System relief

New health services in pharmacies

(Bild: Martin Hörmaninger)

Austria's pharmacies will expand their health services for people. This is made possible by the amendment to the Pharmacy Act passed in the plenary session of the National Council at the end of February. krone.tv presenter Larissa Putz and Priv.-Doz. DDr. Phillipp Saiko, member of the Presidium of the Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists.

In future, modern and innovative health tests such as blood sugar and cholesterol measurements or analyses of micronutrients such as vitamin D will be offered. There will also be vaccination titer analyses to find out whether sufficient antibodies are present, as well as on-site detection of infectious diseases such as influenza, RSV or COVID-19. There is now also the option of a medication analysis for people who have to take several medications. This allows unwanted interactions to be identified and therapy to be adjusted together with the doctor.

krone.tv presenter Larissa Putz in conversation with DDr. Phillipp Saiko

(Bild: Krone.tv)

This offensive will create new health services in the field of prevention and early detection and improve the quality of care and life of the population. The foundations for the implementation of these future services are gradually being laid in the 1,450 pharmacies.

Proving itself during the pandemic
The background to the new legal basis is the remarkable performance of the pharmacy community during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly through the rapid establishment of a standardized testing infrastructure and the professional implementation of coronavirus tests. This low-threshold and high-quality testing service was extremely appreciated by people, the structures have become established and are now being comprehensively anchored in law.

(Bild: Krone.tv)

The employees of those pharmacies that will offer blood and urine tests in future will not make diagnoses, but will collect parameters and forward them to doctors if necessary.

Flexible opening hours, more branches
In addition to expanding the range of services on offer, the amendment allows for the voluntary adjustment of opening hours to meet people's regional care needs. Pharmacies can now be open on weekdays between 06:00 and 21:00 and on Saturdays between 06:00 and 18:00. In addition, up to three branches per pharmacy can be operated and so-called outsourced dispensing points can be set up, for example in communities without a pharmacy. As a result of the amendment, it is now also possible for pharmacies to supply patients with limited mobility.

"All in all, we are very pleased that the law bears our signature."

DDr. Phillipp Saiko, Präsidiumsmitglied der Österreichischen Apothekerkammer

In a waiting position: vaccinations in pharmacies
The new pharmacy law does not yet include the legal basis for carrying out certain booster vaccinations such as TBE or influenza in pharmacies in order to increase the alarmingly low vaccination coverage rates in Austria. The number of countries with vaccination authorization for pharmacists is increasing rapidly. This shows that vaccination coverage rates increase significantly through vaccination in pharmacies.

More than 2,000 pharmacists in Austria have already completed the mandatory vaccination training at the highest international level and are ready to go.