Faculty graduate wins the National Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award

September 2011

Cathie Reid, APHS Managing Partner and Monash University Graduate, won the Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award at the 2011 national Telstra Business Women's Awards. APHS is a national supplier of pharmaceutical and clinical services for the hospital, oncology and aged care sectors.

As Managing Partner, Cathie is responsible for delivering community pharmacies with an outsourced solution for their medication compliance packaging. This solution is offered at up to a third of the cost of manual packing, and increases safety and independence for tens of thousands of Australian self-medicating customers.

In her acceptance speech Cathie acknowledged the role APHS plays in meeting the needs of Australia's ageing population.

"Medication compliance is a challenge for our nation - our compliance sachet gives elderly Australians the ability to be safe and independent when dealing with medication," said Cathie. "In an ageing society where the working population is also decreasing, being an innovator in healthcare is essential.

"This award is more than an endorsement of my career; it is recognition for the entire APHS team. It is also a reflection of the integral role pharmacists play in delivering quality healthcare to Australians. We are a sector that isn't often recognised, but this award truly demonstrates the value of our contribution to society".

Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, Professor Bill Charman congratulates Cathie on her win "This is an outstanding result for APHS. As someone shaping pharmacy for the future, Cathie is an inspiring role model for pharmacy students. As we train our students to be tomorrow's leaders, Cathie's story demonstrates the role past graduates are already playing. As recipient of the Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award, Cathie is ambassador for pharmacists and the varied and important role they can play in society."

This award is not the first time Cathie has been recognised. In 1998 she was named Victorian Pharmacy Manager of the Year, an accolade that inspired her to co-found the Active Care Pharmacy group with her husband and fellow graduate Stuart Giles. The success of the group led them to merge with the APHS Pharmacy Group in 2002, of which they took full ownership in 2010.

"We have pushed the boundaries of a traditional pharmacy business with our move into compliance sachet manufacturing and we will continue to push it with the introduction of technology like the Medido Monitored Compliance Device," said Cathie. "This device supports the next level of medication assistance for elderly Australians by alerting a person when their medication is due and monitoring their compliance. It is the discovery and application of this type of technology, and the impact that it can have in our community, that motivates me and the team at APHS each and every day".