Hi,
Im a web savy, uk registered pharmacist I can code php, html, cms, css...
Im looking to get my teeth sunk into an internet project, I have a few ideas about new sites including:
technician support
information provision
internet pharmacy
etc
I was wondering whether there were any like minded people about who would like to work together on a project...
The problem with internet pharmacy is that it takes ages to download your medication.Originally Posted by minisini
All those lumpy tablets shooting down the telephone line can get stuck.
If you are talented send your CV to Cegedimrx or one of the other PMR suppliers?
Where am I?; In the Pharmacy.
Who are you?; The new Number 2.
Who is number 1?; You are number 6.
What do you want?;..................
If you want to provide technician support or information then that would be fairly easy although there are already sites that are providing this service and it is questionable whether people would be prepared to pay for it.
patient.co.uk springs to mind or any of the pharmacy organisation web sites. (NPA RPSGB NHSBSSPPD PSNC PJ C+D etc.)
Internet pharmacy is another kettle of worms. Do you have the skills to write a site that will compete with the likes of Boots/Alliance, pharmacy2u, expresschemist? In most internet markets there are very few successes and many many also rans. A quick search of internet pharmacies will give you:
The big players (as they have invested the most in marketing with google)
The illegal/grey pharmacies (Dodgy offshore sites selling anything from sugar tablets to poisons)
100's and 100's of sites made by independant pharmacies using a bit of PHP or a CMS software package. These are out of date, look naff and would not encourage anyone to type in their credit card number.
If you have a good idea and to sell something on the internet (and internet pharmacy is a proven system) Then you will need:
A web designer to give the site a professional look.
A programmer to ensure that the site works and is secure. Making sure that it works in Internet explorer, Firefox, Safari and any other browsers (mobile browsers perhaps)
A database designer to deal with the patient records and ensure they are secure as well as payment data.
You will need server hosting and a separate remote backup server to ensure continuity of service.
Even when all the technical stuff is done there is the physical side. Staffing, packaging and posting, stock holding etc etc.
I'm not saying that it is not possible but people don't see that there is a large investment of time and money goes into a successful internet site. You cannot build a business model on a Freewebs site and a bit of PHP.
Nice post, left arm.
Yes it is quite difficult to create an internet pharmacy, however it is getting easier everyday. If you use internet standards such as google checkout or paypal this eliminates the credit card problem, there are also alot of other ways to add credibility to a site look at what boots or pharm2u is doing.
I like the idea of that patient.uk site, but its a bit cluttered and disorganised, I would actually like to work on a site like that I think I could really help get the design a little more fluid.
The original post was not aimed specifically at internet pharmacy that was just one of the ideas. Theres a lot more you could do look at npanet.co.uk the NPA have stopped send out their brochures in hard copy and are just concentrating on the web from now on, so there is really an expanding market here with lots of potential...
Not trying to discourage you.
I have been thinking along the same lines for a while, though my skils aren't probably as well honed as yours. I'm coming at it from the other side, get the workable idea, then get the skills (after all there are tutorials all over the internet for everything IT related, and I have qualification in IT somewhere in the depths of my CV)
Anyway, back to the discussion,
Not sure what the charging model would be for this kind of thing, as in the UK people are reluctant to pay for health related informaton.
If you are selling information or access to it to the professions, it has to be better than that available from official sources.
Content that people use to make treatment decisions on is highly maintenance intensive, which means expensive in resource terms.
If you are thinking of a dispensary management system - think again.
Penetrating the market to get critical mass for a self-sustaining business would take more capital than you would ever get in return.
I would (am looking) for ideas outside of healthcare.
Last edited by Pharmanaut; 3rd, July 2009 at 11:23 AM. Reason: completeness
Where am I?; In the Pharmacy.
Who are you?; The new Number 2.
Who is number 1?; You are number 6.
What do you want?;..................
Interesting,
I think there is still definately room in the market for pharmacy orientated health information provision, I just think you have to pitch it right.
As for PMR systems, by heck I know its competitive! I would not dream about entering that market. Furthermore I think the whole thing will go online, look at PharmaSys I think that is the future as broadband becomes more prevelant. You know they offer their system for free whereas their competitors charge thousands of pounds a year!
As for potential website creation outside of the healthcare sphere, a wiseman once told me, stick to what your best at as you have specialised knowledge over a competitor. I try to stick to this mantra, although I have websites in other fields...
Anyway if your interested in possibly creating a new venture please feel free to contact me via PM as i shouldn't give my email out for the spambots to trawl at ******** Im always open to new ideas...
Last edited by Sir_Dispensalot; 4th, July 2009 at 09:08 PM.
patient.co.uk may look a bit ropey but it gets 4 million visits a month.
Pm sent
[QUOTE=minisini;31529]
As for PMR systems, by heck I know its competitive! I would not dream about entering that market. Furthermore I think the whole thing will go online, look at PharmaSys I think that is the future as broadband becomes more prevelant. You know they offer their system for free whereas their competitors charge thousands of pounds a year!
QUOTE]
Can't see how the "free" model works for pharmacy software?
Unless the NHS changes its funding model and pays for total IT costs for pharmacy contractors. (I'm not optimistic about that!)
Thin-client might be the way forward, but until N3 and other communications infrastructure has 100% availability the "can't connect" error messages in Internet Explorer doesn't help much with patient care.
That's my "dual dose sachets" worth on it anyway.
Where am I?; In the Pharmacy.
Who are you?; The new Number 2.
Who is number 1?; You are number 6.
What do you want?;..................
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