The Real-World Practice Implications of the Expanding Frontier of Health System Pharmacy

As health system pharmacy continues to expand its footprint across the care
continuum, this issue of Pharmacy Practice in Focus: Health Systems captures just how far the profession has come and how much further it is positioned to go. From workforce development to emerging therapeutics to the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI), this month’s contributions from pharmacists reflect a specialty that is clinically rigorous and struct urally evolving.

The cover feature explores the findings of a new white paper on AI in pharmacy, examining how health systems are beginning to integrate these tools into clinical workflows, medication management, and operational decision-making. It is a timely look at a technology that pharmacy leaders can no longer treat as a future consideration, as it is already shaping daily practice, and the conversations happening now will determine how responsibly and effectively it is adopted.

Alongside it, our peer-reviewed content examines the measurable impact of structured, accredited technician training programs on workforce retention, a subject with direct implications for staffing pressures many institutions continue to navigate. Clinical forum discussions turn attention to transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis, heart failure, and obesity, 3 areas in which new therapeutic classes are reshaping treatment algorithms and, by extension, the pharmacist’s role guiding appropriate use.

This issue also speaks to something more personal: the everyday realities of practicing pharmacy today. We take a close look at pharmacists’ firsthand experiences navigating the Drug Enforcement Administration licensure process, an administrative hurdle that carries real weight for those trying to expand their clinical authority. Paired with a broader look at the “next frontier” for health system pharmacists, these pieces underscore that progress in this field is not confined to the laboratory or the clinic; it is also about the regulatory and structural changes that determine how far pharmacists can actually take their expertise.

As always, thank you for being part of this community. It is your clinical expertise, your willingness to adapt, and your commitment to patient care that make Pharmacy Practice in Focus: Health Systems a publication worth producing—and reading.