If you think about a pharmacist and what they do, you may think that they only dispense medication. Honestly, this was the only thing they did for a long time. They studied the purpose of each type of medication and understood how it worked in the body. The pharmacist would then give what was needed to their patients. Now, pharmacists have a more significant need for them, and they do much more.
Pharmacists are now an essential part of the healthcare system, and it’s important to recognize that. There are about 315,470 pharmacists in the United States, and there are many more students aiming for this goal. About 69% of people see a pharmacist at least once a month, so you might be able to tell how much they are needed in public health.
What Services Do Pharmacists Provide?
Take a look at some of the underrated services that pharmacists provide.
- Drug Development: Pharmacists have a role in inspecting the safety of clinical trials. In addition, they write rules and provide “surveillance” services in order to detect negative effects or risks in medication.
- Academics: Pharmacists have to teach and educate upcoming pharmacists, doctors, and nurses on their roles.
- Expert Advice: Expert Advice: In case of outbreaks like COVID or other health-related events, pharmacists stand in as expert advisors to the government. They help to regulate responses and provide necessary treatment.
- Medication Management & Safety: Pharmacists assist patients with making the most of their medication. Ensuring that what they have been given is used properly so that it works for their body. Additionally, there are safety measures that they must take to protect patients from medication-related harm.
- Wellness: Many pharmacies provide the public with essential health services such as flu vaccines, health screenings for chronic diseases such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, etc., and dispense various over-the-counter preventative medications.
The Role Pharmacists Play in Public Health
You might not initially see it, but pharmacists play a vital role in promoting and maintaining public health. Public health is the promotion and protection of the health of people in the community. Understanding what public health is, is the first step to understanding the role that pharmacists play.
Pharmacists provide a lot of prevention services that help improve the health outcome of the individuals in the community. Those with chronic conditions make up 91% of those who get prescriptions filled, according to the CDC. If there is a way to minimize the number and get more individuals to improve their health, it’s with the help of a pharmacist. With the new whole-person care method that many healthcare centers are using, a pharmacist collaborates with a person’s entire healthcare team to work toward their wellness.
The type of medication, medication use, and overall medicine dependency of an individual matters. With the help of their pharmacist, they can get treated with the correct medicine, and they’ll be encouraged to find a way to prevent and manage what they have. Pharmacists have the job of prevention and management, two essential roles in the medical industry that cannot or should not be ignored.
Let’s Give It Up For Our Pharmacists
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, The reality is that pharmacists have a lot of training and experience. Even though they are medication experts, they do more than dispense prescriptions. They help to increase the quality of care for patients, improve patients’ control of illnesses and disorders, and overall can help to reduce the number of times a patient comes in sick.
So, if you happen to see your pharmacist anytime soon, tell them to thank you for all they do.
Resources
American Public Health Association: The Role of Pharmacist in Public Health
