Participate in the Next Book!

27. June 2010 admin

Yes, the blog hasn’t been updated.  Yes, we’ve been slammed with helping customers transition into new roles within the industry during this dramatic spell of change - which is a good thing for business, but bad for our blog!

That aside, and keeping up with the spirit of career changes here at Pharm, we’re working on our next book about solo entrepreneurs.  If you have started your own business - life sciences or any other - feel free to take our survey for the next book project - and you can be part of it!  With this insane economy, right now could be the very best time ever for people to start businesses, particularly around healthcare and life science sectors.  If this is you, we’d love for you to participate in this next book!

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Interesting

15. November 2009 admin

New ways of looking at drug development…?

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#19 - Ireland

18. October 2009 admin

(We promised you a review of the top 20 healthcare systems in the world and a little about them on this blog.  We’ve been busy, and haven’t posted as quickly as we’d like…but here in the blogosphere, it is tough to keep up!)

Ireland is the 19th best healthcare system in the world, according to the World Health Organization.  If one is a resident of Ireland, she qualifies for the national healthcare system, which is regulated by a department within the Irish government (The Department of Health and Children).

The Dept. of Health and Children allocates funds to the Health Service Executive (HSE).  HSEs oversee areas and the HSEs provide resources to each area annually.  The Dept. of Health and Children also has an administrative branch headed by the Minister of Health.  There are separate sections under this Dept., and include: primary care, mental health, acute hospital, cancer, associated services, office of older people, finance, and personnel mgmt and development (nursing).  There is also an eligibility and patient safety office, and child care.

There are 4 HSE districts–north, south, east, and west.  If a patient doesn’t like her care, she can work through a formal complaints process.

General healthcare providers provide services at no charge with patients showing medical cards or GP visit cards.  Some doctors only treat private payers.  There are only 1650 general practitioners in the country, or one doctor per 680 people (similar to the ratio in the UK).

In 1991, the Health Amendment Act was passed in Ireland, and it introduced the concept of ordinary residence, which again is the minimum requirement for healthcare benefit eligibility in the country, and generally means that individual is going to stay in the country for a minimum of one year.  There are only 2 private health insurers in Ireland - VHI and BUPA.  Both rates are calculated on the basis of a ‘community rating’ or general rating where everyone pays the same amount, and premiums do not increase with age, but you must be under age 65 to join either private pay insurance plans. Both are not for profits.

Pharmacies tend to be called “Chemists” in Ireland.  They do not have 24 hour pharmacies in Ireland.  OTC drugs are paid for by patients, and prescription drugs are no charge for cardholders in Ireland.  Ther eis a Drugs Payment Scheme in Ireland, that limits any one family member to spend 85 euros per calendar year out of pocket for meds.  In order to be on the Drugs Payment Scheme, however, patients must go to only ONE pharmacy and must register at the health board or pharmacy itself for the plan.

While these summaries are overly simplistic, we will continue to bring them to you in hopes to understand how other countries who ranked higher on the WHO list operate, at least at a 50,000 foot view.

References:

1. Citizens Information: Public Service Information provided by the Citizens Information Board. http://www.citizensinformation.ie. Last updated 4/8/2008. Accessed 8/10/08.

2. Ireland. www.justlanded.com. Excerpt from Living and Working in Ireland by Joe Laredo. Survival Books, Ltd: May 25, 2001.

3. Department of Health and Children. 2008. http://www.dohc.ie. Last updated 2008. Accessed 8/10/08.

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Off Label Prescribing

26. August 2009 admin

This post I found interesting this morning.  Although I have yet to read the article, I think this is yet another GREAT opportunity for MSLs to be there to educate what IS and IS NOT on label.  There can be differences even among classes of drugs, and without a scientist there to clear the air, no wonder things get murky.

MORE evidence that technical and scientific affairs is not only nice to have at a drug company, but NECESSARY.

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We Interrupt Our Series…

20. August 2009 admin

….for this very important piece of news out of Oklahoma. While it isn’t directly affecting MSLs, over 60% of MSLs happen to be pharmacists….so I’m speaking to the pharmacists right now. What do you think of this piece from APhA’s site this week ? Do you think being a "reckless" pharmacist now includes not checking what type of car your patients drive?

Apparently it is in Oklahoma.

My heart truly goes out to each and every pharmacist working hard every day to deliver the very best care they can to their patients…and apparently who now also have to police on top of all their other job responsibilities.

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#20 - Switzerland

19. August 2009 admin

This is one part of a 20 part series on the world’s top rated country health care systems, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).   A summary of the twentith country on this ranking, Switzerland, is below.  Thanks to Matt Rettig, PharmD, graduate of Butler University COPHS, for researching and compiling this information.

Switzerland

The System:

KVG, or Kranken-Versicherungs-Gesetz is the “Law on Medical Insurance”, or legislation enacted in 2006 for the Switzerland health care system.1 Citizens of the country can choose between ninety public and private insurance companies, but insurers must be not for profit agencies according to law.2 Regulations and financing is managed by twenty-six different cantons (which are similar to states).3 Premiums differ by canton, and each canton has a minister of health.6,10 Basic coverage is required, but approximately 40% of people in Switzerland buy supplemental insurance.6 Approximately 11.6% of total Swiss GDP is spent on healthcare, second highest in the world (first is the US at 16%).7,8 Two point two percent of total healthcare spend in Switzerland is on preventative care.11

The Pharmacy:

Drugs make up approximately 10% of the total healthcare cost pie in Switzerland (2002).12 Apotheke or pharmacies carry legend (RX) drugs, while Drogories carry only over-the-counters (OTCs). There is 1 pharmacy per 4,457 citizens in Switzerland.13 Physicians can dispense in Switzerland. Pharmacy curriculum is 5 years (for community practice, and an additional 3 years is required for hospital pharmacists), and pharmacy techs are required to study under a 3 year apprenticeship. Also, pharmacists may only be reimbursed from a pharmacy directly after 2 years of practice experience post 5-years of education. Swissmedic (the Swiss Food & Drug type administration) determines classification of medications - Classes A-E have varying degrees of prescription status as a requirement.12

Interestingly, compensation for drug distribution and cognitive services is different. Cognitive services have a fee schedule via a “point” system, and there are 6 different types of cognitive services, with varying point schedules. One point equaled 1.08 Swiss francs in 2005. Emergency work, night and weekend work had a sixteen point rating per patient visit or intervention. Only certain classes of drugs are covered by the basic insurance package. Both hospital and community practice pharmacies have a quality certification to reduce medication errors, increase generic utilization and increase medication adherence.

References:

1. Buhler M. The Swiss Healthcare System. http://www.swissnetwork.com/?page=ViewArticle&id=88 . Published August 31, 2007. Accessed August 12, 2008.

2. Interview: Pascal Couchepin. PBS website. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/interviews/couchepin.html . Published April 15, 2008. Accessed August 12, 2008.

3. Dougherty A. Switzerland: The Health Care System. Insure the Uninsured Project website. http://www.itup.org/Reports/Fresh%20Thinking/Switzerland.pdf . Published July 9, 2008. Accessed August 12, 2008.

4. Health insurance: Public and private health insurance in Switzerland. Just Landed website. http://www.justlanded.com/english/Switzerland/Tools/Just-Landed-Guide/Health/Health-insurance . Accessed August 12, 2008.

5. Health Care Systems in Transition: Switzerland. European Observatory on Health Care Systems Website. http://www.euro.who.int/document/e68670.pdf . Published 2000. Accessed August 12, 2008.

6. The Swiss Healthcare System. http://www.civitas.org.uk/pdf/Switzerland.pdf . Published 2002. Accessed August 12, 2008.

7. Five Capitalist Democracies & How They Do It. PBS website. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/countries/ . Published April 15, 2008. Accessed August 12, 2008.

8. Landers J. In Switzerland, everyone is insured, and businesses don’t pay. http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/bus/stories/DN-swisshealth_07bus.ART0.State.Edition2.21730ee.html .Published February 7, 2006. Accessed August 12, 2008.

9. Switzerland. World Health Organization website. http://www.who.int/countries/che/en/ . Published 2008. Accessed August 13, 2008.

10. Aetna Global Benefits World Spotlight: Switzerland. Aetna website. http://www.aetnaglobalbenefits.com/content/news/0806B.pdf . Accessed August 12, 2008.

11. OECD and WHO survey of Switzerland’s health system. Organisation for Ecomomic Co-operation and Development website. http://www.oecd.org/document/47/0,2340,en_2649_201185_37562223_1_1_1_1,00.html . Published October 19, 2006. Accessed August 12, 2008.

12. Guignard E, Bugnon O. Pharmaceutical Care in Community Pharmacies: Practice and Research in Switzerland. Ann Pharmacotherapy. 2006; 40(3): 512-517.

13. Healthcare in Switzerland. http://www.europe-cities.com/en/633/switzerland/health/?page=1 . Accessed August 12, 2008.

14. Martinelli E. The GSASA- Professional Association of Swiss Public Health Administration and Hospital Pharmacists. http://www.eahponline.org/upload/ejhp/P52-53.pdf . Published April, 2003. Accessed August 16, 2008.

15. 2008 Top 20 Pharmaceutical Companies Report. http://www.contractpharma.com/articles/2008/07/2008-top-20-pharmaceutical-companies-report . Published August 2008. Accessed August 17, 2008.

16. Whelan J. Switzerland’s thriving pharmaceutical industry. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19025502.500-switzerlands-thriving-pharmaceutical-industry.html . Published May 6, 2006. Accessed August 17, 2008.

17. World-wide sales of the “top ten” Swiss chemical and pharmaceutical companies. http://www.sgci.ch/plugin/template/sgci/*/9826 . Published 2007. Accessed August 17, 2008.

18. Quality management standards in Switzerland. http://www.spitalpharmazie-basel.ch/lehre/pdf/Swiss%20HP.pdf . Published November/December 2005. Accessed August 17, 2008.

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Healthcare around the world - Who’s got it right?

18. August 2009 admin

There’s a LOT of hub-bub in the press lately about one of the greatest issues of our time: health care.  We are all obsessed with finding answers to this big challenge.  However, what are other countries doing about healthcare?  What is working already, and what can we learn and reapply to our own system?

Thus, I am beginning a 20 part blog series on the top 20 healthcare systems of the entire world, at least according to the World Health Organization.  Eight pharmacy students last year studied the top 20 systems of the world, and on this blog, I’m going to summarize each country’s system, who the payers are, how pharmacy fits, and some ideas that might work in our own system.  We will begin with country #20 (Switzerland) in the next post….be on the lookout for this series.  I know I learned a lot from the project, and I hope you learn about the other systems globally as well.

Here is the WHO list to get you started and amp’d for this series!

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The Future of…Pharmacy

30. July 2009 admin

GlowCaps? DailyMed?

Whatever the technology - these days the hot word in medication management is: adherence.

What is your company doing about it?

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Healthcare: A Right, or a Privilege?

5. May 2009 admin

While reviewing my students’ research project from this past academic year, I stumbled upon Andorra. What does Andorra have to do with healthcare, you might ask? Well, they have healthcare as a right, built into their constitution.

“The right to health protection and to receive services to look after personal needs shall be respected.” Interesting. And I will leave you with something to ponder, as Michael Moore did in his movie, Sicko.

Is healthcare a right, or a privilege in the US? Furthermore, should it be a right, or a privilege?

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Genius Wanted: Looking For Employment

12. March 2009 admin

Most companies looking for looking for candidates tend to run software to find keywords of appropriate candidates as a first screening.  So, my genius friend Mike (also a MSL and seeking employment) put a list of keywords relevant to his skill set at the bottom of his CV and made the text white, so it visually wouldn’t be there, but the computers screening for keywords would find them.

Now, we aren’t here to promote people promoting themselves inappropriately; however, if you have the keywords in your background, there is nothing wrong with getting your resume in the short pile.

Thanks to Mike for sharing!

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