Pharmacists are usually seen as an ancillary service, working “behind the scenes” to make sure patients receive their medication while monitoring for potentially harmful interactions. At myMatrixx, our expert pharmacy team has been seeing an expanded role in the care of injured workers for years, and a new report published by partner company Express Scripts Pharmacy backs this idea up.
With research led by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, The Prescription of Trust clearly demonstrates the integral role pharmacists play in health care, and how it is evolving to meet a growing need for access to quality care.
How providers and patients alike value pharmacists
The study, conducted in November and December 2021, surveyed more than 3,000 patients, 1,000 pharmacists, and 500 other health care providers. The key findings of this survey firmly point to an expansion in the pharmacist role and its ability to fill critical gaps in access to care.
Of particular note:
- 85% of pharmacists agree they will see an increase in patient counseling and be more integrated in care teams
- A majority of providers, 63%, believe pharmacists will be playing a greater role in patient care
- Providers and patients alike trust pharmacists, with 77.3% of patients seeing pharmacists as integral to the health care system.
The report also covers the transition to telehealth and home delivery, which it states is currently being adopted relatively slowly by pharmacists and consumers alike.
Building a bridge to expanded care
There were strong indications that additional training will be required for pharmacists to take on more direct patient care responsibilities. To meet the patient needs of the future, pharmacists reported needing additional knowledge in chronic disease education, diagnosing, and prescribing.
myMatrixx pharmacists are uniquely poised to take on this exciting future of pharmacy care. Our clinical solutions give clients unparalleled access to clinical pharmacists with a deep understanding of the care needs of injured workers and what leads to positive outcomes.
Learn more about the expanding role of pharmacists by downloading an executive summary of the report as well as an infographic with key findings from the report.