Introduction and Why it Exists?

With Brexit approaching or not approaching, but also with the increase in the number of shorts that seem to be occurring at a pharmacy level from month to month. I decided that I could create a free tool that may help pharmacists help other pharmacists during these annoying times in order to help the patients stay on the medicines they are used to without undue hardship.

What my hypothesis is with sickofshorts.ie is that quite often when there are items that are out of stock with the suppliers, there are often pharmacies who are unaware that product is out of stock, who could help bridge the supply for the patient especially in many scenarios, where due to certain factors with the patient other usual options may not be feasible.

Sickofshorts.ie is a platform where pharmacies can list items they are stuck for and other pharmacies can come to their aid if possible, so what it does is increase the visibility of your shorts problem to other pharmacies who may be able to help. A daily email will be sent out to all users with information of medicines people may need or have offered.

The platform also allows for viewing lists of medicines that are short and also information about alternatives that may be used instead, if the patient is not fussy about the brand.

I created this platform stemming from an issue that occurred. I was doing a Locum and a woman came into the pharmacy on a Saturday, she was a patient on the product Parnate, she had arrived here on the off chance that we would have it as her regular pharmacy which is 30km away didn’t have it. I felt her pain, but also that of her regular pharmacy and I thought would it not be great if there was a way to ask other pharmacies nationwide in one go if they had this product and then send her there with the prescription.

How it works? Functionality

Account Types

There are 3 types of accounts that you may sign up as: Pharmacy Account, Pharmacist Account or Pharmacy Technician Account.

All three accounts types are free to set up and open to all community pharmacies, registered pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

The main difference between the accounts is that requisitions may only be initiated and completed by accounts registered to a pharmacy at this moment.

All requisitions that happen are recorded and is readily accessible by the pharmacy.

Ability to view list of products that are short

A comprehensive list of products that are short is kept on the platform. You may choose to view it, or even contribute to the list, to help other colleagues

Ability to view and add alternative products suggestions

If a product is listed as short, you may choose to view alternative ways of sourcing the product or alternative product suggestions

Ability to list products you are stuck for

Once your registration is verified you can list products or items you are stuck for and other pharmacies may offer it to you.

If you receive a product offer, you can choose to accept or deny it. If an offer is accepted, you both can co-ordinate about the option which suits best for trying to get the product to the patient.

Ability for pharmacies to offer you such product

You can also choose to assist a pharmacy with a product which they have listed as something they need.

Ability to list products that you think others may be stuck for

You can also list a product which you think pharmacies may need which you have an excess of and can help others with.

Ability for other pharmacies to request the product from you

A pharmacy can request a product you have listed as an excess which is short from you.

If you choose to   accept the request , you both can co-ordinate about the option which suits best for trying to get the product to the patient.

Ability to view and search the database

You can search the database of products listed as both wanted and offered by pharmacies.

This Database search gives you results based on the location of your pharmacy. So you see the distance in Kilometres from your pharmacy to the other pharmacy.

How it works ? What it isn’t

No financial transactions will be happening on the site

We will not be processing payments or helping to arrange delivery of products.

That will be up to you and the other party to agree on either via email or any other form of communication. What we want to do is merely help you find each other and enable the initial conversation.

How it will be useful?

Useful for pharmacies who have patients who are brand particular to find another pharmacy that may be able to bridge the supply during times of shorts

Useful for pharmacies who need stock which is short for which there is no other alternative

Prevention of patients having to pay out of pocket for unlicensed versions of the product

Makes it easier to identify pharmacies who still have stock in times of shorts and sending patients there.

Future Plans and Features

For the future, I would like the site to be able to give real-time information about items that are out of supply for all products and all information relating to that.

I would also be adding new features weekly to improve the service. If you have suggestions about features you would like to see added, please contact info@sickofshorts.ie , I would love to hear from you.