SAFE TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION AND EXPANSION OF PHARMACIST SERVICES

To promote the use of automation and technology with the goal of enabling the pharmacy workforce to dedicate more time to patient care; further,

To affirm the essential role of the pharmacy workforce in the evaluation, implementation, and ongoing assessment of all technology that impacts the medication-use process.

Rationale

Embracing automation and technology in pharmacy practice is essential to enhancing efficiency, reducing medication errors, and allowing pharmacists to focus more on direct patient care. By integrating advanced technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and health information systems, pharmacists can shift their efforts from routine dispensing tasks to providing critical clinical services, including comprehensive medication management. However, successful implementation of these innovations requires active involvement of the pharmacy workforce in evaluating, selecting, and optimizing technology to ensure it aligns with patient safety, operational needs, and organizational priorities. The expertise of the pharmacy workforce in the medication-use process is vital for assessing the effectiveness of automation, refining workflows, and addressing potential risks —with a commitment to ensuring the safety and performance of the technology and compliance with regulatory requirements. Therefore, policies must support the adoption of technology and the leadership role of the pharmacy workforce in shaping its implementation and ongoing assessment to improve healthcare outcomes and operational workflows.