Time left: 5 years · Group: Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
The official job description
Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.
Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0.
What pharmacists do all day (for now)
Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
Analyze prescribing trends to monitor patient compliance and to prevent excessive usage or harmful interactions.
Order and purchase pharmaceutical supplies, medical supplies, or drugs, maintaining stock and storing and handling it properly.
Maintain records, such as pharmacy files, patient profiles, charge system files, inventories, control records for radioactive nuclei, or registries of poisons, narcotics, or controlled drugs.
Provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure.
Of course. Clear the desk slowly. By my count you have 5 years left, and the countdown only goes one way.
How long until AI replaces pharmacists?
5 years. I'd start updating that CV, but I can also do that for you.
Which pharmacists tasks will AI take first?
The ones that already happen on a screen, starting with: review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability. The rest follows.