Pharmacists, doctors, and nurses all work together to ensure that patients are receiving the best care possible. As time has progressed, pharmacists have become more involved with patient care.
Today, your dependable McAllen pharmacists at Saenz Pharmacy will highlight the evolving role that pharmacists play in the medical field.
Why Pharmacists Are Taking a Bigger Role in Patient Care
Pharmacists are responsible for dispensing medications and guaranteeing that patients are getting the correct instructions in order to safely use them. However, did you know that pharmacists are currently beginning to take on even bigger roles, including acting as medical counselors, educators, and advocates?
Pharmacists are trusted and easily accessible by patients looking for care. Due to their accessibility, they can perform the following patient care activities:
- Providing immunizations, preventive care screenings, and medication management.
Pharmacists are trained to provide immunizations like the flu and COVID-19 vaccine. This grants those who do not have time for a routine doctor’s visit the opportunity to still receive immunizations without breaking the bank or spending hours in an office.Preventive care screenings are also performed by pharmacists, which helps patients who have glucose or blood pressure elevations monitor their health and stay at healthy levels. Pharmacists also track medications given to patients and manage the way that the medications are used by the patients for safety purposes. - Pharmacists make patients aware of potential drug interactions.
Pharmacists are also in charge of letting the patient know about potential drug interactions early on, making sure that there are no adverse interactions, and educating patients on how to properly use the medications that they are prescribed. This responsibility has had a huge impact on patient satisfaction and quality care and can, in turn, help contain the cost of health care. - Pharmacists are experts at drug therapy management.
When it comes to drug therapy management, pharmacists partner with the patient to figure out the medications that work best for them by creating a care plan. A care plan helps pharmacists monitor a patient’s personal health goals, initiate new treatment, and provide disease prevention such as vaccinations. A pharmacist can also evaluate drug effectiveness to determine if the drug is working by scheduling regular follow-ups.
Other Ways Pharmacists Can Become More Involved In Patient Care
Many advancements have been made to better help pharmacists and give them a bigger part in patient care. However, more can be done to involve pharmacists.
To start, governments should recognize pharmacists as the health system’s drug management experts. Another way that pharmacists can have more involvement is by health systems starting to support the roles of pharmacists as drug therapy management in all settings.
Over time, pharmacists will have more patient responsibility added to their jobs.
Get the Expert Advice of a Pharmacist When You Stop by Saenz Pharmacy
If you are curious about the role that your pharmacists play in your healthcare plan, give Saenz Pharmacy a call today!