Expert: Leaders Build Comprehensive Pharmacy Strategies | McKesson ideaShare

In the rapidly evolving landscape of health care, pharmacists are increasingly called upon to do more than simply dispense medications. They must now navigate complex workplace dynamics, manage teams, and create environments that prioritize patient care while supporting their staff. In a conversation with Kristen Jones, PharmD, AVP of professional liability strategic operations at the Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, discusses the multifaceted challenges facing today's pharmacy professionals. Far from the traditional view of pharmacists as mere medication dispensers, modern pharmacy management requires a sophisticated blend of clinical expertise, emotional intelligence, and strategic human resources skills. Jones highlights a critical gap in pharmacy education: while students receive extensive clinical training, they often lack fundamental management and HR knowledge. Most pharmacy graduates never take a human resources course, leaving them unprepared for the complex personnel challenges they'll encounter in their careers.

Leadership qualities are discussed as essential for the business of pharmacy, including emotional intelligence to understand team dynamics, clinical judgment to ensure patient safety, and accountability to maintain professional standards. However, leadership extends beyond these technical skills. It encompasses creating a workplace culture that values patient care over mere efficiency, treating technicians as critical team members, and proactively engaging the next generation of pharmacy professionals.

Legal compliance adds another layer of complexity. Pharmacists must now be well-versed in workplace regulations, from Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards to the Americans With Disabilities Act, ensuring their practices protect both patients and employees.

Perhaps most importantly, Jones highlights how pharmacy leadership is about people. It's about building teams, fostering growth, and creating environments where health care professionals can thrive while delivering exceptional patient care. As the pharmacy landscape continues to transform, those who can master these nuanced leadership skills will not just manage teams—they'll shape the future of health care delivery.

"It's not necessarily about speed or those types of things, but we talk about [how] we're here to take care of our community or our patients, and then that translates into a group of people that all are working towards the same goal and really fosters that culture within the pharmacy so many times that makes it someplace people want to work," Jones said.

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