Future of Pharmacy

Rite Aid survey highlights underutilized role of pharmacists in health care, with 62% of respondents viewing their pharmacists as a crucial part of their health and wellness care team.

Jim Dente of Advanced Pharmacy Solutions emphasizes the growing role of automation, artificial intelligence, and patient-centric business models in streamlining operations, improving patient care, and addressing industry challenges such as staff burnout and medication errors.

The pharmaceutical industry is facing a critical talent shortage caused by fewer students entering the field, burnout and a lack of stability. We offer ways to combat the shortage.

The new Medicare cap limits out-of-pocket drug costs to $2000 annually.

The potential treatments include ivermectin, methylene blue, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and low-dose naltrexone.

Pharmacy professionals deserve the right to pursue mental health care without fear of losing their jobs. The Wellbeing First Champion Challenge is helping change this.

Exponential growth in development is unsustainable in biological systems. But what about AI?

According to the report, 75% of survey participants expect pharmacists to oversee these therapies and 58% expect Medicare will require pharmacist involvement.

The progress made in areas like scope expansion and reimbursement is encouraging, suggesting a growing recognition of pharmacists’ value within the health care system.

Although challenges and obstacles persist, artificial intelligence could help rural and smaller pharmacies close gaps in care.

As experts in medication management and health education, pharmacists can work with the administration to promote effective strategies that reduce misinformation and improve public health outcomes.

Pharmacists must make time for self-care and ensure a proper balance of work and life among their staff and themselves, according to National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Executive Director Al Carter.

Examining challenges in pharmacy school is necessary to solve current problems in the workforce.

Key trends shaping the future of health-system pharmacy include advanced medication management to address supply chain challenges, digital transformation to enhance pharmacy operations, and strategies for compliance with evolving regulations, all of which will be central topics at the ASHP Midyear 2024 meeting.

Advocacy ensures that policymakers understand the realities on the ground. If we fail to speak up, decisions about our profession will be made without our input—often by individuals who lack the expertise and perspective we bring to the table.

Al Carter of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy speaks on recent initiatives to address workforce burnout and stress among pharmacists.

Rising health care costs and the complex nature of medication management have prompted PBMs to adopt AI tools to enhance patient outcomes, streamline claims processes, reduce waste, and design smarter, data-driven health plans.

However, pharmacists can help mitigate these effects.

An ACCP speaker explains that the FDA faces a multitude of challenges.

Nearly 19,000 independent pharmacies continue to work across the country, with more than 200,000 employees and millions of patients.

Changing the way pharmacists and pharmacy staff think about themselves is key, although providers, payers, and patients must also change how they view the value of pharmacy services.

Benjamin Brown of Standardizing Laboratory Practices in Pharmacogenomics (STRIPE) discusses his own experience as a patient with cancer and how consensus around pharmacogenomic practices can improve the lives of patients.

Although respondents identified some exciting areas of growth, challenges remain, including the complex insurance system and ensuring patient medication adherence.

Legislative efforts in the states and Washington, DC, have made progress, but there is still a way to go.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming drug development by automating routine tasks, enhancing clinical trials, and expediting drug discovery, ultimately leading to more personalized treatments.

It is valuable for pharmacists to understand exactly how price transparency data are sourced, what information can be found, antitrust concerns, and implications for the pharmaceutical industry.

Alan Corley, pharmacy owner in Greenville, TN, reflects on the changes he's witnessed throughout his career and the most rewarding aspects of his profession.

As the end of this Congress approaches, the National Community Pharmacists Association is lobbying members to pass pharmacy benefit manager reforms.

Shifting from a vertical, isolated care model into a collaborative approach can improve the clinician and patient experience.

Three of the largest pharmacy benefit managers ––Express Scripts, Optum, and Caremark––are listed in the suit.