September 30, 2022
Advanced Integrated Systems (AIS), is seeking to bring further efficiency to the Pharmaceutical industry through the use of technology. Known for being the leading provider of health technology solutions in Jamaica, the company is providing solutions to pharmacists and doctors at reduced costs to facilitate easier and more affordable sign on.
The rate of COVID-19 vaccination has not been as fast as we would like, despite the reality that we are facing with the recent introduction of the more infectious Delta variant, and now the Mu variant, into the island.
The current global pandemic has led to many rethinking the way they do business and coming up with ingenuous ways to continue commerce while serving the needs of their customers. Almost every type of business has been affected in some way; the healthcare industry is no exception.
While there will always be need for care and medicine, the fact that people are urged to stay home as much as possible and avoid gathering in large groups means that there needs to also be an adjustment in how these types of businesses operate.
Jamaica is no stranger to electronic dispensing of prescriptions. The National Health Fund has put in place a Pharmacy Information Management System in their Drug Serv pharmacies, including those at several public hospitals across the island. The University of the West Indies is very far ahead in completely implementing their Hospital Information Management System and, within that, the pharmacy module, which is already in use and allows for the ability to digitally conduct all pharmacy-related activities from prescribing to dispensing and between that inventory and stock management.
The world over is dealing with the issue of ageing populations where the number of persons over 55 is steadily increasing while the number of children born to families reduces.
More persons are deciding to have one child or, maximum, two. Jamaica’s birthrate, for example, is approximately 2.01 per family while people are living longer due to advances in technology and improved health services. Living longer, however, does not necessarily equate to living healthier or having a better quality of life. Healthcare will be forced to catch up to this phenomenon.
Electronic prescribing is much more than it appears. While the basic definition speaks to the technology framework that allows doctors and other prescribers to electronically write and transmit prescriptions to patients and pharmacies, the system as a whole can achieve much more. One general benefit of e-prescription is that it assists with eliminating prescription errors in several ways, but importantly, it can be used as part of a system of medication management.
I recently explained and referred to data as the 'new oil', and if we understand the true value of data and what it can do for health care then we would now know that there are boundless opportunities that we can carve out to improve service delivery, patient care and save lives.
Apart from tracking trends, deciphering where and when outbreaks may happen, medication being used by whom and in which geographic location, data provides a whole gamut of information we can use at a very personal level.
There is no doubt that the world is changing dramatically, and Jamaica is not being left behind. Gone are the days when you have to stand in line at a store to purchase goods and acquire services. Jamaicans are now living in a technologically advanced world where we can do anything and go anywhere without changing our physical location. We now speak about life as if we are on an assembly line where efficiency is paramount and saving time and money crucial. This transformation is also taking place in the health care industry. Telemedicine is set to take off globally and will allow us to access health care anyplace, anytime.
