Throughout the pandemic there were significantly improved healthcare learnings, a big push for self-testing and the sharpening of roles of primary care and pharmacy.

But how can self-testing be a positive notion for pharmacy?

There is the opportunity for “tremendous potential improvement to patient care” said Dr Christina Ornauer, MD, chief medical officer at Bloom Diagnostics, speaking at the Public Health and Wellbeing Theatre at the Pharmacy Show 2022.

“You can make diagnosis more accessible,” she added, especially during a time in which healthcare costs continue to rise and healthcare outcomes continue to worsen.

The push for point of care testing can improve accessibility to healthcare, keeping up to date with the continued digitalisation of pharmacy. It also gives community pharmacy a key and essential role in “easing the burden” on already overwhelmed services.

Bloom’s aim is to “create a future where healthcare is more accessible” by “unburdening the system”. The benefits of their self-testing kits and kits alike are easy and fast results for patients, personalised care and advice and quicker access to healthcare. Whilst the benefits for pharmacies include additional revenue, cross selling of products and increased customer loyalty.

According to Dr Ornauer, the self-testing market is showing exponential growth, costing $35 billion in 2021 and expecting to hit $71 billion by 2030.