What Is a Pharmacist?
Pharmacy is the healthcare profession focused on maximizing health outcomes through the use of medicine and other pharmaceutical products. Using a combination of education, training, knowledge, skills and experience, pharmacists help to treat disease and improve patient health by delivering the right medication to the right person at the right time. Pharmacists work to ensure the correct, safe and effective use of medications by patients, healthcare providers, and the public.
In addition to filling prescriptions, pharmacies provide a host of other services. These may include providing flu shots and other vaccines, assisting with health screenings, counseling on diet and exercise, and helping to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. Many pharmacy staff members have specialized expertise in specific diseases, patient populations, and/or treatment approaches.
Whether the pharmacy is traditional or virtual, the overall goal remains the same: to provide the highest level of care to its customers. In this new era of member-centric healthcare, the virtual pharmacy can deliver on this promise by combining the power of technology and human expertise. This is accomplished by integrating the virtual pharmacist with primary care and pharmacy benefit teams to ensure all relevant, high-touch activities are being delivered. Ultimately, this allows members to avoid lapses in medication fulfillment and helps them stay on track with their medical treatment plans, which leads to better health outcomes.
The study of pharmacy requires a wide range of academic disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, biomedical science, pharmacology and the social sciences. A comprehensive five-year curriculum at a pharmacy school in the United States includes courses on pharmacology, bacteriology, microbiology, anatomy, physiology and pharmaceutics. Pharmacy students also receive special training in pharmacy practice, merchandising, accounting and computer techniques.
Aside from their formal education, pharmacists are required to keep up with current medical practices, research and advancements through continuing education courses. As a result, they are qualified to answer almost any question you may have about your prescriptions or other drugs. They can explain what each drug is for, how to take it correctly and how it should interact with any other medications you may be taking.
Pharmacists also have the ability to create custom medications by mixing ingredients (compounding). This is done for patients who are unable to ingest a prescribed medication in its standard form, such as those who are allergic to or cannot swallow tablets. Compounding can make it possible for these patients to get the prescriptions they need by creating a liquid or medicated lollipop, for example.
Pharmacy is a complex and rewarding career choice that is undergoing major change. Modern consumers are seeking more than just a transactional pharmacy and have started to gravitate towards pharmacies that offer an expanding menu of healthcare services. With this trend, the role of the pharmacist is becoming more important than ever before.
Pharmacy is the healthcare profession focused on maximizing health outcomes through the use of medicine and other pharmaceutical products. Using a combination of education, training, knowledge, skills and experience, pharmacists help to treat disease and improve patient health by delivering the right medication to the right person at the right time. Pharmacists work to ensure the correct, safe and effective use of medications by patients, healthcare providers, and the public. In addition to filling prescriptions, pharmacies provide a host of other services. These may include providing flu shots and other vaccines, assisting with health screenings, counseling on diet and exercise, and helping to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. Many pharmacy staff members have specialized expertise in specific diseases, patient populations, and/or treatment approaches. Whether the pharmacy is traditional or virtual, the overall goal remains the same: to provide the highest level of care to its customers. In this new era of member-centric healthcare, the virtual pharmacy can deliver on this promise by combining the power of technology and human expertise. This is accomplished by integrating the virtual pharmacist with primary care and pharmacy benefit teams to ensure all relevant, high-touch activities are being delivered. Ultimately, this allows members to avoid lapses in medication fulfillment and helps them stay on track with their medical treatment plans, which leads to better health outcomes. The study of pharmacy requires a wide range of academic disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, biomedical science, pharmacology and the social sciences. A comprehensive five-year curriculum at a pharmacy school in the United States includes courses on pharmacology, bacteriology, microbiology, anatomy, physiology and pharmaceutics. Pharmacy students also receive special training in pharmacy practice, merchandising, accounting and computer techniques. Aside from their formal education, pharmacists are required to keep up with current medical practices, research and advancements through continuing education courses. As a result, they are qualified to answer almost any question you may have about your prescriptions or other drugs. They can explain what each drug is for, how to take it correctly and how it should interact with any other medications you may be taking. Pharmacists also have the ability to create custom medications by mixing ingredients (compounding). This is done for patients who are unable to ingest a prescribed medication in its standard form, such as those who are allergic to or cannot swallow tablets. Compounding can make it possible for these patients to get the prescriptions they need by creating a liquid or medicated lollipop, for example. Pharmacy is a complex and rewarding career choice that is undergoing major change. Modern consumers are seeking more than just a transactional pharmacy and have started to gravitate towards pharmacies that offer an expanding menu of healthcare services. With this trend, the role of the pharmacist is becoming more important than ever before.