The Rise of Pharmacy to the Front Lines of Care and Innovation

Frontline healthcare workers continue to give everything they have in the fight against COVID-19. Among them are millions of incredibly skilled and dedicated pharmacists.

As critical care providers, pharmacists turned to technology when it was needed most, and actually increased their use of health IT tools during the pandemic. Their drive to innovate is unmatched. And their dedication to both patients and prescribers in creating the best possible outcomes has often been the light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

Patients’ needs will continue to grow and evolve, as will the volume and importance of the demands and responsibilities placed upon pharmacists. But those increasing demands should be for their clinical expertise—not their administrative efforts

As an industry, we must ask ourselves: Can we give pharmacists new and better ways to engage with patients? Can we make fulfillment more accurate and efficient?

Pharmacists fielded more patient questions during the past 18 months, but only one out of five felt “very prepared” for their changing role during COVID-19. And the multitude of tasks like following up on prior authorization and calling insurers and prescribers only grew more challenging as the crisis unfolded.

The next critical step for healthcare is to overcome the barriers to team-based care, including the need for increased information sharing, replacing outdated technology and revolutionizing how care teams communicate.

Surescripts is a reliable and responsible partner in addressing these challenges. We're committed to providing pharmacists with the tools and technology they need at the point of dispensing so that they can better focus on and engage with patients, dispense needed medications accurately and efficiently, and increase the rate of medications that are successfully picked up.

“You Were There at the Founding”

Pharmacists—their needs, their expertise, and their challenges—are all woven into the DNA of Surescripts, beginning with our founding 20 years ago. As we reflect on this milestone anniversary, we want to celebrate and recognize the contributions pharmacists have made across the Surescripts Network Alliance, and to healthcare overall.

Along with our deep appreciation is a challenge to ourselves to reach higher and go farther. As we carve out our role in the new era of care delivery, we will continue to foster partnerships with pharmacists and pharmacies based on our shared values. And we will continue to listen, to better understand their challenges, expand our offerings to address them, and apply our resources and expertise to the areas of their greatest need. Because together, we can do more.