As Health Care Continues to Evolve, Pharmacy Education Remains Essential

Pharmacists are pivotal in patient education and counseling, moving beyond traditional dispensing to become key facilitators of personalized patient care. Their accessibility and frequent interactions with patients position them uniquely to provide in-depth information about medications. Direct communication empowers patients with the knowledge necessary to adhere to their regimens, understand the purpose of their treatments, and participate in their health care decisions. By tailoring their communication style and content to individual patient needs, literacy levels, and cultural backgrounds, pharmacists ensure that information is delivered, effectively understood, and retained.

Pharmacists can now showcase their skills within the health care industry by counseling patients and continuing to learn and grow with them. | Image Credit: Syda Productions - stock.adobe.com

Effective counseling extends beyond medication details to broader health and wellness topics. Pharmacists often provide guidance on lifestyle modifications, disease management, and preventive care strategies, all of which are crucial components of personalized care. For instance, they might educate a diabetic patient on diet and exercise. This holistic approach helps patients connect their medication therapy with overall health goals, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of their condition and encouraging self-management.

In this issue, we examine where the pharmacy industry might be heading in the next 5 years and how educators can prepare the new generation of pharmacists for these changes. David P. Nau, PhD, RPh, FAPhA, highlights new technology that has the potential to change the face of patient care, therapeutics, and operations. It is no secret that artificial intelligence has the potential to enhance patient care. However, remote patient monitoring, telehealth, and robotics are paving the way for efficiencies that will improve care and open more clinical roles to pharmacists.

Further, Keith Loria explores the current updates regarding access to obesity medication since glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists can no longer be compounded. Simran M. Doshi, BSPH, PharmD candidate; and Kari L. Franson, PharmD, PhD, examine the pharmacist’s role in cannabis care, pending the rescheduling of the drug to include medical use. Pharmacists will be essential in counseling patients and need accurate and updated information to best help each patient, expanding personalized care. Laura Stiles also reports on current influenza vaccination updates following changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, as well as updates to influenza vaccination requirements.

Pharmacists can now more than ever showcase their skills within the health care industry by counseling patients and continuing to learn and grow with them.

To read these stories and more, download the PDF of the Drug Topics July/August issue here.

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