What if students could be transformational resources for pharmacy practice?

Abstract

The pharmacists’ role in the healthcare system is expanding internationally beyond the traditional roles of compounding and medicine supply management, to providing patientcentred care and updating health care workers on relevant medicine therapies. Pharmacists are pivotal in meeting the medicine-related needs of patients and other health care professionals. Even though pharmacists will remain responsible for medicine supply management, the routine activities associated with this can be handled by qualified pharmacist’s assistants and/or pharmacy technicians, while allowing pharmacists to embark on pharmaceutical care, identifying and solving the risks associated with medicine use and therapeutic drug monitoring. With an increase in the development of new medicines, it has become imperative for pharmacists to be integral members of the multidisciplinary team in order to ensure rational use of these medicines. Patient safety with the use of medicines have become a global concern. Therefore, pharmacists engaging in patientcentred practices could contribute towards better patient outcomes.