Millions of Americans felt a sense of unease on March 30 as they watched ABC News report on medication errors caused by pharmacy
professionals. The network ensured viewer outrage by running three separate investigative reports—on "Good Morning America,"
"World News Tonight," and "20/20"—all on the same day, presenting a damaging portrayal of pharmacy practice.
Mike Johnston, CPhT
|
There is no question that the reports were intended to be sensational and garner ratings. Many of the claims were shamelessly
misleading, such as chains requiring signatures as a waiver of patient counseling and technicians "dispensing" prescriptions.
Signature logs are required to comply with both HIPAA guidelines and contractual agreements with private third-party payers.
Pharmacy techs do not dispense Rxs, although they are crucial to preparing and filling them.
|
The recent broadcasts do, however, pose several critical questions that the pharmacy profession must address. Will pharmacy
continue to be among the most trusted professions? Is the profession taking all reasonable measures to ensure patient safety
and provide the best patient care possible? Will pharmacy, as it currently operates, be able to provide safe and timely patient
care to the imminently aging baby boomer generation? If pharmacy continues with the status quo, the answer to all three questions
may be No. So, what should the profession consider when moving forward?
With the exponential growth in annual Rx dispensing, new drugs, expansion of OTC selection, and the emergence of advanced
technology in pharmacy, the role of technicians has grown dramatically. The National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA)
has taken a strong position that individuals should be required to complete a standardized education/training program, pass
a validated competency-based exam, and be registered with their state pharmacy board in order to practice as pharmacy technicians.
The requirement of standardized education and training remains the most controversial but is considered by many, including
NPTA, the most critical component of the previously mentioned regulations. The debate over mandatory education is commonly
related to economic, time, and subject matter concerns, particularly by the chain drugstores. ASHP's Model Curriculum for
Pharmacy Technician Training program accreditation—which to date has been the only national standard on technician education—is
reliable but not necessarily considered practical by many. NPTA supports ASHP's current standards but recognizes that other
alternatives must be considered. The objective is to ensure that pharmacy technicians complete a standardized education and
training program prior to practicing—ensuring pharmacists receive the greatest possible support in providing patient care
to the public.
Everyone agrees that a single medication error is one too many, particularly when patients experience adverse conditions or
harm. The reality, however, is that mistakes will be made, even by the most qualified and educated professionals. NPTA officials
recognize that mandatory technician education will not eliminate all errors, but we believe that it would significantly reduce
the risk.
Ultimately, when medication errors do occur, we must ask ourselves if, collectively as a profession, we have taken every possible
measure to prevent them. For most states, there is an additional measure that can be taken to ensure patient safety—required
standardized education and training of pharmacy technicians.
The investigative reports broadcast by ABC News were intended to create a buzz for the network. But, hopefully, they will
serve as a wake-up call for the pharmacy profession. Pharmacy techs are a critical part of the pharmacy team and for them
to be efficient and effective team members, standardized education is necessary.
NPTA intends to work with state pharmacy boards, employers, pharmacy associations, accrediting agencies, educators, and practitioners
to further discuss the regulation of standardized pharmacy technician training. NPTA invites you to comment on this issue
on-line at http://www.pharmacytechnician.org/.
THE AUTHOR is chairman and CEO of the National Pharmacy Technician Association.
Drug Topics archives are now available on ModernMedicine.com, a new online resource designed to meet the evolving needs of physicians.