With all of the concern regarding the corona virus, the flu is still affecting 19 million people in the United States. States like Florida are pushing to allow pharmacists to test and treat both the flu and strep throat. Do you think pharmacists should be able to test for, diagnose and treat these illnesses?
Seriously the first time someone has either a bad reaction or requires hospitalization as a result of a misdiagnosis and treatment by a pharmacist and is sued for malpractice, the number of pharmacists signing up to do this will drop like a stone. However, I am sure the trial lawyers are big proponents of this legislation. Just a thought.
Given that many patients with flu or strep are initially diagnosed and treated by Nurse Practitioners, pharmacists could also be trained to diagnose and treat flu or strep. However, until pharmacists receive the appropriate training (and until pharmacists update their malpractice coverage), diagnosis and treatment of flu and strep should not be done by pharmacists.
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I agree with PaulE, there could be tragic occurrences. It would be better if people do the job they studied/trained for. On a good note, President Trump is doing a fantastic job in the handling of the Wuhan virus. Let us not forget where this all began, was it to destroy our economy?
What people don’t realize is that you just can’t train someone to recognize and properly diagnose only a limited number of ailments. A surgical doctor once told me he has to be aware of all the other ailments that have similar symptoms and the possibility of multiple conditions being present, too. Proper diagnosing can be very difficult. Even nurse practitioners operate under the auspices of a physician.
Only physicians should be responsible for diagnosing. Should aircraft mechanics be allowed to direct traffic in control towers?
As long as they also do the appropriate testing, why not. I went to my family Dr thinking I had the flu and the practical nurse wouldn’t test me since I only had the symptoms for 24 hours. She told me to come back the next day. Left there and went to urgent care. Seems the rule is, find out within 48 hrs and it can be treated with antiviral drugs.
At first reading of the question, I thought of all the law suits that would take place at the first mistake by a pharmacist. And many pharmacist may not want this responsibility. However, for those willing, they should be given the opportunity and required to study this medical condition and pass rigorous examinations and get certified to diagnose and treat these conditions. Even then I would be apprehensive due to the common knowledge about how little an emergency clinic doctor knows and how often they misdiagnose.
They should be able to test only. Both groups are very busy now. Would pharmacist be required to buy malpractice insurance. Need more pa’s and np’s instead.
My father was a pharmacist. Old style and he referred to himself as a druggist. I am sure he would have been fine with this and tended to the poorer people in the neighborhood all the time.
Pharmacists are usually more knowledgeable than Mrs regarding g drug efficacy, side effectsand apprpriateness.
No, I don’t–as a pharmacy technician, I see first hand how much the pharmacists have to do–our pharmacies add inoculations to the pharmacists’ duties not too long ago–and that takes an inordinate amount of time–with prescription reviews, customer interaction and many other things, adding these new duties would be entirely too much.
Testing should be allowed by pharmacists bit not treat etc.
Years ago I was traveling in Canada and came down with pink eye. An associate of mine who had picked me up at the hotel suggested we stop by a local pharmacy to pick up medication. I was shocked yet pleasantly pleased that within 5 minutes I walked out with a prescription drug that I could use immediately. One stop shopping! No waiting for an MD and then finding a pharmacy. I wished at the time that our USA pharmacy’s could do the same! I agree with many of the comments here that lawsuit happy lawyers would kill the idea in the US, but that could be fixed through a simple wavier signed by the patient to limit the pharmacists liability.
When I was growing up in Brooklyn Doc Oakren on the corner was our emergency room. They are DOCTOR with at least as much training as the P A you see at the doctor you see now.
Add treatment for ear infections to the Pharmacist approved list. People use the ER for minor health reasons when they don’t have a PC Doctor.
No our pharmacist didn’t know which Cream I needed for poison ivy.
Why not a test only option?
With a few exceptions, most pharmacists are pill counters. Most of them do not appear to know very much about what is in the pill. Please do not have them diagnosing illnesses the pills are for.
After the last 11 1/2 years of the Obama/Biden “Navigators” screwing up America’s Healthcare System thru Obamacare.American’s have had more then enough of Government run healthcare!
Pharmacists are already hammered with their current job load. Those pharmacies that have Nurse Practitioners is a step in the right direction for diagnosing illnesses.
It must be a slow week for polls.
The letters “MD” have a specific meaning ” “Doctor of Medicine “. Unless the rules have changed, pharmacists do not go through the rigorous hands on experience of internship and residency.
I trust my pharmacist to explain how a medication is to be used and any side effects or interactions with other drugs. I trust my primary care physician to diagnose and treat.
In a related context the sorting out of specialties occurred long ago when a distinction was drawn between “Surgeons of the Long Robe”, and “Surgeons of the Short Robe”, i.e. barbers and doctors.
I have great respect for my primary care physician and my pharmacist. They are both indispensable.
I have both a pharmacy and MD degrees and I feel that the education and training are different,thus making the training from the MD standpoints better to address the issue you pose in your scenario.
The few pharmacists in our town are either too busy filling Rxs or are too inept to test for any virus. Allowing them to test for COVID-19 would be a terrible idea.
I think they should be able to test, however I am not comfortable with treatment.
My wife goes to one of the drugstores that has a nurse practitioner and I have the VA. Tell the drugstores to set them up if they don’t already have them.
I absolutely think they could lighten the load by performing the swab test for COVID-19, and then referring patients to their family/primary care provider. Pharmacists are valuable resources/consultants for all drug and drug interactions, however I do not feel they are trained to be medical providers. Their day-to-day activities actually do not include taking histories and performing medical exams, making assessments and diagnosing, that is not where their expertise is focused. If their pharmacy has a Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant on staff, then that would be an alternative to the doctor’s office. Healthcare is extremely complex, especially in dealing with people who have co-morbidities. It requires a diverse group of providers and specialists in collaboration to provide the healthcare every community needs.
my concerns would be, that while they are waiting, that they would be infecting a lot of other people
My kid is a pharmacist. You’d be surprised how many times that DRs write RX’s that would be detrimental to their patients. Here in NYC to be a pharmacist, it’s 6 years of school and board exams. They graduate with a Doctorate degree.
Physicians do not know all of the contraindications of some meds
In my opinion…not a good idea. Immediately made me picture a line of very ill people waiting to be “tested and treated” in a drug store…exposing other shoppers to their illnesses! At least in the doctors’ offices, there are practices in place to protect other patients!
Unbeknownst to us, mostly due to the total misinformation doled out by the heartless and insane media, many of the people who have died from Coronavirus had significant immune problems and/or other sicknesses and diseases. As far as letting Pharmacies become part time doctors, I am not sure about that. Is it another stepping stone for Big Pharma to use to allow pharmacists to administer their drugs? I usually treat my own sickness and seldom see a doctor. I do not trust the current medical mafia to be concerned with my health beyond sticking their hands into my pockets digging for money.
I’m sure it’s the National Associate of Chain Drug Stores that is pushing this, not pharmacists. They can make more money and put an even bigger burden on an already over worked pharmacist. I’ve practiced pharmacy for 34 years, 10 in retail pharmacy, 2.5 at Medicaid Pharmacy Services, 16 at the Bureau of Statewide Pharmaceutical Services, Central Pharmacy (ADAP) and 6 at Florida State Hospital. I’m retired now and thinking of going back. Retail pharmacy would be my last choice. It has become a sweat shop in chain drug stores.
I don’t think we will see any pharmacists performing brain surgery, heart-bypass surgery or even setting a broken bone. But I think they are MORE than capable of recognizing cold/flu symptoms, asking appropriate questions, using a thermometer, stethoscope and BP cuff in order to safely determine either the OTC or prescription meds someone might need to address a common, trivial illness. We would not be asking them, or expecting them, to be full service clinics or ER’s — just allow them to issue me a Z-Pak, or even allow them to administer Rocephin injections with a follow-up course of antibiotics if it’s my 10th day with a URI & Sinus infection. We’re not asking them to cure cancer, just be allowed to handle the common, seasonal crud that frequently turns bacterial and overloads/swamps Doc offices and ER’s.
I’m prone to URI following any seasonal sinus crud that goes around. By the time I realize it’s not going away without Rx assistance, the Doc offices are swamped and it takes another week or longer for the next earliest appointment. These are the types of cases a pharmacist should be able to address.
If it’s complicated and/or requires non-trivial testing and diagnosis, leave it for the Docs. If it’s trivial, recurring, seasonal cold/flu or infections with well known, established prescription treatments, Pharmacists are quite capable of determining the appropriate measures. We already let pharmacies administer flu shots and other vaccinations — let them use their training, knowledge and common sense too!
-TA
I think it is ok for a Pharmacist to provide some preventive care such as flu shots and other immunizations as long as the individual is not sick. However having pharmacies flooded with sick people is not a good idea. This could lead to more unsupecting contaminations.
When I was growing up we had a neighbor who was a pharmacist and he was very knowledgeable and helped out the neighborhood making many good suggestions.
Currently I have a small Town pharmacist who I trust as much as a doctor.
Its truly a shame that we have become so litigious which I suppose would hinder any progress in this respect.
NO!! After an experience with a nurse practitioner “want a be Doctor” here in FL. Just opens the door to more want a be’s, Doctors are Doctors because of education and their oath!!
Yes‼️ They are the most readily accessible healthcare professionals and are clinically trained. Most now have a Doctorate degree.
Sorry, but pharmacists do not train to be doctors first although some pharmacist go on to medical school to become doctors. Almost all pharmacy schools today only have PharmD programs which is a 6 year program but it’s not a medical degree. When I went through pharmacy school it was a 5 year bachelors degree.
Currently pharmacist are not trained medical practitioners. They do receive extensive training however doctors not only receive extensive training but must serve an internship being monitored by a medical doctor to verify they understand and recognize what they have been trained in. Currently I think there is only one state that requires pharmacists to serve an internship.
Physical Therapists and dentists also
I think certain ones could do the job the waiting at pharmacies is already too long just for what they are doing now.
I totally agree with you. My pharmacist knows the possible interactions of my meds.
Our biggest health issue,is dealing with flu and ear aches with our toddlers. We are constantly at the Dr office trying to convince the Dr what is wrong after several trips finally getting treated for what we said it was in the first visit … by then everyone in the house has it.
With specific training and certification, then yes. Today’s pharmacist are not the same as those 50 years ago.
Before there were modern physicians there were apothecaries. Diagnoses, absent specific testing, are still just educated guesses.
I roomed with Argentinian pharmacist who could prescribe medications without doctor’s intervention.
Pharmacists can do this well
I’ve never met the doctor at the practice I go to. I’m always seen by the physician assistant. She is competent and a gem. We can definitely use more PAs and NPs. It is very difficult to get an appt. There is usually a wait of around two weeks. In light of that problem, I think a pharmacist is capable of handling a strep or flu test and if positive treat. People will just need to understand that negative results will require further evaluation.
Most pharmacies that I use don’t have large seating areas so this change might overload these areas. If there was a national health emergency I would think limited treatment by pharmacists would be ok but not any other time. In addition it would bring very sick and contagious individuals in contact with otherwise healthier people. Conclusion: pharmacies are not set up to handle such situations and it would also take them away from their primary function of filling prescriptions. Do we want overworked people handling our medications?
Most of the tests are administer by nurses or other medical staff and if done correctly would make time for doctors to treat more patients once results are verified
Great idea! It’s a radical step in breaking the AMA stranglehold of the health care industry and dramatically increasing access to health care. Why stop with these items? A little extra training and they’re diagnosing and treating ear infections, skin rashes…you name it.