EP 83 - Pharmacist Turned Techie, John Shanks, Revolutionizes Healthcare

In this episode of the Pharmacy View Podcast, host Scott Carpenter, EVBC welcomes John Shanks, the Lead Pharmacist for Antimicrobial Stewardship at the Far West Local Health District and the Director of Kraken Coding. Listen in to understand John’s journey from Pharmacy to tech and how they create groundbreaking solutions for clinical decision support. John's journey in Pharmacy began in Lithgow, with their education at Newcastle Uni, where they pursued a master's degree in Pharmacy. They ultimately chose to focus on Hospital Pharmacy, starting with an internship at Coffs Harbor Base Hospital and eventually settling in Darwin. John's passion for leveraging technology in healthcare led to their involvement in IT and developing innovative tools for identifying critical patient issues. They even pursued an IT master's degree to further their skills. John's project to create structured pathways for pharmacist prescribing garnered attention. In the episode, they also discuss their vision for improving decision support in healthcare. John’s innovative platform simplifies the creation and sharing of clinical decision support pathways, emphasizing collaboration and customization. John also explores their latest project involving the development of a chatbot for pre-triaging patients, making healthcare interactions more accessible and user-friendly. John's platform offers comprehensive solutions for managing patient interactions, ensuring accountability, and fostering better decision-making in the clinical community. They express their contentment with their project's progress and invite collaborators who share their passion for improving healthcare decision support in Australia. In summary, John Shanks is a trailblazer in healthcare decision support, merging their Pharmacy background with innovative technology solutions to enhance patient care and streamline clinical processes.