Physical Examinations by Pharmacists: Practising the Right Thing Makes Perfect

Abstract

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Pharmacists Becoming Physicians: For Better or Worse?

“…Pharmacists can improve public perception by publications and word of mouth, especially from physician–pharmacists. For example, I suggested modifications of pharmacy training to improve their physical examination skills [ 9 ]. Since becoming a physician, I still actively contribute to pharmacology research and have published the findings in medical journals [ 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”

The case for independent pharmacist prescribing

“…Additionally, it uses our ability to incorporate physical assessment into our monitoring of heart failure pharmacotherapy, which is also to Yeung’s objection. 5 Like prescribing, physical assessment is not just the providence of physicians and is performed to some extent by all health care providers. Pharmacists are perfectly capable of performing physical assessment, and one could further argue that we would be remiss not to use it in our clinical assessment of drug therapy.…”

“…Interestingly, the respondents to Yeung’s qualitative study of 2 pharmacists-turned-physicians stated that “the limitations of pharmacists’ scope of practice [were the] main reasons to pursue a medical career,” 6 yet he has become a vocal critic of an expanded scope of pharmacy practice. 5,7 We remain open to engaging in constructive dialogue regarding the advancement of pharmacists’ scope of practice in the interest of patient care. There is no place for contemptuous inference that pharmacist prescribing will result in fringe practice.…”

There should only be one most responsible provider

“…7 I am surprised to hear that the proposal of pharmacists’ “full scope of practice” does not mention physical examination, 2 despite various pharmacists expressing the need for this training in pharmacy education. 8-11 How then would pharmacists clinically monitor patients’ therapies? They would likely rely solely on laboratory tests.…”