Future of Pharmacy

[Migvin]

OK Guys/Gals,

I am contemplating a career in Pharmacy (need about 5 more pre-reqs) and have one MAJOR concern. I'd like to get your take on this topic.

My concern is how technology will impact Pharmacy. I see the retail pharmacists getting hit hard by technology since it can streamline many things when it comes to fulfillment of medications. I'm not sure about clinical (hospital) pharmacists though. What exactly do they do differently than retail pharmacists, except compounding? How much do you think technology can hurt the demand for pharmacists within the next 20-30 years?

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[jasmine0211]

OK Guys/Gals,

I am contemplating a career in Pharmacy (need about 5 more pre-reqs) and have one MAJOR concern. I'd like to get your take on this topic.

My concern is how technology will impact Pharmacy. I see the retail pharmacists getting hit hard by technology since it can streamline many things when it comes to fulfillment of medications. I'm not sure about clinical (hospital) pharmacists though. What exactly do they do differently than retail pharmacists, except compounding? How much do you think technology can hurt the demand for pharmacists within the next 20-30 years?

Technology cannot replace the knowledge that pharmacists have. It may help to reduce workload in terms of dispensing but pharmacists recognize improper doses, drug interactions etc. We don't get paid just to dispense.

 

[fungikid]

We are learning in school to shift away from technical dispensing practice to the pharmaceutical care model. If this shift is successful, no machine will be able to replace the pharmacist.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

Your concerns to technology has already been answered. If you look at it, technology has been around for the last 10 years now. Mail order has been implemented along with robots and pill counters years ago.

The end result is that pharmacy as a profession is still thriving to date. Not only has it freed up more phamacists to do clinical roles, but it has changed the image of the profession in my opinion. We have lower error rates, higher profit margins (robots and pill counters mean less techs needed), and more time for us to consult, immunize patients, and explore other roles of pharmacy!

 

[tussionex]

technology will not replace the pharmacist. i don't know about anyone else here, but i didn't spend 6 years in college to count pills out of a bottle or pull unit dose packets from a picking station.

i think we all went to pharmacy school or are currently going so that we can monitor drug therapy, make recommendations, and ensure safe delivery/ dispensing [not actually dispensing], regulatory compliance, and optimal therapy. no robot can do that.

what technology does do is force a shift of pharmacy FTE's and change training demands placed on staff. good technicians that know how to run these machines are essential. pharmacists that understand how their information systems work, how they talk to other systems in the hospital, and how to make sure the system runs safely and efficiently is MORE than essential.

want to not be "clinical" and still specialize? try IT....more and more pharmacists should hone their technical skills. every hospital/health system needs a technically-minded pharmacist!