Changes Coming to the Pharmacy Industry

Walter Wong, PharmD, owner of Green Valley Pharmacy in Rancho Cucamongo, CA speaks to Pharmacy Times about how he sees the pharmacy community shifting within the next 3 to 5 years and how he is taking steps towards certification.

Pharmacy Times: How do you see the industry changing in 3 years?

Walter Wong, PharmD: I think more clinical applications will be implemented and I think collaborations with the local providers, we’ll see more and more of that. I think eventually pharmacists will be the preferred location for follow-up visits for chronic diseases like hypertension or diabetes. Maybe not in 3 years, but I think we’re moving towards that direction. For that exact reason, I just got certified as one of the first 500 events practice pharmacists in California. What it means is to make a commitment to stay current on a new treatment approaches and be able to collaborate with the providers when it comes time. A pharmacist needs to communicate on the same platform medically and legally in order to be a crucial member of the medical system. So, that’s how I see pharmacy moving in the next 3-5 years.