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THE FUTURE OF PHARMACY

VOL 28, NO.1 - JUNE 2012

b e e n dr i v e n by t h e p h a r m a c y p r of e s s i o n it s e l f. Hist o r i c a l co n c e r n s r a n g e d f r o m fe a r of b r e a k d o w n s in s a f e t y a n d a c c u r a c y – b ot h of whi c h h a v e n ot b e e n s e e n in r e s e a r c h t o da t e – t o t h a t of p h a r m a c i s t jo b s e c u r i t y (w h i c h a l s o d o e s n ot a p p e a r t o b e a sig n i fi c a nt is s u e in s t a t e s a ll o w i n g TCT ) . 3 T h e s e co n c e r n s s e e m t o b e di s s i p a t i n g ; r e c e nt l y, a num b e r of U.S . na t i o n a l p h a r m a c y a s s o c i a t i o n s h a v e a d o p t e d p o s i t i o n s t a t e m e nt s f a v o r a b l e t o t h e e nh a n c e d ut i l i z a t i o n of p h a r m a - c y t e c h n i c i a n s in or d e r t o e x p a n d c li n i c a l p h a r m a c y s e r v i c e s . In a d d i t i o n , m o m e nt u m fo r TCT ha s b ui l t in s e v e r a l a d d i t i o n a l s t a t e s . Not a b l y, t h e s t a t e of I o w a is e v e n e x p l o r i n g t h e ro l e of TCT in s e t t i n g s b e y o n d h o s p i t a l p r a c t i c e .

The Role of Pharmacy Technicians in Enabling Enhanced Pharmacy Care Jus t a s p h a r m a c i s t s h o l d p r o m i s e t o co nt r i b u t e p o s i t i v e l y t o em e r g i n g t e a m - b a s e d c a r e m o d e l s , p h a r m a c y t e c h n i c i a n s in t ur n a r e p o s i t i o n e d t o co nt r i b u t e t o a n e v e n gr e a t e x t e nt t o t h e p h a r m a c y t e a m . High di s p e n s i n g wo r k l o a d s a n d p r o j e c t - e d co nt i n u e d sh o r t a g e s of p h a r m a c i s t s p r e s e nt c h a l l e n g e s t o e x p a n d i n g p h a r m a c i s t s e r v i c e s unl e s s c r e a t i v e s o l u t i o n s a r e im p l e m e nt e d . T h e r e a r e fe w a r e a s a s r ip e fo r e x p l o r a t i o n a s t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n p h a r m a c i s t s a n d t e c h n i c i a n s .

Whi l e TCT is on e co n c r e t e e x a m p l e of h o w t e c h n i c i a n s c a n e m p o w e r p h a r m a c i s t s t o a c t in e x p a n d e d c li n i c a l r o l e s , TCT is by n o m e a n s t h e “e d g e ” of t h e ro l e p h a r m a c y t e c h n i c i a n s c a n p l a y. Gr e a t s t r i d e s c a n b e ma d e in opt i m i z i n g t h e ro l e of p h a r m a c y t e c h n i c i a n s in co m m u n i t y p h a r m a c y a n d a m b u l a - t o r y c a r e p r a c t i c e s sit e s . Pha r m a c y t e c h n i c i a n s c a n a l s o p l a y a n in s t r u m e nt a l r o l e in en a b l i n g p h a r m a c i s t- p r o v i d e d MTM. In e s s e n c e , p h a r m a c i s t t im e is a s c a r c e r e s o u r c e , a n d t h u s r e l a t e s t o t h e co n c e p t of op p o r t u n i t y co s t . Ever y min u t e a ph a r m a c i s t sp e n d s in n o n - j u d g m e nt a l di s p e n s i n g a c t i v i t i e s is a min u t e p h a r m a c i s t s a r e n ot d o i n g wh a t t h e y d o b e s t : in - t e r a c t i n g wit h p a t i e nt s t o imp r o v e h e a l t h o ut c o m e s . To b e s t im p r o v e p a t i e nt c a r e a n d p a r t i c i p a t e in t e a m - b a s e d c a r e m o d e l s , t h e p r of e s s i o n will n e e d t o emb r a c e s t r a t e g i e s t o opt i m i s e t h e co nt r i b u t i o n s of a ll m e m b e r s of t h e p h a r m a c y t e a m .

AUTHORS’ INFORMATION

Alex J. Adams, PharmD, Director, Pharmacy Programs, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Alexandria, VA. Samuel F. Stolpe, Adjunct Professor, Howard University School of Pharmacy, Washington, DC.

CORRESPONDENCES SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO: Alex J. Adams, PharmD. Director, Pharmacy Programs National Association of Chain Drug Stores 413 N. Lee Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 Tel: (703) 837-4232 | Fax: (703) 836-4869

Note: The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect those of their respec- tive employers.

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