Community Pharmacist Role and Responsibilities

Community Pharmacist Role

• Community pharmacists historically served as a primary healthcare contact, acting as chemists, doctors, and counselors.
• Today, they ensure safe, legal, and ethical prescription processing while educating patients about medication.

Pharmacist Responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities

• Critically evaluate prescription orders, offering medication therapy management.
• Compound non-sterile medications.
• Evaluate patients for self-care, recommending solutions or referrals.
• Provide drug information to both professionals and the public.
• Promote wellness through education, immunizations, and screenings.
• Monitor patient health through medication use.
• Educate patients about prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.
• Reduce adverse drug reactions by monitoring medication use.
• Advise healthcare professionals on drug decisions.
• Provide drug information and immunizations.

Business-Related Responsibilities

• Manage pharmacy personnel, including scheduling.
• Manage finances, including tracking profit and loss.
• Handle order procurement and inventory management.
• Work with insurance companies for billing and prescription processing.
• Ensure administrative supplies (paper, labels, etc.) are available.
• Maintain licensure through continuing education.
• Participate in quality reporting and improvement programs.

Prescription Process

Drop-off Window

• Patients present prescriptions.
• Pharmacy staff verify information, availability, and estimate wait times.

Prescription Entry

• Prescription data entry into the system.
• Often connected to the drop-off window, but can be separate.
• Maintain and update patient profiles.

Filling Station

• Prescription filling following strict procedures, including NDC numbers, double-counting controlled substances.
• Utilizing technology like barcoding and NDC numbers.
• Manual counting of medications using trays and spatulas.

Verification

• Pharmacist verifies prescriptions against originals, recalculates dosages, inspects medications, and checks NDC numbers.
• Single-prescription focus to avoid errors.

Pickup Window

• Patient identity verification.
• Patient question answering and prescription counseling, as needed for new prescriptions.

Consultation Window

• Private counseling area for new prescriptions and over-the-counter products.
• Patient confidentiality.

Telephone

• Professional phone handling, triaging calls for new prescriptions, transfers, and inquiries.

Pharmacy Workstations

• Drop-off window
• Prescription entry
• Filling station
• Verification
• Pickup window
• Consultation window
• Telephone

Pharmacy Personnel

• Cashier
• Technician
• Intern
• Staff Pharmacist
• Pharmacy Manager

Receiving a New Prescription

• Introduce self (name, role, pharmacy).
• Verify patient information (name, DOB, address, contact).
• Verify patient allergies and insurance.
• Confirm medication availability and prescription completeness.
• Answer patient questions.
• Provide estimated completion time.

Types of Prescriptions

• Written
• Faxed
• E-prescriptions
• Phoned-in (live or voicemail)
• Transfers

Inputting a Prescription

• Technician or intern reviews the prescription for accuracy and completeness.
• Critical step for patient safety.

Information Needed on a Prescription

Patient Information

• Name, DOB, address, phone, allergies (specific allergen & reaction).

Insurance Information

• Front and back of insurance card.

Prescription Information

• Drug name, strength, directions (SIG), quantity, refills.

Prescriber Information

• Name, address, phone, NPI, DEA (controlled substances).

Additional Information (Controlled Substances)

• Prescriber's DEA number.
• Detailed numerical and alphabetical quantity.
• Specific use instructions.
• Tamper-resistant prescription pads.

Reviewing New Prescriptions

• Patient name and date of birth.
• Prescription date of issuance.
• Drug name, strength, and dosage form.
• Directions (SIG) - amount/unit, frequency, route.
• Total quantity dispensed.
• Number of refills.
• Prescriber signature.
• Prescriber details (name, address, phone).
• DAW (dispense as written) line (generic substitution).

SIG Codes

• Used by pharmacists to interpret and understand prescription instructions.

Health Educators

• Pharmacists educate on medications and health conditions.
• They are trusted healthcare professionals readily accessible.

Communication

• Effective communication crucial for optimal patient care by pharmacists.

This quiz explores the pivotal role of community pharmacists in today's healthcare environment. It covers both clinical and business-related responsibilities, emphasizing their function in patient education, medication management, and wellness promotion. Test your knowledge about the diverse duties pharmacists perform in supporting community health.