Australian Doctor reveals the pharmacist training to diagnose and treat UTIs

Press/Media: Expert Comment

Description

Pharmacists will undergo just three hours of training and complete a 20-question multiple-choice exam before prescribing antibiotics for uncomplicated UTIs under the controversial Queensland trial launched a fortnight ago

Subject

Antimicrobial resistance

Pharmacy prescribing trial

Period30 Jun 2020

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleAustralian Doctor reveals the pharmacist training to diagnose and treat UTIs
    Degree of recognitionNational
    Media name/outletAustalian Doctor
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryAustralia
    Date30/06/20
    DescriptionPharmacists will undergo just three hours of training and complete a 20-question multiple-choice exam before prescribing antibiotics for uncomplicated UTIs under the controversial Queensland trial launched a fortnight ago...

    But Dr Mark Morgan, professor of general practice at Bond University, Gold Coast, and chair of the RACGP’s expert committee for quality care, said GPs still had the option to order a urine culture or dipstick test based on patient assessment.

    “There's a range of options that are dependent on a patient's previous experience and things that are not included in the pharmacy trial, such as a history of recent travel to places where there's lots of antimicrobial resistance or recent antibiotic use,” he said.

    "It's a nuanced decision based on the integration of a lot information, a lot of training and an awareness of a much broader range of possible diagnoses and complications than can be transmitted in a short training package and an algorithm.

    "I could design an app for uncomplicated UTI. But the point is that people don't come with an uncomplicated presentation; they come with a bunch of symptoms that can mean a lot of different things."
    Producer/AuthorKemal Atlay
    URLhttps://www.ausdoc.com.au/news/australian-doctor-reveals-pharmacist-training-diagnose-and-treat-utis?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT1RGaU5HUXlNMlJpWWpSayIsInQiOiJNVEhmME9TMWE2TThOMTRmNFFjdVRHTmp2eXdocGlickNpWnBWWVpJS0pLWit6WEJNTGhPckxKREp6TXB4QkJSTEFlYVRDZDZ0T3Q3ZXNGdHlwcjZkUXlDNENQWXg3VlJ1SVYySmJZWVYwczVVZXUxV0xqbGpQTUNwRTFJcUdRSCJ9
    PersonsMark Morgan