Ms Cathie Reid

Cathie Reid (BPharm 1991)

Professional Achievement Award

Cathie Reid (BPharm 1991) sits at the helm of APHS, one of Australia’s largest suppliers of pharmaceutical and clinical services for the hospital, oncology and aged care sectors with an annual turnover exceeding $200 million.

Ms Reid is also the founder and CEO of APHS Packaging, a leading provider of medication compliance sachets to help aged care and retail pharmacy clients manage multiple medications.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree in 1991, Ms Reid spent the next seven years managing a number of community pharmacies, where she gained valuable insights into customer needs.

In 1998 she became the foundation pharmacy proprietor of the newly formed Active Care Pharmacy Group. Together with her husband and business partner Stuart Giles, she successfully managed the expansion of Active Care Pharmacy Group and its operations, later merging with APHS Pharmacy Group. The value, product and service range grew significantly and now includes a national network of hospital pharmacy locations, plus a majority stake in Integrated Clinical Oncology Network (ICON), the largest non-listed provider of private cancer care in the country.

During this expansion phase, Ms Reid identified a growing need for older Australians to be safe and independent when dealing with medication. She spent five years (2005-10) converting APHS Pharmacy’s aged care medication compliance IP into a medication packaging solution for retail pharmacies and their patients, under the banner of APHS Packaging.

Thanks to her entrepreneurship, APHS Packaging is a market leader in the weekly delivery of more than 13,000 medication compliance packs throughout Australia. Earlier this year, Ms Reid’s commitment to safety and quality assurance culminated in APHS Packaging receiving the National MedicineWise Awards for Excellence in Labelling and Packaging.

Keen business acumen coupled with a thorough knowledge of the healthcare needs of Australia’s aging population and the health and aged care sector have been critical to her success. She is considered a leader in developing innovative solutions for the safer and streamlined delivery of prescription medications. One of her most important accomplishments has been leading the expansion of the aged care services division while also lifting management quality and operational efficiencies. This included developing automated medication packaging into a viable business model enhancing capacity and accuracy enormously.

Ms Reid is passionate about the pharmacy profession and the difference it can make in people’s lives.  Many of her innovations, particularly those in regard to dose administration aids for seniors, stem from personal experience with older family members. She is often called on as a guest speaker, addressing health sector and business conferences and students at Monash faculty events.

Ms Reid has won numerous individual accolades, most recently the Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award at the 2011 National Telstra Business Women’s Awards. She has also received a Victorian Pharmacy Manager of the Year award and has been a state winner and national finalist in the Excellence in People Management award.

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