Pharmacies as the key to the health revolution: This is how it can go!
Pharmacies as the key to the health revolution: This is how it can go!
Brüssel, Belgien - on April 7, 2025, on the occasion of World Health Day, the Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists will notify alarming defects in the Austrian health system. According to ots.at , long waiting times and acute personnel in health professions are omnippert. The costs of the health system increase continuously and strain not only the institutions, but also the individual citizens. In order to master these challenges, the Chamber of Pharmacists calls for better use of the potential of over 7,000 pharmacists in 1,470 pharmacies.
pharmacists are in contact with up to 600,000 people in everyday life and can often be a first point of contact in the health system. They are able to clarify many health concerns that do not necessarily require a visit to the doctor. The amendment to the law proposed by the Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists, which is due to enter into force in spring 2024, allows pharmacies to carry out modern preventive examinations. This includes point-of-care tests to determine health parameters such as long-term blood sugar and lipid profile that enable early detection of health risks.
strengthen the role of pharmacists
like the World Health Organization (WHO) in a The role of the pharmacists in the European region is significantly changed. Your tasks now extend beyond mere medication and also include supporting patients with chronic illnesses and providing vaccinations. An important topic is the motto of the World Pharmacist Day 2024: "Pharmacist: to meet global health needs".
In various European countries, such as Belgium and Portugal, pharmacists continuously expand their services. In Belgium, for example, pharmacists offer COVID-19 tests and prevention programs for colon cancer screening, while diagnostic tests and nutritional advice are available in Portugal. These examples show how pharmacists act as central actors in healthcare.
advantages of a prevention strategy
The Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists also calls for a nationwide prevention account for all Austrians that should enable individual health tests and vaccinations by social security. The use of these services should be easily via the e-card system. This could not only contribute to improving health care, but also reducing the pressure on the inpatient and outpatient sector.
A comparison with the German health system shows that the average number of doctor visits per year is comparatively high at just under ten, whereas this number is only 5.6 in France. In Germany, there are 213 hospital admissions per 1,000 inhabitants, which is 40% above the EU average. In many countries, including Austria, these numbers are significantly lower, which indicates ineffective use of primary care. vdek.com emphasizes that a strong separation between outpatient and inpatient sector in Germany contributes to the high number of hospital cases.
Strengthening the role of pharmacists could not only counteract the stress in the health system, but also contribute to the increase in the general health of the population. For future -oriented care, it is crucial to politically anchor pharmacists and actively use their potential.
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| Ort | Brüssel, Belgien |
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