In most countries, people have more access to pharmacies than their physicians – meaning, retail health is anticipated to steer the acquisition of new consumers across the industry.
Increasing interests in preventative care are leading people to become more involved in their health as they realize the impact of their life choices. This increasing consciousness has the ability to change the way we approach our health and make more cost-effective decisions.
The Critical Roles of Pharmacists in the Community
Pharmacist, Masoud Amidi-Mazaheri, the owner and manager of Popular Choice Pharmacy located in Scarborough, ON, explains that the growing awareness consumers now have about their health can change the way we think about pharmacists within the healthcare industry.
He believes this will alleviate pressures on the healthcare system and put pharmacists in more critical positions to take on roles in advanced delivery models, working closely with physicians to improve health outcomes and lower costs for consumers.
Pharmacies continually demonstrate their role in providing access to quality care that is more affordable and are already implementing multi-disciplinary models in patient care and working with other healthcare teams to deliver care to patients. This has added a new take on pharmaceutical care, and pharmacists must adapt to more advanced situations and practices.
Medications Pharmacists Can Prescribe
Masoud Amidi-Mazaheri explains that pharmacists can now prescribe certain medications without a diagnosis from the doctor. There is a fairly extensive list of medications this applies to. Consumers have already become dependent on pharmacists to recommend these products and must be able to communicate critical information regarding their use to customers.
In situations such as quitting smoking, emergency oral contraception (the morning after pill), pregnancy sickness and supplements, advice on how to travel where you might be exposed to different types of bacteria or viruses, and head lice Popular Choice Pharmacy can recommend and assist with medications. Popular Choice Pharmacy also offers medication reviews, blister packages, diabetes education, and individual recommendations for healthcare plans. He is also trained to give injections in the community pharmacist scope.
The Need for Services in the Community
Masoud Amidi-Mazaheri completed his degree in Chemistry and Biology from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is also a member of the Ontario College of Pharmacists, the Ontario Pharmacist Association, the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists, and the Nova Scotia Pharmacy Association.
He has also written about various diseases, reviewed medication, and formed a network with physicians to discuss patient care. He has volunteered as a pharmacist in a small village around Tehran and Isfahan in Iran and the IWK children’s hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and continues to hold seminars for senior citizens at various organizations.
He states, “The dependency on pharmacies is particularly important in underserved communities. The services that pharmacies offer are expected to expand along with the number of pharmacists needed to implement these services.”
A major part of delivering value-based care to customers is that clinicians perform at the very top of their licensure. Pharmacists will have to dedicate more time to things like cognitive services and medication therapy management to improve the quality of drug therapy and healthcare delivery to meet the expanding needs of the industry.
For more information visit: Popular Choice Pharmacy – Guardian Pharmacy – Guardian, I.D.A., and Remedy’sRx (guardian-ida-remedysrx.ca)
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