Challenges facing future pharmacists?

[creestoL]

Hi all,

I am applying to pharmacy school right now, and as a supplemental application question I am asked what challenges will pharmacists face in the future? and how would you over come it?

I did some research online about this, and I was wondering if any of you could provide me with some insight to this. Thank you.

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[Aznfarmerboi]

The big players are the threat of techonology, the threat of retail to the professions' image, the threat of PBMs, and recognition of the profession by the public and other health care providers.

Minors include invasion of profession rights by the FDA on compounding, the government and patients. There is also that challenge to switch the profession from compounding to cognitive services.

 

[patmcd]

The short of it would be the changing of role of a pharmacist from dispensing drugs to counseling and drug management.

 

[gsinccom]

The big players are the threat of techonology, the threat of retail to the professions' image, the threat of PBMs, and recognition of the profession by the public and other health care providers.

Minors include invasion of profession rights by the FDA on compounding, the government and patients. There is also that challenge to switch the profession from compounding to cognitive services.

does this mean the demise of being able to own your own pharmacy?

 

[patmcd]

It's getting harder with walgreens, riteaid, etc building so many stores. But there should be a place for them for a while. Statistics show that independent pharmacists are the most satisfied with their jobs.

 

[sdn1977]

Others have spoken about this a bit, but I think the challenges have less to do with our jobs (employment) & more to do with how we meet the needs of the public, the prescribers & the users of medication.

We must make medication administration safer in hospitals...that can involve bar coding & computer verification prior to access by nursing. We must be adaptive to prescribers needs - we can't get stuck in long term contracts for drugs which may fall out of favor or usage. So...we much have a continuing dialog with what is being used CURRENTLY & adapt rapidly to the changes.

We must involve patients in their care. Just providing them medication doesn't mean they'll take it the way it should be taken. We have a long way to go on this & I actually wrote an essay during my interview for pharmacy school on this very topic & it is still current today!

There are so many aspects you could incorporate - choose what you feel is important & write it well.

 

[BME103]

We cannot stop technology. However, we shouldn't fear it but rather we should embrace it. It is good for the profession. But, this also mean as technology becomes more advance, we can no longer survive by just dispensing. We have to further expand our scope of practice. However, we cannot survive by providing free services. We need to be reimbursed for our services. We have to organize and become political. I think our ability to do that is one of the biggest challenges facing the profession. The apathy among pharmacists may very well be the greatest threat to the future of the profession.