By Alex Varkey, PharmD, MS, FAPhA
Last October, I was invited to give the annual Rho Chi Robert L. Boblitt Lecture at my alma mater, the University of Houston (UH) College of Pharmacy. The usual topic for this annual lecture is the future of pharmacy practice from the perspective of a pharmacist leader. Fondly remembering some of the Boblitt lectures I attended when I was a student pharmacist, I was overwhelmed with pride at receiving the invitation. Then, I remembered the typical demographic for Boblitt lecturers: association leaders, former deans of schools and colleges of pharmacy, and practitioners with decades of service. In a blink of an eye, I had officially become … seasoned.
When I think about the future of pharmacy, I can’t help but envision scenes from a science-fiction show—robots completely taking over distributive functions in a pharmacy, telemedicine advances allowing for virtual home visits, complete with real-time patient monitoring through the use of wearable devices and other advanced point-of-care technologies.
“The future,” is a relative term, just like time is a relative measure. Take for instance the amount of time 1 year takes. For me, as a 38-year-old, a year is 1/38th of my life, so a year is almost no time at all. Compare that to my 4-year-old daughter, where 1 year is 25% of her life, and a day can take forever to her, let alone a whole year.
The point I am trying to make is that the future is a lot closer than you probably think, and those futuristic scenes I just described are already happening in various parts of the country. With advances in technology happening every single day, chances are, outdated practices and technologies are being used to train today’s practitioners for tomorrow’s health care environment.
But never fear, because the most important asset to the future of pharmacy practice is YOU! The following are the five key points I shared with UH students regarding their role in the future of pharmacy practice.
As you are creating your vision for yourself in the new year, consider what pharmacists must do to advance the future of pharmacy practice.
Pharmacists must be problem- solvers
The health care environment is constantly changing. As a health-system pharmacy director, I am keenly aware of how hospitals and health-systems are impacted by a rapidly aging patient population, payment model changes, and tightening bottom lines. Every profession is being asked to do more with less, and the value of pharmacist services must continually be justified. The reputation of the pharmacist as problem solver must be maintained.
In addition to making patients safer by optimizing medication regimens and educating them on their medicines, pharmacists must find other ways to solve today’s problems in health care. For instance, as medication costs continue to soar, pharmacists can market themselves as the experts that understand how to develop the most cost-effective care plans. Bending the medication cost curve can further demonstrate pharmacists’ value to the patients and their organizations, in addition to our myriad other responsibilities. Take advantage of opportunities to build your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Pharmacists must be adaptable
With the rapid changes occurring in health care, pharmacists must be adaptable and understand that they may be called to work in atypical settings. In fact, you might find yourself working in a practice setting you never imagined at some point in your career, simply because it may not have existed when you were in school.
Adaptability as patient care providers will be key to thriving in a constantly changing environment. The purpose of the pharmacist has, and always will be, serving patients. That is your calling. Embrace it! You owe it to your patients to continually find unique, innovative ways to optimize their care regardless of the pressures that come with change. Take time to reflect on your ability to manage change and think through what your strategy will be to continually adapt in a rapidly changing environment.
Pharmacists must be great communicators and marketers
Communication skills are imperative for pharmacists to advance the future of the profession. As the medication experts of the health care team, pharmacists are responsible for ensuring that patients understand how to make the best use of their medicines.
According to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, every year, poor medication adherence leads to more than 100,000 deaths, 10% of total hospitalizations, and between $100 billion and $289 billion in extraneous health care expenditures. This represents an immense opportunity for pharmacy to demonstrate its value in driving down health care costs and positively impacting accessibility and overall patient care outcomes. While the important role pharmacists play in educating patients about the proper use of medications is understood throughout the profession, the general public is largely still unaware of the benefits of establishing a strong relationship with their pharmacist. Therefore, pharmacists must be great marketers, in addition to communicators, to help all patients and the general public understand the importance of the pharmacist–patient relationship. Develop your vision for enhancing your communication and marketing skills.
Pharmacists must be professionally involved
Provider status continues to be a challenge ahead of the profession, despite the myriad evidence that when pharmacists are involved in patient care, they achieve better outcomes. Now, more than ever, pharmacists and student pharmacists need to be professionally involved. Professional associations, like APhA, are at the forefront of the pertinent discussions with legislators and key stakeholders in navigating the road to provider status and other legislation that will advance pharmacy practice. I am often reminded of the quote, “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” Therefore, if you want a say in how the future of pharmacy practice transpires, you have to get a seat at the table and make your voice heard.
In addition to association involvement, developing strong professional relationships with your congressperson(s) and sharing information about your practice and profession goes a long way to ensuring that lawmakers understand that pharmacists are care providers. Currently, there is only one pharmacist, Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter (R–GA), who serves in Congress. Maybe you could be next. Take the time to consider your plan for continued involvement in APhA and other avenues for professional advocacy.
Pharmacists must take care of themselves to take care of others
For those who have flown on a commercial airline flight before, you have heard the pre-flight instructions before taking off. When they discuss the conditions where oxygen masks may drop, they always instruct that one should place the mask on themselves first before assisting other passengers. This way, one ensures they do not pass out before helping those around them. As caregivers, pharmacists continually focus on providing care to those around them, rarely taking time to examine their own needs. As a result, the prevalence of burnout among health professionals (including pharmacists) has dramatically increased over the years.
It is important to develop your strategies for taking care of yourself now as a student so that those strategies can be fully developed by the time you start practicing as a licensed pharmacist. APhA has prioritized within its strategic plan to help preserve and enhance pharmacists’ well-being and has recently signed on as a Network Organization within the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience. Stay tuned for more information on how APhA is helping pharmacists preserve and enhance their well-being in the coming months.
The future is bright
Though it has been 15 years since I first became an APhA–ASP National Executive Committee member, I continue to be in awe of the many accomplishments of student pharmacists through APhA–ASP patient care projects and programs. I am confident that the future of pharmacy is bright knowing that today’s student pharmacists will be tomorrow’s professional leaders. As you develop your vision for the coming year, I hope you will consider the above points as part of your plan.
After all, pharmacy’s future really is about YOU.