Continuing Education

Published through an educational grant from WYETH-AYERST LABORATORIES
TRENDS IN PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL CARE

An ongoing CE program of The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy and DRUG TOPICS.
The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy is approved by the American Council on Pharmaceutical
Education as a provider of continuing pharmaceutical education. Accredited in every state requiring CE. ACPE # 032-999-01-003-H04

This lesson is no longer valid for CE credit after 12/31/03.

CREDIT:

This lesson provides two hours of CE credit and requires a passing grade of 70%.

OBJECTIVES:

Upon completion of this article, the pharmacist should be able to:

• Describe changes taking place in pharmacy practice

• Summarize U.S. pharmacists' workload in terms of work characteristics and professional responsibilities

• Integrate workload issues with the adoption of pharmaceutical care as a new practice philosophy

• Discuss strategies for time management through the process of job redesign

GOAL:

• To describe U.S. pharmacists' workload and review strategies for time management within pharmacists' work settings

Pharmacist workload and time management

By Jon C. Schommer, Ph.D.

Associate Professor University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy

During the past 50 years, health-care delivery in the United States has evolved from a cottage industry to one dominated by for-profit corporations, managed care processes, and government regulation. During this time, the pharmacy profession has undergone dramatic change as well. Some would argue that pharmacy is adopting a new philosophy in which the practitioner takes responsibility for all of a patient's drug-related needs and is held accountable for this commitment. Such a philosophy requires the establishment of a therapeutic relationship with the patient, an assessment, a care plan, an evaluation, and continuous follow-up. To put these steps into practice, R. W. Holland and C. M. Nimmo pointed out that practice environments, learning resources, and motivational strategies consistent with such a coordinated care plan need to be developed.