Pharmacy

Pharmacy (from the Greek φάρμακον = drug) is the profession of compounding and dispensing medication. More recently, the term has come to include other services related to patient care including clinical practice, medication review, and drug information. Some of these new roles are now mandated by law in various legislatures. Pharmacists, therefore, are drug therapy experts and the primary health professionals who optimize medication management to produce positive health-outcomes.

Community Pharmacy

A pharmacy (commonly the chemist; or drugstore in the U.S.; or Apothecary, historically) is the place where most pharmacists practice the profession of pharmacy. It is community pharmacy where the dichotomy of the profession exists—health professionals who are also retailers.

Related Topics:
U.S. - Apothecary

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Community pharmacies usually consist of a retail storefront, with a dispensary where medications are stored and dispensed. The dispensary is subject to pharmacy legislation; with requirements for storage conditions, compulsory texts, equipment, etc., specified in legislation. Where it was once the case that pharmacists stayed within the dispensary compounded/dispensed medications; there has been an increasing trend towards the use of trained dispensary technicians while the pharmacist spends more time communicating with patients.

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There is a requirement that all pharmacies must have a pharmacist on-duty at all times it is open. In many jurisdictions it is also a requirement that the owner of a pharmacy must be a registered pharmacist. This latter requirement has been revoked in many jurisdictions, such that many retailers (including grocery stores and mass merchandisers) now include a pharmacy as department of their store.

Related Topics:
Retailer - Grocery store - Mass merchandiser

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