Obstacles and the future of pharmacists

Chen discusses the various obstacles pharmacists face when carrying out clinical pharmacy services and possible future improvements.

Key concepts

The pharmacy profession is shifting from drug product-oriented services to patient-oriented services. However, there are many obstacles to this reorientation process. Such as:

• Pharmacists are the only profession uniquely associated with medications, and effective drug distribution is a heavy responsibility by itself.

• Payment for pharmacists’ services also revolves around drug dispensing, not monitoring or managing medication therapy. Thus, administrations and providers lack the motivation to pursue and develop these services.

• Laws and regulations.

• Perceptions of the public.

• Inadequate technology, structure, or financing of the health care systems.

In Taiwan:

Taiwanese laws currently forbid medication dispensing by staffs other than pharmacists. Also, reimbursement of pharmacy service only recognize dispensed prescriptions, and not any of the clinical pharmacy services provided. Currently, efforts are made to encourage direct payment for clinical services, while also increasing the budget to hire more pharmacists to share the workload.

However, regardless of the circumstances, pharmacists must continue to provide clinical pharmacy services and collaborate with other health professionals, to prove that the value of this profession is way larger than medication dispensing.

Share and learn:

• What are the problems you or your country face when carrying out clinical pharmacy services?

• How are they resolved?

• If not, what are the current efforts/measures?