Redefining ‘advanced’: Supporting and promoting practice change through community advanced pharmacy practice experiences

OBJECTIVE To describe Australia's community pharmacy network in the context of the health system and outline the provision of services. DATA SYNTHESIS The 5000 community pharmacies form a key component of the healthcare system for Australians, for whom health expenditures represent 9% of the Gross Domestic Product. A typical community pharmacy dispenses 880 prescriptions per week. Pharmacists are key partners in the Government's National Medicines Policy and contribute to its objectives through the provision of cognitive pharmaceutical services (CPS). The Third Community Pharmacy Agreement included funding for CPS including medication review and the provision of written drug information. Funding is also provided for a quality assurance platform with which the majority of pharmacies are accredited. Fifteen million dollars (Australian) have been allocated to research in community pharmacy, which has focused on achieving quality use of medicines (QUM), as well as developing new CPS and facilitating change. Elements of the Agreements have taken into account QUM principles and are now significant drivers of practice change. Although accounting for 10% of remuneration for community pharmacy, the provision of CPS represents a significant shift in focus to view pharmacy as a service provider. Delivery of CPS through the community pharmacy network provides sustainability for primary health care due to improvement in quality presumably associated with a reduction in healthcare costs. CONCLUSIONS Australian pharmacy practice is moving strongly in the direction of CPS provision; however, change does not occur easily. The development of a change management strategy is underway to improve the uptake of professional and business opportunities in community pharmacy.

Download Full-text

Are Pharmacists the Ultimate Barrier to Pharmacy Practice Change?

Canadian Pharmacists Journal / Revue des Pharmaciens du Canada ◽

10.3821/1913-701x-143.1.37 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 143 (1) ◽

pp. 37-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 134

Author(s):

Meagen Rosenthal ◽

Zubin Austin ◽

Ross T. Tsuyuki

Keyword(s):

Pharmacy Practice ◽

Practice Change

Download Full-text

ASHP Practice Advancement Initiative 2030: New recommendations for advancing pharmacy practice in health systems

American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy ◽

10.1093/ajhp/zxz271 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 77 (2) ◽

pp. 113-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Keyword(s):

Board Of Directors ◽

Pharmacy Practice ◽

Practice Change ◽

Advisory Panel ◽

Final Approval ◽

Online Surveys ◽

Public Comment ◽

Pharmacy Technicians ◽

Effective Use ◽

Planning Group

Abstract Purpose The process of updating the recommendations of the ASHP Practice Advancement Initiative (PAI) is described, and the new recommendations targeted toward the year 2030 are presented. Summary The process for updating ASHP recommendations for pharmacy-practice change included online surveys of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and other stakeholders; extensive discussions by an advisory panel, a strategic planning group, and participants in a town hall session at a national conference; an online public comment period; and final approval by the ASHP Board of Directors. Conclusion The guidance offered by the 59 updated PAI recommendations, which take into account environment trends that are likely to affect the pharmacy enterprise, will help health-system pharmacists in their ongoing pursuit of optimal, safe, and effective use of medicines.

Download Full-text