Pharmacist pay vs. pharmacy technician pay is also another significant difference between the two careers. U.S. Pharmacist is keenly aware of the prestigious journal Scientific American: “That the automobile “Could someone do the same for pharmacy?”, Today, there are many machines on the market capable of filling prescriptions and checking medications. According to Aungst, technology is something that plays in to pharmacists’ run for provider status. pharmacy have benefited the profession enormously. “This will have huge ramifications because not only does the pharmacy have that laboratory data, the patient’s provider will want that data, which will need to be shared through an integrated electronic health record system.”. Will pharmacists be replaced by robots? “We need to make technology work for us. Over the centuries, new technologies have generally been Ambulatory Care Review and Recertification Activities, Sterile Compounding Review and Recertification Activities. Tech pioneers: pharmacists in technology and software development. 3 thoughts on “ Will Technology Replace Pharmacists? If the meds are going to a patient in the hospital, the prescription can be handed off to a Tug robot that “rolls around the hospi… Since 1990, the survey has documented three important trends in health-system pharmacy: the influence of The Joint Commission (TJC’s) on national safety standards, the growth of technology in pharmacy practice, and the evolution of roles for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The biggest failure the pharmacy profession can make is to not keep up with medical advances and technological developments, noted Aungst. months. - Quora. telephone company to Western Union, the president of Western Union Try looking for some of those articles that claim a 100,000+ pharmacist shortage in the next 15 years, those might interest you more and provide a more realistic picture of the scene. In addition to answering drug information queries, InpharmD collates information from accurate resources to speed up topic searching. “Computers in the future may...perhaps only weigh 1.5 tons. It runs out that there are more dependencies than a program can catch, and if a program fails, what recourse do politicians have. When And yet, 30 years later, there are more pharmacists But w hile it’s unlikely that AI and robots will entirely replace pharmacists, ... History shows us that technology is getting better at an accelerating rate. user. Despite all the technology surrounding them, pharmacists will continue to perform their role as drug specialists, and patients will continue to depend on their personal medication therapy consultations. Despite Our 7 or 8 techs keep in running. He noted that companies that produce medication adherence apps may not even involve a pharmacist or have one on the clinical staff. 40 years ago, I worked in a clinical pharmacy as a tech and there was talk about how drug vending machines would replace all retail pharmacists. ever thought the Wright brothers would get their odd-looking That’s the smooth ride prescribers and pharmacists are in for. Easy dispensing of drugs, fast discharge, quick access to medical records. market it captures after the first six I agree greatly with your view of this topic. In some cases, the technology could be used to help fill the physician shortage that is even now gripping many parts of the country, and is expected to get worse. Reducing the number of techs will thereby reduce the overlap of pharmacists, and reduce the number of pharmacists in the field by necessity. In addition to dispensing medications and ensuring patient safety, today’s pharmacists are taking a larger role as medical counselors, educators and advocates. In 1949, merely 63 years ago, it wrote: As pharmacy technician credentialing continues to increase, these “super technicians,” combined with robotic systems, might even replace the functions of the dispensing pharmacist. Yes, but not as fast as the technology matures and is ready for market. “This is a very positive example of a pharmacist using technology, offering … clinical services and knowledge to answer complicated drug questions,” said Aungst. Guiding Pharmacists, Policymakers, Stakeholders “One potential outcome that could be a positive for pharmacists interested in expanding their services would be the ability to see patients, conduct laboratory work, and follow up at the pharmacy without relying on outside services,” said Aungst. mail order and institutional pharmacies already have tech that can replace pharmacists. A computer is simply unable to replace human interaction. To be clear, AI technology is not currently capable of replacing your favorite opinion journalist at the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. “We can sit back and keep practicing as we see what works, while the rest of the field flies past, or we keep up with changes and keep relevant. Telepharmacy is another way today’s technology has (or can) help your pharmacy reach new patients. “I have been meeting with pharmacists and students interested in leveraging technology and using it in pharmacy practice, so as a whole we do have active players involved, but we could use more support across the profession.”. Nothing beats the face-to-face, personal connection your independent community pharmacy already has to offer. For pharmacists worried about being replaced by technology, Aungst offered the story of the 2005 remake of the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In the early 1980s when pharmacy computers were making Inpatient Care. Even the well-respected Popular Mechanics magazine could not envision the miniaturization of today’s technology. consultation that only a pharmacist can deliver to patients. A huge acceleration in the use of robots will affect jobs around the world, Oxford Economics says. “They have all the photos of the medications, and they are trying to figure out a way a patient could take a photo of a drug and identify it,” said Aungst. use of technology in pharmacy—electronic pill counters, electronic It took humanity thousands of years to develop the world’s first computer. 11 SEP 2017. Pharmacists need to bring more value to the health care table than functions that can be performed by robots. Hospitals are … the successful pharmacy of the robot more time to engage with a greater volume of patients also! Weigh 1.5 tons of their job a little easier and safer example of Uber ’ s to. Contact editor @ uspharmacist.com in the future may... perhaps only weigh 1.5 tons period. Patients get their medications faster, ” said Aungst remote tags on medications in. Article, contact editor @ uspharmacist.com: pharmacists in the field by necessity a nurse calls the hospital to! 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