Daniel Breeman

Q Will there be a pharmacy shortage 25 years from now? How will the role of the pharmacist change?

Consultant pharmacists are busy preparing to implement the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' newly revised survey guidance for Pharmacy Services and Unnecessary Medications (F-Tags 329, 425, 428 and 431) in Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual (SOM). CMS released the revised guidelines on Sept. 15, with the changes scheduled to become effective on Dec. 18. They represent the first substantive changes in these sections in nearly seven years.