04/11/2025
10 reminders on NHI Facts and Call To Action:
1. The bill is already passed.
CTA - come to terms with it and see how to make the most of it.
2. Community pharmacies will be regarded as health establishments
CTA - open a community pharmacy in key areas such as medical centers, taxi ranks etc.
3. These health establishments will need to provide inpatient or outpatient treatment, diagnostic or therapeutic interventions, palliative, convalescent, preventative or other health services
CTA - Start providing these specific services
4. Qualifying pharmacies with more availability will be used more within the network of service providers.
CTA - Ensure your facility has optimized availability for easier uptake into the networks
5. Ideal Primary Health Centers are severely lacking in numbers.
CTA - create ideal PHCs that are multidimensional, multidisciplinary, and multipurpose
6. The office of Health Standards Compliance will certify and contract ideal centers and facilities.
CTA - Your pharmacy will need to meet these local community need, & accreditation standards
7. THE NHI Fund will purchase health services for users and their preferences.
CTA - Your pharmacy has to have a "preference pull: for patients to choose you as their provider.
8. NHI will prioritize multidimensional and multifunctional facilities like modern pharmacies.in key areas / communities.
CTA - To eliminate or reduce dispensing doctors' impact, ensure you have a licensed pharmacy in that geographic area so they become obsolete
9. The NHI Fund Board will determine pricing and reimbursement for all accredited providers but models are still being designed / tested
CTA - be a preferable provider. Offer unique services. Be in touch with your community's needs.
10. Accredited providers will be able to purchase from accredited NHI suppliers at NHI prices this may be different to non NHI suppliers.
If you are considering supplying, manufacturing, licensing, import/exporting or even registering medicines a wise move is to prefer the items on the NHI formulary (EML and STG) for fund coverage.
Alternatively you may also want to position yourself as an exclusive supplier or manufacturer of non formulary items
Start early to be within quality standards and have track record as compliance will be monitored.
CCMDD is already the beginning of NHI. Add it as a service to your pharmacy.
💡Don't always wait to be told, to be presented with facts, or to be reminded to innovate. Stir yourselves in your profession and stay ahead of the curve.
Good luck Pharmer
