Establishing a business in the midst of a global pandemic and recession would seem to many a risky move. But the timing could not have been better for pharmacist and University of New England lecturer Anna Barwick.
A community and hospital pharmacist, she had long been toying with the idea of developing an online platform that linked pharmacists with customers 24/7. The social and geographical isolation resulting from COVID-19 only made this seem even more important.
"My mentors at the UNE SMART Region Incubator urged me to take my time, but I just want to get it out there," Anna says. "I want to give people a means of accessing medication experts for advice and reassurance at a time when they need it most. That's what has fuelled my passion all along."
So PharmOnline was born, and Anna is now busy populating her website, recording informative podcasts and promoting it through traditional and social media.
"I have often thought that pharmacists were under-valued as a source of health information, and the idea is to promote their role and connect them with people who need assistance," she says.
After an overwhelming response, a team of pharmacists across the country will next week begin answering questions online and taking appointments for telehealth consultations. The business model evolved from a deep understanding of what it means to feel isolated.
"I'm a country girl; I know there are limitations of living in rural and regional Australia, where you may live many kilometres from town, where we don't have 24-hour pharmacies and you can wait weeks to see a doctor," Anna says.
Sometimes you just need a question answered after normal business hours, when your baby has a rash or something seems wrong, to ensure the best health outcomes. This is a much more reliable source of information than Dr Google.
Anna has worked hard to ensure PharmOnline is fit for purpose and economically sound.
"I have asked people directly what they want and need, so I am building a community through the provision of a series of health-oriented podcasts," she says. "During the coronavirus lockdown, people have been relying more on technology. I am confident that, provided they have a good internet connection, they will be able to access PharmOnline from any device at home."
Big dose of passion, small injection of funds
The outlay to date has been relatively modest. There's been the cost of registering a business name, graphic design, and Anna's personal investment in her own upskilling, including how to set up a website, and record, edit and release podcasts.
"I've mostly been able to fit it in around my young family, working in the early hours and late at night," she says."The SRI have been so supportive and such wonderful cheerleaders. The next step is marketing the idea of a pharmacist-led telehealth initiative and encouraging people to make a booking. We are hoping to gather data on what people want and need from our service, so we will ask our patients to complete a survey at the end of their health consult."
That Anna continues to work as a pharmacy lecturer at UNE and on her PhD (part-time) makes the achievement even more impressive.
"Yes, it is probably a tricky time to be doing this, but PharmOnline brings together the education, patient advocacy and pharmacist advocacy that I am so passionate about," she says. "Following COVID, I think people will be more aware that their health can be relatively fragile, and they will come to value their health more and be more prepared to invest in it."
Becoming a part of the SMART Region Incubator - Anna is UNE's first researcher founder - has also been a blessing.
"Connecting research with business is what the SRI is all about, and the peer-to-peer support from experts has been invaluable," she says.
They have taught me that I am more capable than I thought I was, that you can make time for things you really love.
