Since being named 2011 Guild Pharmacy of the Year, the Orana Mall Pharmacy in Dubbo NSW has gone from strength to strength, and the momentum from that success has ensured a positive impact on the business and patients alike.
One of the principal areas of evolution has been in the area of diabetes management.
Lisa Gibson, proprietor and Credentialed Diabetes Educator, said that her local community has one of the highest incidences of diabetes in Australia and there is a patient being diagnosed with diabetes every 15 minutes in NSW.
“We wanted to make a positive difference and do something to try to reduce that rate,” she said.
“As a result, diabetes management and care has become a primary focus for our team in the pharmacy.”
In 2014 the pharmacy relocated into a new position within Orana Mall. The relocation provided an opportunity to cement the well-established professional services offering as well as to continue to build and develop the diabetes offering.
“The new store was designed with professional services at its core, taking into account the needs of the local community and ensuring that the pharmacy was ready to embrace opportunities and deliver outcomes that benefited patients both present and future” Ms Gibson said.
“The addition of the third consultation room was testament to the journey and success we have realised since being named Pharmacy of the Year in 2011.
“It has allowed us to optimise both private and government professional services in the pharmacy.”
Ms Gibson stated that the benefits of being part of the Pharmacy of the Year competition have been long-lasting and were continuing to help influence the pharmacy today.
“Winning gave us the added confidence and importantly reaffirmed that we were doing the right thing by our patients, and that the business was heading in the right direction,” Ms Gibson said.
“Entering the competition was easy and fun and was a great way to bring the pharmacy team together.
“In fact we were the first entrants to use a video entry as part of our nomination and that was a great experience for all of us,” Ms Gibson said.
“Completing the simple application process gave us a unique opportunity to honestly and critically self-evaluate our store and team and created an energy to imagine how we could be even better in the future.”
Ms Gibson stressed that the team is what makes the pharmacy what it is, “so make sure you engage them in the application process”.
Encouragingly, Ms Gibson advocates for any pharmacy to consider submitting an application.
“Give it a go! Pharmacy of the Year is an amazing process of discovery. You owe it to your team, your business and most importantly your community, and who knows — the next winner could be you,” she said.
Think your pharmacy is up to the Pharmacy of the Year challenge? The 2019 Guild Pharmacy of the Year competition marks the 20th year the Guild has been celebrating excellence in pharmacy practice. If your pharmacy has what it takes to be our next champion, enter online at pharmacyoftheyear.com.au.