Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Prescribing Pharmacist - Why It's Not As Good As Everyone Thinks
The health care industry has undergone a lot of changes over the past year, and one trend that is becoming disturbingly popular is that of the prescribing pharmacist. Normally, physicians write the prescription and pharmacists dispense the medication. However, recent legislation in Florida allows pharmacists to independently prescribe medications from an approved list.
The industry is embracing the concept of the prescribing pharmacist on the belief that it will lower health care costs and free up the physician's time for other issues.
There is also the convenience aspect. Many people already turn to mega retail chains for a one-stop place where they can get groceries, get their oil changed, get their hair cut, and pick up their prescription. The idea of adding one more item to that "to-do" list, like getting treatment for an earache or a cold, is a tantalizing option for our convenience-centered society.
When an earache's not just an earache
Many common ailments could also be symptoms of a larger, more insidious problem, and while pharmacists may be able to prescribe certain medications, they aren't able to diagnose, and certainly not with the knowledge, experience and training that a physician has. With "retail health care," will there be somebody to follow up on unresolved problems? Will they arrange diagnostic lab testing or imaging? Or will they simply just hand the patient a prescription and send them on down the aisle?
Is this true patient health care?
This scenario may offer patients convenience, but does it offer them true health care? There are too many unanswered questions, and pharmacists don't possess the same medical training primary physicians do. The best way for patients to get true health care and convenience would be physician medication dispensing.
Instead of having to get a prescription from the doctor and drive to the pharmacy to have it filled, the patient can have their prescription filled at the point of care. The patient is already there, so why have them drive somewhere else? Not only is it convenient, but in many cases, physician dispensing is less costly for patients. Plus, patients will have the peace of mind of knowing that even if there are unresolved health problems, they can return to their physician to have them addressed.
Physician dispensing is also beneficial for physicians as well. When physicians dispense medications at the point of care, they cut down on the time spent fielding pharmacy callbacks, which can cost clinics an average of $30,000 a year. In addition, they add an extra revenue source by selling the prescriptions.
Prescribing pharmacists or dispensing physicians
The once-separate roles of the pharmacist and the physician are becoming more and more blurred as states grant autonomy to pharmacists and more physicians discover the benefits of physician dispensing. Although prescribing pharmacists offer quite a bit of convenience, they don't have the training and knowledge of the physician for follow-up care. When it comes down to it, dispensing physicians are more likely the ones who will be able to offer better patient care, both in terms of convenience and cost.
Physicians must take the time now to learn about dispensing the medications they prescribe. Point-of-care dispensing is an option for almost any physician, and it provides a competitive response to the threats posed by retail-based health care. Do yourself a favor and make 2008 the year you provide point-of-care dispensing.
The industry is embracing the concept of the prescribing pharmacist on the belief that it will lower health care costs and free up the physician's time for other issues.
There is also the convenience aspect. Many people already turn to mega retail chains for a one-stop place where they can get groceries, get their oil changed, get their hair cut, and pick up their prescription. The idea of adding one more item to that "to-do" list, like getting treatment for an earache or a cold, is a tantalizing option for our convenience-centered society.
When an earache's not just an earache
Many common ailments could also be symptoms of a larger, more insidious problem, and while pharmacists may be able to prescribe certain medications, they aren't able to diagnose, and certainly not with the knowledge, experience and training that a physician has. With "retail health care," will there be somebody to follow up on unresolved problems? Will they arrange diagnostic lab testing or imaging? Or will they simply just hand the patient a prescription and send them on down the aisle?
Is this true patient health care?
This scenario may offer patients convenience, but does it offer them true health care? There are too many unanswered questions, and pharmacists don't possess the same medical training primary physicians do. The best way for patients to get true health care and convenience would be physician medication dispensing.
Instead of having to get a prescription from the doctor and drive to the pharmacy to have it filled, the patient can have their prescription filled at the point of care. The patient is already there, so why have them drive somewhere else? Not only is it convenient, but in many cases, physician dispensing is less costly for patients. Plus, patients will have the peace of mind of knowing that even if there are unresolved health problems, they can return to their physician to have them addressed.
Physician dispensing is also beneficial for physicians as well. When physicians dispense medications at the point of care, they cut down on the time spent fielding pharmacy callbacks, which can cost clinics an average of $30,000 a year. In addition, they add an extra revenue source by selling the prescriptions.
Prescribing pharmacists or dispensing physicians
The once-separate roles of the pharmacist and the physician are becoming more and more blurred as states grant autonomy to pharmacists and more physicians discover the benefits of physician dispensing. Although prescribing pharmacists offer quite a bit of convenience, they don't have the training and knowledge of the physician for follow-up care. When it comes down to it, dispensing physicians are more likely the ones who will be able to offer better patient care, both in terms of convenience and cost.
Physicians must take the time now to learn about dispensing the medications they prescribe. Point-of-care dispensing is an option for almost any physician, and it provides a competitive response to the threats posed by retail-based health care. Do yourself a favor and make 2008 the year you provide point-of-care dispensing.
# posted by Medical Information : 2:09 AM
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
