What is one of the major issues facing pharmacy today?

Answer 1

The main concern of pharmacy practice today is patient education, and in some cases patient re-education!

Patients must be properly educated at the time they receive their medication in order to ensure that they take it correctly. Pharmacists use the term "counseling" for this educational encounter. The patient is told the name of the medication, what it treats, how to take it, and what side effects might occur. They are also told how to store the medication, when to discontinue it, and if it might interact with other medications.

Today's patient has the internet at his disposal and sometimes accesses websites which give inaccurate or incomplete information about medical conditions and drug therapies. These are the patients who may need to be re-educated, so it is important to listen to their questions and comments.