PHARMACISTS working in the US are being set up for failure, American Pharmacists' Association CEO, Thomas Menighan, believes.
In a letter to The New York Times, responding to an article in which a number of pharmacists expressed concerns over working conditions placing them at an increased risk of making dispensing errors (PD 03 Feb), Menighan said there was an urgent need to change the country's pharmacy model.
"The current system sets pharmacists up to fail," he said.
"The weight of the potentially dire consequences of filling the wrong prescription or missing dangerous drug interactions is crushing pharmacists, personally and professionally.
"The solution comes from taking a hard look at how pharmacies are reimbursed and who profits from inadequate patient care.
"Pharmacy benefit managers make piles of money with no proof they serve patients.
"They say they keep prices and premiums down but fight efforts to demystify how they achieve this.
"If it's not greedy, let's see how it works.
"If it really helps patients, tell us how.
"But they won't. It's indefensible.
"Patient safety must always remain a priority.
"We need change now."
Meanwhile Australian pharmacists who may be experiencing stress or anxiety as a result of concerns over their workload, can contact the Pharmacists' Support Service on 1300 244 910.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 19 Feb 20
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