Mr and Mrs McRae.
Gazette: Who were the doctors in 1971?
Dr Keith Beck and Dr Peter Rikard-Bell.
Gazette: Who were on staff in March 1971?
Mary Tarby, Helen Sinclair and Justin Hart. Marion Jordan was the bookkeeper and the owner Andie Hart spent periods of time behind the counter as well.
Gazette: In the past, as well as present, Hart’s Pharmacy has outstanding staff, would you like to comment on this?
Staff is the essential ingredient in a successful business.We have been fortunate over the years to have employed outstanding individuals. At present the combined pharmacy experience of the staff amounts to an astounding 139 years!
Gazette: What is the cornerstone to providing the service you have over the last forty years?
Remembering people’s names and being a good listener when presented with their problems.
Gazette: How has technology affected pharmacy in your forty years?
Dramatically, in the past all prescriptions were hand-written in a large prescription ledger to the present day with full on computerization.
Gazette: No doubt you have seen many changes, are they all for the good of the community?
Pharmacists by nature are very adaptable and the consumer at the end of the day is the winner
Gazette: What process did you have to go through to achieve your qualifications?
Four years at Sydney University followed by one year pre-registration before I could practise as a pharmacist.
Gazette: Can you recount for us some of your most memorable achievements in pharmacy? Achieving positive outcomes when presented with an amazing array of issues over the years.
Gazette:Your longevity and success can be attributed to what?
I enjoy coming to work and pharmacy in the country is practicing what I call “Real Pharmacy”. The positive feedback you receive from people is most gratifying.
Gazette: Hart’s Pharmacy has expanded over the years, has this allowed you to provide a wider range of services?
The Medicare Access Point, the photo kiosk, cosmetics and skin-care and a larger health consulting area are a few of the services we now offer.
Gazette: Hart’s Pharmacy is Quality Care accredited. Do all pharmacies have this accreditation?
No. Hart’s Pharmacy has been accredited for 10 years and the last evaluation in 2010 we achieved 98 per cent.
Gazette: Finally, what has been the most important issue professionally over the forty years?
Establishing and maintaining good relationships with all the doctors in the area. Sadly in some parts of Australia there are doctors who won’t even take a call from a pharmacist. The staff would like to congratulate Ken on such an achievement and furthermore would like to thank Ken for providing such a pleasant work environment. As a long time provider of Alpharpharm generic medicines to the community, Alphapharm would like to congratulate Ken on reaching this milestone and thank him for his support over the past 25 years.
Technology Embracing Pharmacy, Millennium Pharmacy Systems, Welcomes New CIO
Chicago based pharmacy services provider to the long-term care industry, Millennium Pharmacy Systems recently announced the appointment of John Tauber as its chief information officer (CIO). Tauber has been serving the company as interim CIO since the fall of 2010. In a press release, the company announced that the latest appointment is a part of the company’s goal of providing the long-term care industry with the cutting-edge technology-enabled solutions.
Tauber, who has acquired extensive industry experience working in the fields of corporate, turnaround, and growth sectors, will oversee all information technology operations of the company. He will be based at Millennium’s Shared Services location in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
Prior to joining Millennium Pharmacy, Tauber was the CIO for MedImpact Healthcare Systems. There, his role involved delivering IT services for one of the nation’s largest prescription benefits management (PBM) companies.
A dual Bachelor’s degree-holder in computer science and in mathematics he also served as an adjunct professor at the Lake Forest School of Management.
“John (Tauber) has proven his effectiveness and has shown that his goals align with the direction of Millennium. We are very pleased to welcome him to the Millennium family and look forward to his contributions,” Millennium CEO Rich Scardina said in a statement.
“Millennium Pharmacy Systems has been the launching pad for technology into the long-term care pharmacy industry and into many of its customers’ operations. I am pleased to have the opportunity to help continue and enhance the tradition of technology-enabled solutions both internally and externally,” Tauber stated in the release.
In other news, MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc. has been awarded Pharmacy Benefit Management accreditation from URAC, a Washington, DC-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry. The announcement was made at the company’s annual client conference.
Healthcare Solutions Adds Industry Expert to P&T Committee
Healthcare Solutions, the parent company of pharmacy benefit manager Cypress Care, today announced it has added healthcare industry expert Sanford M. Silverman, MD, to its pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee. The addition of Dr. Silverman further strengthens the company’s P&T committee, which serves as an advisory board to provide recommendations on the selection and use of medications to treat workers’ compensation and auto claimants.
Healthcare Solutions’ P&T committee reviews medication safety issues, proper drug utilization trends, drug recalls, new generic introductions, changes in FDA drug indications and drug misadventures that have occurred in the most recent quarter. The committee also focuses on emerging issues, including legislative updates and best practice pain treatment protocols prevalent in the workers’ compensation and auto markets.
Dr. Silverman has been practicing medicine for over 20 years and is in private practice as the medical director and CEO of Comprehensive Pain Medicine in Pompano Beach, Florida. He is board certified in anesthesiology with added qualifications in pain management from the American Board of Anesthesiology and a Diplomate in Pain Medicine from the American Board of Pain Medicine. He is also a Diplomate in Addiction Medicine from the American Board of Addiction Medicine. His practice consists of interventional and medical treatment of chronic pain, opioid addiction and treating complex chronic pain with hyperalgesia.
“We are very pleased to add Dr. Silverman to our P&T committee,” said Jim Andrews, R.Ph, senior vice president of pharmacy services for Healthcare Solutions. “He brings a wealth of pain management expertise to the committee and will be a valuable advisor in the development of policies regarding the evaluation, selection, and therapeutic use of drugs and related services for our customers.”
Healthcare Solutions P&T committee is chaired by Chip Robison, Pharm.D, director of clinical pharmacy services for Healthcare Solutions. Dr. Robison is a member of the Work Loss Data Institute (WLDI) Official Disability Guidelines Editorial Advisory Board and actively participates in providing pharmacy guidance to the committee. Under Dr. Robison’s leadership, the P&T committee recently developed customized, claim age-specific formulary design as well as formulary enhancements to assist non-subscriber customers. He also serves as clinical preceptor for pharmacist interns with the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, The University of Georgia and Mercer University. The P&T committee continues to monitor the impact of the Food and Drug Administration’s risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS), as well as the state-specific adoption of the Official Disability Guidelines.