| | AUGUST 20229UTLOOKHealthcare Tech combined with the telemedicine model gaining traction post-pandemic, a new patient centric form of healthcare is being beta tested. You will see the descriptions of telemedicine, digiceuticals and biological medicine all continue to merge to the general "medicine" term as we familiarize as a culture to this new healthcare technology toolkit.There is not a day that goes by that a patient does not need to know more about their medication. We have become complacent on the beauty of Google and the infinite knowledge it holds. That said, there is a large gap between the ability to find information and the ability to help successfully translate and utilize that same information. Often the life of a pharmacist is that of a parent, full of effort with limited gratitude. In conjunction, the internet has created a dangerous amount of free unreliable information about our health, medications, and treatment options. It has always been the duty as pharmacist to manage information, provide insight and identify the snake oil proclaiming to be holy water. I would like to take this space to briefly celebrate those staff in charge of carrying the] torch of knowledge and providing care to our patients and communities. A Fist Bump: Ambulatory CareThe mighty dollar reigns supreme in this multi-verse of Payor Contracts, Long-term Care Pharmacy Operations, Infusions and Specialty Services; not to ignore the industry mainstay of Community Pharmacy. Forgotten in this world of diminishing returns lies a keystone of health care, the human interaction. Cheers to the cashiers, technicians and pharmacist of this world who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of pharmacology, so your Nana has someone to talk to on Sunday afternoon about stool softness. It has been a long-standing joke that the PharmD. should come with a minor in psychology. It's a joke based in reality; pharmacists talk to the patient more than any other provider. As you walk to your local Walgreens, CVS or Family Pharmacy waiting to ask us about that article on Facebook, TikTok or Instagram, please know influencers are not professionals and their ability to regurgitate information does not make them educated. Thank you to our community pharmacists, techs and cashiers for being there every day; to answer the same questions, accept the criticism, argue the Science and fight for payment. Thank you for doing what is best for every patient regardless of race, creed, or color. Knuckles out: I appreciate you!Slap Those Over-Sanitized Hands: Acute CareDown a flight of stairs into the spell of Peridox, alcohol and constant hum of fluorescent lighting. Welcome to the home of the acute pharmacist and the team of under-celebrated technicians who keep the meds coming. Tucked away into basements of health facilities across the United States.Hidden in the depths to complete the perfunctory magic of dose conversions, IV compatibility and an endless process of IV and TPN production. Day-by-day the orders come down, every other is "STAT" and due to supply chain challenges, you have about 60 percent of what you need. We work in antiquated EMRs that meet the needs of payors well but not clinicians. A world of computer software, tracking documents and patient charts. Well, raise that open palm high and mighty;you collection of glorious problem solvers! It might be an alternate therapy today, a newly formulated IV tomorrow or a DI questions from Dr. Smith about the newest COVID therapy. Silent are the support staff inside the hospital stay. It all occurs from vancomycin dosing adjustments, warfarin monitoring and anti-microbial stewardship, with not a whisper in provider rounding. In this place where a PharmD.is still "just a pharmacist"; I appreciate you and your teams for keeping our family and friends alive in their most critical state. The technicians running laps to deliver meds to the oncology team producing chemo to keep our communities alive longer. It is a hard job and one often overlooked. So peel back that nitrile glove and give another spray of alcohol and pass out a round of High Fives please!As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve and patient preference for access continues to steer technology; a steward for safety will be required. An epic battle; fought in the court rooms and conference tables across the world.The opportunity of profits versus the safety of our patients and a goal of finding that Shangri-La where technology and humanity work in tandem to improve the lives of all beings, big and small.It is important to acknowledge that there is an impact of human touch that cannot be replaced by technology, though it might be we just need better holograms; a discussion for another day. HTTechnology is driving the way humans access information about our worlds and more so specifically, health information
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