Community Retail Pharmacy: An Evolving and Rewarding Career

Pharmacists today are presented with a multitude of potential career paths, from research and industry to community and hospital pharmacy. Community retail pharmacy, however, can be one of the most rewarding practice settings. If your perception of life as a community retail pharmacist is that it is simply time spent counting by 5s, nothing could be further from the truth.

Community retail pharmacy is constantly evolving and has expanded to include clinical roles in specialty pharmacy services, medication therapy management (MTM), and adult and childhood immunizations. Despite the ever-changing landscape and scope of community pharmacy, one thing remains as the ultimate focus of this practice setting: our patients. The ability to continually care for patients and their families throughout their lives is ultimately the most rewarding aspect of community pharmacy.

Kmart Pharmacy maintains that our patients—our members—form the keystone of our practice. Our pharmacists are medication experts who are readily accessible to patients for consultations regarding their prescription therapies, to offer advice and recommendations for OTC remedies, and to provide world-class service to meet the prescription needs of our patients.

Our specialty pharmacy program has expanded our horizons to enhance the care of our patients in the treatment of complex and costly medical conditions, including HIV, rheumatoid arthritis, infectious disease, and oncology. Our 24-hour specialty pharmacy team offers the tools and assistance needed to increase compliance, manage adverse effects, and facilitate insurance coverage and cost-savings opportunities.

Kmart Pharmacy has enhanced its clinical role to improve the health of our patients and assist them in better understanding and managing their disease states. Our MTM-trained

pharmacists are able to provide a superior level of care to our patients by conducting comprehensive medication reviews and collaborating with other health care providers to address and resolve complex drug therapy problems, and identify adverse reactions, untreated conditions, adherence issues, and even cost-effective alternatives. In addition, our pharmacists are trained and certified to provide immunizations to protect our patients from numerous costly, preventable diseases.

Ultimately, the focus of community retail pharmacy is the health and well-being of our patients. The clinical and professional services provided by Kmart Pharmacy help to close the gap in our health care system and improve the continuity of care for our patients. Furthermore, the relationship that develops between pharmacist and patient, and grows over the years, is most rewarding. Earning the trust and respect of patients and developing professional relationships that span a lifetime is truly fulfilling and makes our job as Kmart pharmacists sincerely satisfying. I encourage you to join this journey as we improve the health and lives of our patients, day after day, not only as health care providers, but also as friends.

Dustin Salyer, PharmD, is a pharmacy district lead at Kmart Pharmacy.