National Pharmacist Day: Pharmacist Provider Status Reliant on Health Care Champions

While the pharmacy community and pharmacist workforce have future hopes of achieving nationwide provider status in the US, reaching this level of clinical authority has been shown to take concerted efforts of individuals far beyond the pharmacy industry.

“I would say that, certainly, there has been an evolution of focus and really trying to figure out how do we best advocate for ourselves so that pharmacists can have provider status on a national level?” Meagan Brown, PharmD, BCACP, clinical associate professor and director of the IMPACT Center for Pharmacy Transformation at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, told Drug Topics. “I think the data is there; we've seen it over and over again, published in the literature, stories being told about what pharmacists can do and the added value that we bring.”

Despite the sheer evidence in recent decades highlighting pharmacists’ often-unmatched medical expertise, clinical and community pharmacists alike continue to advocate for a level playing field among other providers and practitioners. As pharmacists’ roles in the US expand, industry professionals are finding new ways to prove their place across health care despite the many outcomes they’ve improved and patients they’ve served over the years.

In this week’s episode of Over the Counter, Brown joined Drug Topics to provide insight on the pharmacist’s evolution in health care. More specifically, she shared her story in pharmacy, why it matters to the greater fight for provider status, and how outside entities have attempted to blockade pharmacists’ rise.

“It's high-time for us to capitalize on the data that we have, coupled with the synergy and the needs of our community, to really see that this is the best time to go ahead and expand pharmacists’ provider status on a national level,” said Brown.

Stay tuned for weekly podcast episodes of Over the Counter powered by Drug Topics. Check out our most recent episode with Susan Thomas, RN, who discussed a new women’s health program and the unique ability for PBMs and pharmacies to team up in improving patient health.

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