Problems, Interventions, and Goals – those hallmarks of pharmacy care planning – are taking off in ever increasing numbers across our Flip the Pharmacy sites. Since it is the PIG that distinguishes an enhanced services pharmacy from its typical dispensing role, it makes sense that we would be capturing them by the hundreds and soon to be thousands. PIGs, as it turns out, are highly sought after by other healthcare providers and by purchasers of healthcare. They are quite the delicacy among those groups, and their appetite is growing.
The PIG will help our pharmacies address the trade imbalance that has long existed – moving from their primary role of importer (of prescriptions) to a significant role of exporter (of health data and outcomes). Multiple staff at our pharmacies are learning to raise these PIGs, from pharmacy owners to technicians and others, and their skill in doing so improves with each new care plan. PIGs may well have taken up residence in our pharmacies before, but they remained well hidden and disguised themselves as hand-written notes, phone calls, and patient interactions. Through the eCare plan, we can now see these PIGs in full detail, grow them over time, and share them with providers who just so happen to be raising PIGs of their own.
It has happened – PIGs are taking flight. They are easy to handle once you get the hang of it, they have better memories than we do, and most of all – they can help you save lives. PIG pharming makes it all possible.
Who would have thought as much?