The Importance of Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications. It is an interrelated health care profession that links the health sciences with pharmaceutical and chemical sciences, and is charged with ensuring safe use of medications. Pharmacists work in many settings including pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, medical clinics, universities and governmental agencies.
Despite being an integral part of the healthcare team, pharmacists are often overlooked by consumers. In fact, according to a recent study conducted by J.S. Power, only 24% of consumers say they have visited a pharmacy within the past year. Nevertheless, pharmacists have an important role to play in providing patients with a wide range of services and products that enhance their quality of life, including dispensing medication per doctor’s orders, educating patients on their treatment regimen, and providing drug information.
In addition to providing information about medications and their side effects, they are also qualified to perform basic health care procedures like taking blood pressure, temperature, checking cholesterol levels, and recommending a course of treatment for common ailments such as the cold or the flu. They can also help patients safely select over-the-counter (OTC) medications, herbal products, and dietary supplements. They can assess a patient’s health, medication regimens, risk factors, and drug interactions, and recommend ways to prevent drug abuse.
The history of pharmacy is closely linked to the development of modern medicine. In ancient Greece and Rome, physicians and apothecaries had separate duties, with the apothecary supplying the physician with herbs and other raw materials for medicines. In the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin helped to keep the two professions separated, and the first college of pharmacy opened in the United States in 1821. Colleges of pharmacy are now established as independent organizations or as schools within universities in most developed countries.
As the world’s population ages, there is a growing demand for pharmacists to provide care to elderly patients. This is due to the complexities of their medication regimens and their need for regular follow-up visits. It is also a result of the increase in chronic illnesses that are associated with the aging process.
Pharmacy is an exciting and evolving field with a vast array of career opportunities. The future of the profession is especially promising, as new technologies are being developed to better understand a patient’s response to drugs and how they interact with their genes. This is known as pharmacogenomics, and it may ultimately allow doctors to treat diseases more effectively or even prevent them from occurring by prescribing personalized drug therapies. This could be achieved by determining what mutations are present in a patient’s genes and how these can impact their metabolism of drugs. This will lead to improved treatments and fewer side effects. It will also make it possible to reduce costs by avoiding redundant testing. Moreover, the new technology will allow pharmacists to spend more time with their patients. This will improve overall health outcomes and improve customer satisfaction.
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications. It is an interrelated health care profession that links the health sciences with pharmaceutical and chemical sciences, and is charged with ensuring safe use of medications. Pharmacists work in many settings including pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, medical clinics, universities and governmental agencies. Despite being an integral part of the healthcare team, pharmacists are often overlooked by consumers. In fact, according to a recent study conducted by J.S. Power, only 24% of consumers say they have visited a pharmacy within the past year. Nevertheless, pharmacists have an important role to play in providing patients with a wide range of services and products that enhance their quality of life, including dispensing medication per doctor’s orders, educating patients on their treatment regimen, and providing drug information. In addition to providing information about medications and their side effects, they are also qualified to perform basic health care procedures like taking blood pressure, temperature, checking cholesterol levels, and recommending a course of treatment for common ailments such as the cold or the flu. They can also help patients safely select over-the-counter (OTC) medications, herbal products, and dietary supplements. They can assess a patient’s health, medication regimens, risk factors, and drug interactions, and recommend ways to prevent drug abuse. The history of pharmacy is closely linked to the development of modern medicine. In ancient Greece and Rome, physicians and apothecaries had separate duties, with the apothecary supplying the physician with herbs and other raw materials for medicines. In the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin helped to keep the two professions separated, and the first college of pharmacy opened in the United States in 1821. Colleges of pharmacy are now established as independent organizations or as schools within universities in most developed countries. As the world’s population ages, there is a growing demand for pharmacists to provide care to elderly patients. This is due to the complexities of their medication regimens and their need for regular follow-up visits. It is also a result of the increase in chronic illnesses that are associated with the aging process. Pharmacy is an exciting and evolving field with a vast array of career opportunities. The future of the profession is especially promising, as new technologies are being developed to better understand a patient’s response to drugs and how they interact with their genes. This is known as pharmacogenomics, and it may ultimately allow doctors to treat diseases more effectively or even prevent them from occurring by prescribing personalized drug therapies. This could be achieved by determining what mutations are present in a patient’s genes and how these can impact their metabolism of drugs. This will lead to improved treatments and fewer side effects. It will also make it possible to reduce costs by avoiding redundant testing. Moreover, the new technology will allow pharmacists to spend more time with their patients. This will improve overall health outcomes and improve customer satisfaction.