Various Duties of Pharmacists
Setting | Duties |
|---|---|
Hospital | Help obtain a detailed drug history from the patient or caregiver Accompany physicians and other health care professionals on patient rounds Make medication recommendations Provide medication information when appropriate When discharge is imminent, provide oral and written medication-related information to the patient or caregiver Conduct medication reconciliation |
Long-term facilities* | May accompany physicians and other health care professionals on rounds Participate in facility quality-improvement committees Assess and interview patients Assess medication effectiveness and monitor patients for drug interactions, adverse drug effects, and therapeutic failures Contact the patient’s nurse or physician directly if a problem or a high risk of medication-related problems is detected Conduct a monthly medication regimen review for all patients as required by federal law Conduct medication reconciliation |
Mail service and online pharmacies | Provide consultation by telephone or video chat to patients and health care professionals (depending on state regulations) Review and validate prescription orders Participate in medication utilization review and formulary management Help ensure quality control Develop education materials for patients and health care professionals |
Organized health care systems | May develop, implement, and manage formularies, computer-based adverse event tracking systems, and performance measurement indicators (to improve quality) May help design therapeutic guidelines and manage medication utilization programs |
Hospice | Make recommendations for appropriate medications to control symptoms Ensure the timeliness of medication delivery Minimize duplicative and interacting medications Help improve cost-effective use of medications Teach patients about the best way to use the prescribed medications Monitor therapeutic responses and recognize medication-related problems Advise hospice team members about appropriate medications and potential interactions between medications and other substances (eg, medicinal herbs) Compound medications or dosage forms extemporaneously as needed Conduct medication reconciliation |
* Pharmacists who work in long-term care facilities are called consultant pharmacists. | |