This week (6-10 November) is World Quality Week, an annual, global campaign to raise awareness of the value of quality and continuous improvement.
This year’s theme is ‘realising your competitive potential’ and draws attention to how pharmacies can improve their risk profile and maintain a competitive advantage by implementing and ensuring quality improvement principles in pharmacy.
Quality improvement principles and methods can help pharmacies quickly and effectively address inefficiencies and manage changing customer expectations. Here are some top tips to help improve quality outcomes:
- Prevent problems to prevent having to fix problems. To prevent problems, design processes and implement procedures to mitigate risks before they happen.
- Develop a culture of continuous improvement. Skills, tools and mindset matter and equipping your pharmacy team so they can solve problems too.
- Think ‘systems’. Looking at your pharmacy operations with a systems approach can lead to more efficient and effective workflows.
Pharmacy owners are responsible for safe and quality outcomes in their pharmacy even when they are not present physically. That’s why it is so important to train the team and have systems and processes in place to prevent problems or solve them when they arise.
Quality Care Pharmacy Program (QCPP) accreditation ensures pharmacies provide a high standard of professional service and customer care while also working as a tool to enhance business operations. More than 96% of Australian community pharmacies are QCPP accredited.
Celebrate World Quality Week 2023 in your pharmacy. Join the global movement to raise awareness and promote best practices in quality.
Access more information and resources to share on social media here.
