1
The Profession
of Pharmacy
Learning Objectives
1 Identify how pharmacists and pharmacy technicians contribute to a healthcare team. (Introduction)
2 Describe the cultural origins and history of pharmacy and their impact on the profession. (Section 1.1)
3 Differentiate among workplace environments and the major roles and responsibilities of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. (Sections 1.2, 1.4, 1.5. 1.6)
4 Explain what the terms medication therapy management (MTM) and Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs) mean and how they apply to pharmacists and technicians. (Section 1.3)
5 Describe the ASHP Practice Advancement Initiative (PAI) and its Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative (PPMI), and their impacts on the pharmacy profession and technicians. (Section 1.3)
6 Define the terms licensure, certification, and registration for both pharmacists and technicians. (Section 1.6)
7 Outline academic and legal requirements for pharmacy technician practice. (Section 1.6)
8 Discuss the varied possible career paths of a technician with a CPhT certification.(Section 1.7)
ASHP/ACPE Accreditation Standards
To view the ASHP/ACPE Accreditation Standards addressed in this chapter, refer to Appendix B.
Healthcare is not just a doctor-to-patient relationship. Optimal patient health care is a collaborative effort accomplished by healthcare teams. These teams encompass physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, dentists and dental hygienists, nurses, and pharmacy personnel. Pharmacists study the patients’ medication profiles, offer drug therapy counseling, and are even called upon to monitor these therapies for the most successful outcomes. In the United States today, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians work in tandem to fill 4.5 billion prescriptions each year. Often called the “backbone” of the system, pharmacy technicians do the hands-on work of gathering information and filling prescriptions and medication orders, while pharmacists oversee, check, and approve work, and educate providers and patients about drugs and supplements, including best uses, side effects, and interactions.
Pharmacists could not offer reliable drug-therapy counseling and monitoring without the assistance of educated, well-trained, and certified pharmacy technicians. Pharmacy technicians are responsible for many functions in a pharmacy beyond just helping to fill the prescriptions.
Like other technicians in healthcare—such as radiology technicians and dental technicians—pharmacy technicians play a key role in attending to patients’ needs and tamping down, or at least slowing, pharmacy-related healthcare costs. This collaborative work environment improves efficiency and potentially reduces the risk of preventable and costly medication errors. To understand the emerging roles for both pharmacists and technicians, it is helpful to understand the history of pharmacy, contemporary workplaces, and current education and licensing requirements.