ASHP Statement on the Role of Pharmacists in Primary Care

Abstract

ASHP believes that pharmacists have a role in meeting the primary care needs of patients directly and in collaboration with other healthcare providers. Primary care pharmacy practice is the provision of integrated, accessible healthcare services by pharmacists who are accountable for addressing medication needs, developing sustained partnerships with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community.1 Primary care pharmacy practice is accomplished through the provision of direct patient care and medication management services (MMS) for ambulatory patients, development of long-term relationships, coordination of care, patient advocacy, wellness and health promotion, triage and referral, and patient education and self-management. The primary care pharmacist provides primary care services in a variety of settings, including institutional, private, and community-based clinics. Primary care pharmacists help offset deficits in the primary care workforce caused by a shortage of physicians and other healthcare providers, particularly for underserved populations, by providing MMS in interdisciplinary team-based settings as well as in areas such as telehealth, population health, transitions of care, employer-based services, lifestyle medicine, accountable care organizations, and public health. Primary care pharmacists are often embedded into the primary care practice to provide MMS.