Pharmacies want to become medical centers

Even resilient with respect to the economic crisis the pharmacies and want to go beyond the sale of medicines and beauty items. The goal is to create small medical centers and thus unburden the national health system.
The estimate of the Brazilian Association of Pharmacies and Drugstores (Abrafarma) is that the majority of members already do some added service to the operation: 51% of networks providing injectable medication; 33% check blood pressure and 10% make capillary blood glucose test. With the requirement of having a pharmacist at the point of sale in full time, the entity asks for now by the national agency of sanitary surveillance (Anvisa), the regulation of the medical clinic.
Today, the law 13,021/14 allows the pharmacist follow the patient's treatment and vaccines. "We serve more than 800 million people in 2014. We can expand it, "declared the President of Abrafarma, Sergio Mena Barreto. According to him, however, in addition to the lack of regulation, the inclusion of clinical services in stores suffers pressure from doctors. "There is an action of the Board of Medicine against the Regional Council of Pharmacies. They claim that health care should be only done by doctors ". But this has not been an impediment to that networks like Panvel and Drugstore Venancio invest in service. Very similar to that used in the United States, the clinics could even be a way to monetize the pharmaceutical operation in Brazil. "The Us has until a doctor at pharmacies, but of course, here the idea is not to replace the doctors."
Who has initiated the project of more services in stores was to pay less, with almost 130-among the 790-stores that already have the Clinic Farms. The President of the network, Subramanian Queiroz stated that the goal is to close the year with 250 units and account for operations close to 1,000 stores by 2017. For the entrepreneur, the pharmacist is often the closest consumer contact a specialist qualified for small demands. Therefore, the regulation of function will help vent the SUS. "There are people that it takes months to get a basic query. We can help. "
Queiroz explained that the Clinic Farmas measure blood pressure and do simple tests of glucose. He believes, however, the expansion of services. "The pharmacist is able to work with vaccines. No need to hire Cubans. Just authorize the professionals who have studied both and enable them to provide that service. " Today, immunization vaccines are applied only in specialized clinics or health centers.
Caregiver
Ibope Intelligence research points out that the consumer will see the pharmacist as a caregiver. The study pointed out that 53% of respondents believe in the importance of the pharmacist's role in the future of pharmacies. Other 51% would make preventive examinations at the scene and 48% would accept receiving the pharmacist a treatment program against smoking. "Consumers want more services in pharmacies," said CEO Ibope, Marcia Cavallari Nunes. "We approve of self-tests and benefit the pharmacies. We are committed to all that, "said the Director of health regulation of Anvisa, Renato port.