The Importance of Partnerships Between Pharmacy and Primary Care
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications to ensure they are safe, effective and cost-efficient. It is a miscellaneous science as it links health sciences with pharmaceutical sciences and natural sciences.
Pharmacists must have a broad base of knowledge including the chemical and physical sciences, biology, chemistry, pharmacognosy (the study of plant-derived drugs), physiology, and pharmacology. They must also be proficient in merchandising, accounting, pharmacy law, and pharmaceutical jurisprudence.
As the healthcare industry continues to transform, pharmacists have a critical role in helping patients get the most out of their treatments and making sure they are on the right path toward health and recovery. But it’s more than just filling a prescription; pharmacists offer a variety of high-touch activities such as one-on-one medication support, behavior coaching, disease education, and more. And while automation can certainly make some of these tasks more efficient, a virtual pharmacist without a solid partnership with the primary care team is often not the best choice.
A primary care provider may be able to send an electronic referral directly to the pharmacist to request a medication review, but that doesn’t mean the patient will receive the service they need. If a patient is in need of a medication review, it’s important that the pharmacist has access to the patient’s complete medical record, which includes a thorough list of all medications, supplements, and vitamins that the patient takes.
Providing this information is a crucial part of the pharmacy’s job, and the reason why some pharmacies are starting to move away from using online prescription refills. Many of these services rely on a subscription model that allows customers to fill digital prescriptions for maintenance medications and get them delivered to their door, which is particularly helpful in the case of patients with long-term conditions such as chronic pain or diabetes. This business model provides a perpetual income to the e-pharmacy, and once a customer experiences its benefits they’re unlikely to switch to another service.
There are many ways to streamline the process of getting your medications, and pharmacists around the country are experimenting with new technology and tools to do just that. For example, some stores now group the grocery and pharmacy together to encourage people to shop there more frequently, which could save time by reducing the number of trips people have to make in order to get their prescriptions. Other pharmacies are using blockchain to provide transparency and traceability for their products. And still others are using augmented reality to help customers pick out the right medicine for their ailments. Fighting scope creep is a top priority for the AMA, as it’s important to keep physician-led care alive and well. To learn more about what’s at stake, visit AMA Advocacy in Action.
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications to ensure they are safe, effective and cost-efficient. It is a miscellaneous science as it links health sciences with pharmaceutical sciences and natural sciences. Pharmacists must have a broad base of knowledge including the chemical and physical sciences, biology, chemistry, pharmacognosy (the study of plant-derived drugs), physiology, and pharmacology. They must also be proficient in merchandising, accounting, pharmacy law, and pharmaceutical jurisprudence. As the healthcare industry continues to transform, pharmacists have a critical role in helping patients get the most out of their treatments and making sure they are on the right path toward health and recovery. But it’s more than just filling a prescription; pharmacists offer a variety of high-touch activities such as one-on-one medication support, behavior coaching, disease education, and more. And while automation can certainly make some of these tasks more efficient, a virtual pharmacist without a solid partnership with the primary care team is often not the best choice. A primary care provider may be able to send an electronic referral directly to the pharmacist to request a medication review, but that doesn’t mean the patient will receive the service they need. If a patient is in need of a medication review, it’s important that the pharmacist has access to the patient’s complete medical record, which includes a thorough list of all medications, supplements, and vitamins that the patient takes. Providing this information is a crucial part of the pharmacy’s job, and the reason why some pharmacies are starting to move away from using online prescription refills. Many of these services rely on a subscription model that allows customers to fill digital prescriptions for maintenance medications and get them delivered to their door, which is particularly helpful in the case of patients with long-term conditions such as chronic pain or diabetes. This business model provides a perpetual income to the e-pharmacy, and once a customer experiences its benefits they’re unlikely to switch to another service. There are many ways to streamline the process of getting your medications, and pharmacists around the country are experimenting with new technology and tools to do just that. For example, some stores now group the grocery and pharmacy together to encourage people to shop there more frequently, which could save time by reducing the number of trips people have to make in order to get their prescriptions. Other pharmacies are using blockchain to provide transparency and traceability for their products. And still others are using augmented reality to help customers pick out the right medicine for their ailments. Fighting scope creep is a top priority for the AMA, as it’s important to keep physician-led care alive and well. To learn more about what’s at stake, visit AMA Advocacy in Action.