Alex Savic*, ALENSA AG, Zurich, Switzerland Track: Business Presentation Topic: Business models in a Web 2.0 environment Presentation Type: Oral presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Building: MaRS Centre, 101 College Street, Toronto, Canada Room: CR2 Date: 2009-09-17 03:30 PM – 05:00 PM Last modified: 2009-08-13

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The Internet has had a positive transformational effect across many industries including banking, travel and consumer goods retail. It is now also finding its way into the healthcare system, with many ‘eHealth’ services gaining traction in recent years. However there is an important node in the eHealth network, the pharmacy, that is only just starting to undergo the necessary technological and business model changes that are required for it to become an effective contributor to the eHealth network.

Whilst most pharmacies limit their use of PCs to electronic stock keeping and registering sales, the potential of new internet technologies to improve the way pharmacies operate is tremendous. What is lacking seems not to be a lack of motivation on the part of pharmacies, but instead a lack of awareness of the possibilities.

In exploring the main avenues for improvement, the following approaches appear most relevant :

- Adopting electronic medical records and electronic prescriptions
- Providing web access for patients to manage their prescriptions online
- Conducting online patient consultation/support (telemepharmacy)
- Increasing use of e-commerce
- Communicating with customers through social media

This presentation examines some of the best-practice suggestions in each of these five areas and seeks out the solutions which are both cost-effective, easy to implement and deliver the best patient outcomes.