Pharmacy Technician Day: Recognizing the Pillar of Patient Care
Although they deserve a whole month, Tuesday, October 15 has been designated “Pharmacy Technician Day.” It’s a day to reflect on technicians’ integral role in today’s pharmacies and in delivering optimal patient care.
So, with just a single day to celebrate these hardworking individuals, let’s highlight all they do.
The Role of Pharmacy Technicians
The face of the pharmacy
Pharmacy technicians are often the person behind the counter when patients arrive to drop off a prescription or pick up a medication. Technicians are literally on the front lines and exhibit excellent communication skills, and a high degree of compassion and understanding.
They wear many hats, sometimes all at the same time!
The National Pharmacy Technician Association provides an overview of key technician responsibilities that include:
- Pharmacist/patient liaison.
- Medication preparation and distribution.
- Prescription intake.
- Prior Authorization and billing claims management.
- Point-of-care test and services administration.
- Regulatory compliance.
- Inventory management.
- Patient records management.
- Audit responses.
They are immunizers
Technicians nationwide are authorized through December 2024 to administer COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccines to patients 3 years of age and older. That authorization was included in the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, enacted to facilitate public health access during the pandemic. When the nationwide authorization expires, technicians will be subject to state law. According to Pharmacy Times, more than 50% of U.S. states allow technicians to administer vaccines, and technicians have administered “hundreds of thousands, (if not millions) of vaccines to patients.”
Unsung heroes of the pharmacy
Stories abound of pharmacy technicians who regularly go “above and beyond” to deliver patient care. This includes everything from personal deliveries of medications to handholding, to follow-up phone calls. Technicians work long hours but make time to ensure patients have the care they need.
They are experienced, and enjoy their positions
The 2022 Pharmacy Technician Workforce Survey, conducted by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board found a highly educated and motivated workforce with results that include:
- Satisfaction with their role – 84%.
- Is a certified technician – 84%.
- Has some form of higher education – 81%.
- Has 5 or more years of tech experience – 67%.
They are also in short supply
As pharmacists are keenly aware, the nation is experiencing a serious technician shortage. In 2022 the National Community Pharmacists Association found 76 percent of community pharmacists said they had experienced staffing shortages in the previous six months, “with almost 90 percent reporting difficulty filling positions for pharmacy technicians.”
Clearly, there’s a lot to celebrate as we commemorate the nation’s pharmacy technicians. And while Pharmacy Technician Day may officially fall on October 15, these individuals are worthy of our thanks every day of the year.
Celebrating Pharmacy Technician Day with PrimeRx
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