Contributing author: Kaley Simon
Pharmacy of the Future: Transforming Patient Care Through Innovation
The pharmacy industry is undergoing a profound transformation. Healthcare systems globally are facing unprecedented challenges, with pharmacies stepping in to address critical gaps in care.
This new blog series, "Pharmacy of the Future," will explore the key factors driving this transformation, and the opportunities that lie ahead for the healthcare ecosystem to provide a better and more efficient patient centric experience amidst ongoing shifts in the healthcare landscape.
In this first installment, we examine the expanding role of pharmacists.
Expanding the Role of Pharmacists
The healthcare landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by numerous factors: rising costs, an aging population, a shrinking workforce, access disparities, an increasing demand for care … the list goes on. These converging challenges are placing unprecedented strain on our healthcare system, threatening the quality of care we receive.
Pharmacists, with their accessibility, expertise and patient relationships, are uniquely positioned to address many of these challenges—and in many cases, have already done so. (Recall their front line role in administering COVID-19 vaccinations, which was preceded a decade earlier when they provided H1N1 vaccinations.) By expanding their role to include prescribing medications, managing chronic conditions and providing preventive care, pharmacists are evolving from traditional dispensing roles into essential extensions of primary care. This shift represents a strategic evolution that repositions pharmacists as integral healthcare providers, capable of transforming how medical care is delivered.
More Than Medication Experts
Pharmacists have long been seen as the last line of defense in the healthcare chain—they are saving lives every day. Whether by answering a patient’s questions or providing critical medical consults, their work has a direct impact on patient safety and well-being. And today, some are taking on more expanded roles. As healthcare systems incur physician shortages and overwhelmed primary care networks, pharmacists are increasingly stepping in to become the first point of contact for patients requiring vaccinations, medication adjustments and diagnostic guidance, while helping them manage conditions like hypertension and diabetes.
Studies show that patients are comfortable receiving care from their pharmacists, given their accessibility and expertise. Despite their extensive training, some of it is underutilized in today’s healthcare systems. Pharmacists want to work more directly with patients, offering meaningful contributions to their care. However, burnout is widespread in the profession due to overwhelming workloads and limited recognition of their capabilities.
By granting pharmacists provider status, there’s an opportunity to improve patient outcomes while restoring a sense of purpose (and even joy) in the workplace.
A Global Trend
For the past 20 years, the pharmacy profession has been undergoing a gradual, global transformation. Countries like Japan, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Portugal and the United States have recognized and emphasized the critical role of pharmacists as accessible and trusted healthcare providers. Some of these countries have passed supportive regulatory frameworks, collaborative care models, and the integration of digital health solutions that enhance the role pharmacists play in patient care.
Australia has already widely embraced this expanded role for pharmacists in an initiative called, appropriately, The Expanded Scope of Practice. Down Under, pharmacists are not only prescribing medications but conducting consults, supplying contraceptives and actively alleviating pressure from the country’s overburdened healthcare system—demonstrable proof that pharmacists can play a larger role in driving better patient outcomes. In a pilot program in Queensland, community pharmacists are helping to manage 18 acute health conditions, 3 chronic diseases and 2 medication management services.
For the U.S., this global perspective is instructive. While certain areas are making strides, the full potential of pharmacists as more active healthcare providers has yet to be realized. By learning from international models and pushing for wider acceptance of pharmacists as providers, the U.S. can tap a powerful new avenue for administering patient-centered care.
Closing Care Gaps
Pharmacists hold a unique advantage in healthcare: their accessibility. Patients often visit their pharmacist far more frequently than their primary care physician, putting pharmacists in a prime position to engage patients. From adjusting medications to offering real-time health advice, pharmacists can close critical gaps in care, ensuring that health issues are addressed before they escalate into serious problems.
In rural and underserved areas, where healthcare provider shortages are particularly acute, pharmacists can serve as essential healthcare lifelines. Empowering them to take on broader responsibilities can improve healthcare access and reduce the overall strain on the system.
Back to the Future
The future of healthcare depends on our ability to adapt and innovate. Pharmacists are poised to play a key role in this transformation and can help address many of the system’s challenges. To fully realize this vision, though, changes are needed. For instance, in the US, reforming pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices, which often limit the financial viability of expanded pharmacy services, is essential (more on that in a future blog). Without addressing structural barriers, the broader role of pharmacists will remain underutilized, and the potential for expanding patient care will be muted.
To address the mounting challenges of our healthcare system, the question is not whether pharmacists can rise to meet these challenges. They’ve already proven that they can. The real question is whether our healthcare system will embrace this change and fully empower them to make the impact that they’re capable of delivering.
Check back next month for part two in our series.