For your health

Even more prevention in pharmacies

(Bild: Martin Hörmandinger)

With various testing and screening offers in pharmacies, the health literacy of the population can be significantly increased. At the same time, the costs for the healthcare system can be reduced. Pharmacies play a very important role in this.

The 1,450 public pharmacies have a particularly important function in the Austrian healthcare system: the supporting foundation. Every day, in up to 600,000 personal consultations, solutions are sought - and found - for health complaints. Be it through self-medication or referral to a doctor's surgery for further clarification.

However, it would be even better if the health complaints that bring customers to the pharmacy around the corner did not occur in the first place. Individual health literacy therefore needs to be increased and preventative health measures strengthened. And this is precisely where the more than 7,000 pharmacists come into play once again: after the National Council elections, there is an urgent need to set the course for involving pharmacists even more in the area of prevention and preventive diagnostics. If politics and social insurance were to make even more comprehensive and targeted use of the strengths of the 1,450 pharmacies in Austria, the costs of the healthcare system could be significantly reduced.

(Bild: Apothekerkammer)

Tests and screenings in pharmacies 
However, long-term treatment costs can only be reduced if possible disease patterns are detected as early and as quickly as possible. Evidence-based screening campaigns and a nationwide prevention strategy are essential for this. Regardless of their place of residence and income, all people in Austria must have low-threshold access to tests, screenings and, if necessary, the appropriate care from pharmacies.

Heart weeks, vitamin D and blood sugar tests 
Pharmacists are very willing to implement active preventive measures. In Vienna, for example, a test campaign to measure important cardiovascular parameters such as HbA1c, the lipid profile or blood pressure (RR) will be carried out as part of the Heart Weeks from November 4 to 30. The aim is to detect risk factors for possible cardiovascular diseases as easily and without much effort as possible and at the same time increase the population's health literacy.

Dr. Philipp Saiko explains the importance of pharmacies.(Bild: krone.tv)

In Salzburg and Styria, vitamin D tests were and are available in pharmacies, which have been well received by the population. In Carinthia, a highly successful long-term sugar measurement campaign was carried out and numerous people with a tendency to develop diabetes were identified. Based on the values determined, those affected were ultimately recommended more precise clarification - and possibly spared a great deal of suffering. This approach will continue in the individual federal states and throughout Austria. After all, the more than 7,000 pharmacists are not only important for the population if they already have symptoms, but also before!