High-tech medicines are increasingly developed

Medicines become increasingly complex and diverse and gain faster acceptance. Pharmacists assume an expanding clinical practice role in selecting, prescribing and monitoring patient drug use to help support and manage complex regimes. The concept of ‘an algorithm for everything’ emerges and the workforce increasingly deploys IT-led decision support to ensure the most efficient and safe drug pathway for patients.

Proposed workforce impact

• Pharmacist input into patient management and care increases, particularly in primary care settings.
• The demand for data analysis skills in the pharmacist workforce increases.

Sources or references

• http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/stories/2010/february/15/ft-health-care-high-tech-costs.aspx
• http://www.bristolmedchi.co.uk/display?itemfeedid=69007_374

Additional research questions

• What decision support tools currently exist to aid the pharmacy workforce?
• Are prescribers relying more on IT-led decision support tools? If so, how does this affect pharmacist’s roles when dispensing?

Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.