The future of travel is now! Pharmacists can help
Travel isn’t something that many of us are doing right now but it is something a lot of us are dreaming of. Though it may seem like something that is a ways away there are already people travelling today and some who will be travelling soon, especially now that the borders are reopening.
What does the role of the pharmacist look like during the future of travel?
Since the introduction of the requirements for COVID-19 testing worldwide travel has been a confusing area for most people. A lot of this confusion has been ending up at the pharmacy and it may not stop any time soon. How prepared are you for the future of travel?
Set up expectations
Travel comes with a lot of questions now. Can I travel there? Can I come back? Do I need a test? Do I need to quarantine? When will I get my results? When do I take my test? Do I need other documentation?
There are a lot of questions floating around and that's no surprise. Information is not always readily available and some of the information that is accessible isn’t always very clear. It is important to set expectations for your patients as well as your staff.
Staff may feel they need to provide answers to patients calling in, but this is not the most efficient use of their time. Help staff feel reassured that we are health care providers and are there for their patient’s health care needs. Unfortunately, we do not have any more access to extra travel regulations than they do. Have some key speaking points set up for staff so they are comfortable responding this way. It is important to note that setting expectations is not easy. Not all staff members will be comfortable doing this. Consider providing all staff the needed information but have one or two champions staff can call on to handle these calls. It is important that when dealing with patients they are not given short shrift but are informed that pharmacies have certain information and unfortunately do not have all the information on specifics.
Know the right resources
How to help can be complicated when there are a lot of resources available. Understanding what the right resources are can be key in helping staff be prepared for the future of travel in your pharmacy.
The following sites can help your patients better understand their travel situation:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E