Retail vs Clinical

I talk with hundreds of pharmacists every week about their jobs; the things they like and the things they don't. One of the points they bring up again and again is that many retail pharmacy jobs no longer involve having close personal relationships with customers. The big retail chains emphasize volume and productivity over relationship building and counseling.

This is one of the big reasons why many retail pharmacists are now interested in becoming clinical pharmacists. But making this move is not so simple. In most cases it requires at least some recent clinical experience and/or training. Sometimes hospitals are willing to retrain a retail pharmacist, but these cases often involve unpopular shifts or small, rural facilities.

In an effort to increase job satisfaction, value-added customer service and reduce health care costs, some of the large retail chains are now introducing clinics in their facilities. These hybrid operations involve pharmacists, nurses and physicians to provide economical alternatives to emergency rooms for minor concerns.

Even hospitals, where pharmacists too often worked tangently, are integrating pharmacists in their patient-care teams to make sure everyone is always on the same page. Eliminating costly errors is a big driving force.

So, the trend in pharmacy is toward a smarter, integrated approach which involves more professional and patient counseling. As a result, the days of working in isolation and just pushing pills may be coming to an end. For some, that day can't come soon enough, but for others, who have thrived in that environment, there are always mail order pharmacies.

What do you think?