Kate Luong is a first-year PharmD candidate at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville campus.
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in the past few years has sparked intense debates across various industries. As AI continues to evolve, one of the largest debates about the existence of AI is its potential substitution of the pharmacist’s role in the community setting. The key to the impact of AI in pharmacy lies in the engagement of the technology, understanding its applications in the clinical decision-making process, and sharing knowledge across health care sectors.
Rather than viewing AI as a threat, we can see the rise of AI may expand the scope of practice for pharmacists and enhance the patient care process.
A valuable support tool
The study of machine learning and artificial intelligence already existed in the 1950s, when the first computer was invented. Over the past 70 years, AI and machine learning has been adopted and involved in several aspects of our daily life, such as digital gadgets and the computerized system in the industrial workforce. Yet the recognition of its role only became controversial during the pandemic era.
In the pharmacy setting, AI has already made a significant impact in the detection of medication interactions and warnings and enhancing the patient care process. This has reduced dispensing errors and prevented sentinel events, illustrating the inevitable role of AI in enhancing patient safety. With the rapid growth and collaboration of AI in life, it’s promising that AI will extend beyond routine tasks and contribute into special areas such as personalized medicine.
AI’s ability to handle complex data sets provides pharmacists with improved clinical decision-making tools. By verifying and complementing the work of pharmacists, AI becomes a valuable support tool in the health care system. However, AI is a programmed system, so it cannot be flexible or substitute for a human’s empathy and emotional intelligence.
As AI is only a supportive tool, errors might occur during medication preparation and management. Pharmacists and the health care team should use it mindfully and make the final decision about what to do with the patient’s therapy, as they are trained to understand every piece of a patient's case. They also directly work with the patient, fostering a unique therapeutic relationship with patients, which cannot happen with AI.
Part of the curriculum at UF
As AI technology continues to develop, its capabilities will expand, providing more complex and precise solutions for pharmacy practices. Collaboration between pharmacists, AI developers, and health care providers will drive innovation, refining AI tools to meet specific pharmacy needs. The transformative role of AI is crucial for the development and growth of pharmacy, especially considering the trends in personalized medicine and pharmacogenomics, which aim to enhance patients’ experience with medications.
Recognizing the significant role of AI, the University of Florida College of Pharmacy (UF)— one of the national leading institutions in health care—has integrated the studies of AI and machine learning into their curriculum development and pharmacy education. Although it is not yet a mandatory part of the curriculum, several publications and courses have been introduced from the college of pharmacy (e.g., pharmacy informatics and electives focusing on AI) to prepare future pharmacists to navigate and expose themselves to machine learning and AI.
For the betterment of patient care
While skepticism may surround the integration of AI into pharmacy, its application in health care is inevitable. AI, when used mindfully and in collaboration with pharmacists, can significantly improve patient lives. The transformative role of AI in pharmacy, exemplified by leading institutions such as UF, is a testament to the industry’s commitment to embracing technology for the betterment of patient care.
As we move forward, the key lies in using AI wisely, ensuring medication safety, and appreciating the synergistic relationship between technology and the human touch in health care.