Today's Perspective
Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP, Pharmacy Today editor in chief
In recent years, we have witnessed expanding roles and opportunities for both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians as COVID-19 has catalyzed unprecedented change in health care delivery. Many certified pharmacy technicians can now pursue education and credentialing to open doors for new practice opportunities such as administering vaccines under the PREP Act. These opportunities, in turn, are changing the way we see technicians in our profession.
This month’s Pharmacy Today cover story delves deeper into these changing responsibilities and highlights ways technicians are becoming more visible. While some pharmacists may be hesitant to embrace these new roles, many are passionate about the potential benefits. Courtney Tigges, PharmD, a new practitioner with Towncrest Pharmacy in Iowa City, IA, states that “giving [technicians] the responsibility of being able to do what they know how to do” is the key to allowing pharmacists to spend more one-on-one time with patients. That ultimately leads to better patient care.
In this issue of Today, you’ll also get the latest on newly approved drugs, synbiotic supplements, and what the DEA is saying about counterfeit drugs. You’ll learn about recent recommendations for using medical cannabis to treat chronic pain and get an update on biosimilars and how their interchangeability is affecting practice. Finish up this issue by doing this month’s crossword.
In many ways, Tigges’ sentiments about the benefits of expanding technician roles is the hallmark of a new generation of pharmacists. Like none before them, new practitioner pharmacists have seen the need for innovation in health care because their educational experience has been forged under the pressures of a global pandemic. In this era, a new generation of pharmacists is emerging confident in the knowledge that pharmacy technicians are, and will continue to be, an integral part of our ability to meet changing health care needs. The key will be the fulfillment of the original intent of enhancing the role of technicians and technology within pharmacy practice—allowing pharmacists to spend their focused time on providing meaningful patient care.
Have a great Today!