Healthcare Hypocrisy

Would you listen to a bald person advertising hair dye? Or somebody weighing 45kg representing a sports supplement? The likely answer is no, and therin lies our issue.

Pharmacists are among a select few professionals who represent healthcare and healthy living. However, I for one am not the direct embodiment of healthy living and well-being. I frequently have colds and should probably aim to lose some of that Christmas weight... which I have now had for a while. So, my question is, should we aim to practise what we preach more?

If a patient comes in for smoking cessation and you have just come back from a cigarette break, it is highly likely that they will we less compliant. After all, it clearly is not working for you so why should they listen to what you saying. It is the same principal as anybody trying to ensure that your target audience is using your product, only this is healthcare so it is not profit we are after but saving lives.

I am not saying that we should all be supermodels and never be ill, that is simply illogical. What I am suggesting is maybe, as a profession, we simply try to be more healthy and see it from a patient's perspective. Isn't that our job?