A new tool to help pharmacists prepare for the approaching PBS reforms will be launched at APP2008 today.
Guild ScriptMAP (Modelling and Analysis for Pharmacy), developed by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, is an IT tool which analyses dispensary data and indicates key performance figures, ranging from substitution rates in key categories through to business profitability.
Guild president, Kos Sclavos, said ScriptMAP was a crucial tool to help pharmacists manage "this very important transition".
"I have great confidence in stating that the ScriptMAP report is the most valuable tool a pharmacy owner can have in dealing with this huge year of changes in the biggest department of the pharmacy," he said. "All pilot sites have said it is a 'must-have' for business."
Using ScriptMAP, members will electronically submit de-identified dispensing data to the Guild and then order a report which will provide a detailed, personalised analysis of the impact of the 1 August PBS reforms on their pharmacy, based on their unique dispensing patterns, and highlighting areas where improvements can be made through increased substitution.
The report will also include general information on the reforms, such as a list of all PBS drugs and their forumlaries, and an appendix on price disclosure and the weighted average price.
The technology has been developed entirely in-house by Steve Armstrong and the economic analysis and IT division of the Guild. The division has also liaised with all dispense vendors to enable them to implement the necessary "data upload" functionality in their software.
Mr Sclavos said that with the development of the tool, the Guild had done its very best to ensure that the viability of pharmacy is maintained.
"The ideal scenario is that pharmacies will be no worse off," he said.
Industry expert, Peter Saccasan of Sacassan Bailey accountants, said if pharmacists did not properly understand the financial implications of the reforms and the measures they must implement beforehand, it could spell trouble for their businesses come August.
"Their learning curve will be very steep over the next few months. Come August, pharmacists need to understand that the drugs in the F2T category will have a 25 per cent price drop and they need to understand what that change means for arrangements with their suppliers of generic drugs. They need to be managing their stock levels of those drugs as 1 August approaches," he said.
"If they do nothing to prepare and don't manage the stock holdings of F2T drugs, they could get caught with overpriced stock. They need to be focusing their efforts on substitution in order to get maximum benefit from the reforms. Provided pharmacists embrace generic substitution or substitution generally, they should be able to maintain or improve their position."
The report will be available to Guild members only. The cost will be $90 plus GST, with a 20 per cent discount applying for those who attend the roadshow. Today's launch will be followed by roadshow sessions during April.
For a full list of dates and venues visit
www.guild.org.au/events.