PCDT Pharmacist – value added option

Frans Landman

• Average of 800 patients per month

• Services provided in clinic:

▫ Minor ailments

▫ Immunisations

▫ Family planning

▫ Wellness screening services

• Public-Private partnership to provide the public with services at the cost of only a consultation fee.

• Adding value to the patient is key!

Customers:

• Mostly fall within the lower income group

• Many of our customers not on a medical aid

• Cannot afford to wait hours in a long queue at local clinics

"TIME IS MONEY!" Value added to the private sector 1. Service approximately 800 patients p/m at our clinic 2. Average middle income employee earns R5500 pm

(R28.22 hourly rate) 3. Employee waits 2.5 hours or longer at local clinics 4. Calculation based on one visit per person to clinic

p/m 5. Savings: R28.22 x 2.5 hrs = R70.55 p/p saved on 1 visit R70.55 x 800 patients = R56440.00 p/m

• Physical accessibility

• Location

• Trading hours

• Shorter waiting times than local clinics

Viable OPTION

Value added to our profession

What value has this qualification added to my profession?

• Diagnose and prescribe medication to patients (according to an approved list of conditions)

• Instant reward

Additional income

Do we derive additional income from it?

• Adds to gross profit

• Consultation fee not attached to a product

▫ No Mark-up

Additional benefits

Is the PCDT qualification going to be of benefit to pharmacists in general?

• Broadens your knowledge of disease

• Assists you in making a diagnosis of the patient

• We as pharmacists have been involved in PIT (Patient Initiated Therapy) for years

• Making a bigger difference

Optimistic opportunities

• Amendment of pharmacy ownership in 2003 resulted in major changes.

• South Africa has a limited number of medical professionals.

• There is a burden on public healthcare facilities.

• Private medical aid cover is increasingly un-affordable.

People need:

• cost effective, accessible avenues of service

Pharmacy clinics:

• benefit the whole community

• physically accessible

• ideal trading hours

• increased time-convenience for many cash paying patients

PCDT Training

Two year university correspondence course

Modules to be completed after self study of course material

A two day workshop at the university

200 case studies at a local clinic or PCDT clinic

Final oral examination at the university

Case Study 1

Car guard arrive at our pharmacy looking really unwell. • He told me he had been stung by a bee. • He looked flustered and anxious. I took him to the clinic room, checked his vitals and administered 0.5ml Adrenalin. He presented with anxiety and confusion, I ordered a staff member to summon an ambulance immediately. • I then put him on oxygen. • We kept him under observation. • 20-30 minutes later the patient looked much better. The public ambulance only arrived 20 minutes later; if we did not have the proper training, we would not have been able to help him.

Case Study 2

The customer phoned me late December 2017, saying that her husband wasn't feeling well with headaches and pain. She asked if I could send her some pain and inflammation tablets. I asked if he had been checked for high blood pressure. She said that she had no knowledge of this but that she would try to bring him for an assessment later if she could, as they were self-employed. He arrived, I took 3 separate readings of his blood pressure, and found the reading normal except his pulse rate was higher than normal. While we waited between blood pressure readings I asked him if they went away for December holidays. He shared that he had returned from a fishing trip to Botswana 10 days ago. I then tested him for malaria and he showed a positive test result for Plasmodium Falciparum. After referral to a GP, he was admitted to hospital and spent the new year in ICU.

Case Study 3 Not too long ago a young man of about 27 who comes from a local informal settlement arrived at the clinic reception area, lying over two chairs in pain. I took him to the consulting room immediately and during examination found a positive Psoas sign and rebound tenderness at Mc Burney's point, indicating appendicitis. We summoned the ambulance immediately! Three days later he arrived at the pharmacy thanking us for saving his life, as the doctor at the public hospital operated on him and removed his appendix that same afternoon!

Case Study 4 A security guard arrived at the clinic from his night shift, complaining that he fell asleep in a guard house and an insect crawled into his ear causing him pain and making a noise in his ear.

I examined his ear to find that the insect was still lodged inside. Using ear syringe irrigation we removed the insect and the patient had immediate relief.

Do these cases only happen in pharmacies where you find a PCDT Pharmacist? No.

Do I look forward to go to work?

My motto is:

Have I made a difference in someone's life today?

We need broader networking between the private and public sector!

CONTACT DETAILS email: latudi@mweb.co.za cell: 0832663546