The role of the pharmacist has evolved significantly in recent years. While pharmacists remain essential for dispensing medication, pharmacy technicians and assistants are increasingly handling prescription fulfillment. This shift allows pharmacists to concentrate on patient care, consultations, and supervisory responsibilities.
Pharmacy technicians and assistants have been integral to pharmacies for a while, but their duties have expanded due to several factors. One primary driver is cost-effectiveness; technicians and assistants earn less than pharmacists, helping to reduce healthcare expenses. Furthermore, delegating routine tasks like filling prescriptions and providing customer service to trained technicians enables pharmacists to focus on more complex aspects of patient well-being.
Melissa Murer, Executive Director of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, emphasizes this evolution, stating that pharmacists are now more focused on patient care, creating a need for technicians to handle distributive functions.
Pharmacy technicians and assistants work under the supervision of licensed pharmacists, assisting in providing medication and healthcare to patients by preparing and dispensing prescriptions, as well as performing essential clerical tasks. While their duties are similar, technicians generally have greater responsibilities. The specifics of pharmacist supervision vary by state.
Technicians and assistants must always have prescriptions checked by a pharmacist and direct all patient inquiries regarding drug information, health matters, or prescriptions to the pharmacist.
Pharmacy Technicians:
Technicians adhere to strict procedures when filling prescriptions. Upon receiving a new prescription or refill request, they confirm the accuracy of the information and then count, pour, retrieve, weigh, measure, or mix the medication as needed. They then prepare and affix the appropriate labels to the containers before pricing and filing the completed prescription. Technicians also handle patient insurance forms and maintain patient profiles.
In retail pharmacies, technicians manage medication stock (both prescription and over-the-counter), maintain equipment, and manage the cash register.
In hospitals, technicians read doctors’ orders from patient charts, prepare medications, and deliver them after pharmacist verification. They may also update patient medical records with medication information and prepare 24-hour medication supplies, including labeling and packaging. Similar to retail pharmacies, all packages are checked by a supervising pharmacist, and technicians also maintain inventories of medications and supplies.
Pharmacy Assistants:
Pharmacy assistants perform duties similar to technicians, though there are generally fewer assistant positions available than technician roles. In retail settings, they often work as clerks or cashiers, answering phones, handling money, and performing clerical tasks. In hospitals, they may deliver medications and stock shelves.
Both pharmacy technicians and assistants typically work in clean, organized environments, spending much of their workday on their feet. Due to the increasing prevalence of 24-hour pharmacies, work hours can vary, and technicians and assistants may need to work nights, evenings, or weekends. This creates opportunities for part-time employment, especially in 24-hour pharmacies. Many technicians and assistants also work part-time while pursuing pharmacy degrees.
The traditional one-to-one pharmacist-to-technician ratio is evolving. Mark Boesen, Director of Government and Student Affairs for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, notes that major employers are expanding their facilities, and some states are allowing a higher ratio of technicians to pharmacists, signaling promising career opportunities in the field.
The growing demand for technicians with expanded responsibilities is leading some states to revise the pharmacist-to-technician ratio to two or three technicians per pharmacist.
As pharmacy technicians assume more responsibilities formerly held by pharmacists, they must also master new technologies. The increasing use of robotic dispensing machines requires technicians to oversee the machinery, stock bins, and label containers.