What Will the Pharmacy Look Like in the Future? Expert Opinion

In the very near future, the role of pharmaceutical workers will change dramatically. Pharmacies will not only provide much more services but will also begin to cooperate with insurance companies, promote themselves on social networks and conduct telepharmaceutical consultations.

Information technology has already greatly influenced the activities of modern pharmacies, and this influence will only increase in the near future.

US leading chemist’s Pharmacy Mall Online discusses what pharmacies will look like in the future. We are sure that this forecast will be of interest to our readers.

As the company notes, single pharmacy organizations currently operate in a highly competitive environment from both large pharmacy chains and online pharmacies. In such conditions, they simply cannot help but change. Therefore, pharmacies will have to change their approach to visitors, take on new functions, and be more flexible in solving the problems they face.

New conditions

Modern technical means, on the one hand, facilitate the work of pharmacies. On the other hand, they are a kind of test for the ability to adapt to new conditions.

In 2020, the process of changing the role of pharmacy organizations, dictated by the development of communication means, continued. Singles pharmacies are increasingly partnering with online drug delivery companies to improve the quality of their services and compete successfully with large chains.

Expansion of services

Pharmacy visitors are consumers and they expect more from pharmacies than just dispensing medicines. They want the pharmacist not only to serve them quickly but also to support them, the expert emphasizes. Therefore, in the coming years, pharmacies will provide more and more diverse services to visitors that will not only be limited to the ability to get vaccinated but will also involve drug treatment counseling and patient education.

Cooperation with insurers

Another trend that will gain momentum in the near future will be the expansion of cooperation between pharmacies and health insurance companies, which will improve the quality of service. By studying information from insurers, pharmacists can advise on the possible interactions of different drugs with each other, as well as advise if the patient has questions about the prescription. According to experts, pharmacies in the future will play an increasingly active role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which will allow them to achieve better financial results.

Use of social networks

Pharmacists should pay more attention to interacting with groups on social networks, the expert says. People use the Internet to search for information about diseases, medicines, and want to be sure that they are using the most modern methods of therapy. In order to win over Internet users to their side, pharmacies need to constantly remind of themselves. If posts on Facebook and Twitter influence the choice of pharmacy visitors, then pharmacists should be used by these channels too.

Telepharmaceutical consultations

According to the American expert, one of the most noticeable trends in the pharmaceutical market in the near future will be the development of telemedicine services. Telemedicine, or rather telepharmacy, does not require technically sophisticated devices; at the same time, it can improve the quality of service for visitors and significantly expand the role of the pharmacist. During telepharmaceutical consultations, the pharmacist can tell patients about different medications and possible adverse reactions, give advice on how best to take these medications, and remind patients to see their doctor. Telepharmacy can be used to reach those patients who cannot visit the pharmacy for health reasons or because they live in a remote village. This kind of personal contact is very important because patients should feel that the pharmacy staff is not indifferent to their condition.

Pharmacy of the future

Let’s sum up. The activities of pharmacies, as well as the role of pharmacists, have changed significantly in recent years. In the future, technical innovations will continue to be the main driver of change, but new trends will also gain strength. Pharmacies will begin to offer more health-oriented services and will increasingly become a health partner, not just a drug store. They will have to pay more attention to their social media image. But the biggest change is likely to come from the development of telepharmaceutical services. After all, telepharmacy in the United States is already becoming so popular that in the future it may lead to an increase in demand for pharmacists.