Pharmacy Technicians Play Important Role in Drug Monitoring Programs

In a recent interview with Pharmacy Times, Kevin Borcher, PharmD, vice president of informatics at CyncHealth, said pharmacy technicians can play a vital role in patient safety and drug monitoring programs.

Drug monitoring programs vary by state, Borcher said. Whereas some states track all prescriptions, others are just beginning to track opioid prescriptions. All of this data is essential not only for proper prescribing, but for pharmacists and technicians to provide appropriate counseling to patients.

As the first point of contact at many pharmacies, technicians can often see whether a patient has been prescribed an opioid or other monitored substances. Borcher said they can then speak with pharmacists for more clinical decision making, and can help advise pharmacists when counseling or other steps, such as providing naloxone, are necessary.