While many of the changes to our way of life from the COVID era have come and gone, thankfully a few adaptations are here to stay. Remote work has grown by more than 300% from 2019 to 2021. Although many healthcare professionals find themselves unable to care for patients virtually, new technology models are making it possible to do just that—care directly for patients from the comfort of home. Combine telehealth with the rise of mail order pharmacy, and the need for pharmacists to deliver virtual patient care is more important than ever before. Thousands are already well into the world of remote pharmacist careers and if you’re a pharmacist looking to strike better balance, create your own hours, and practice on your own terms, remote work might be for you.
What is the role of a remote pharmacist?
Remote pharmacy careers allow clinical pharmacists to use their education, experience, and skills in the way they always wanted to, without the other administrative responsibilities of on-site positions. This means that they are no longer required to manage inventory or staff, answer phones, or dispense medications. When working remotely, pharmacists can dedicate 100% of their time and effort to being the best clinician they can be for each of their patients.
What do remote clinical pharmacists do?
These pharmacists use their unique qualifications as healthcare’s medication experts to counsel patients on drug interactions, side effects, proper administration, and medication adherence. But those services are only the tip of the iceberg. Pharmacists are also well-suited to lead patient education programs to encourage routine vaccinations, healthy lifestyles, and better nutrition. The possibilities for leveraging pharmacists’ knowledge and skills are virtually endless.
Aspen RxHealth’s community of over 7,000 pharmacists delivers consultations directly to patients for programs such as medication therapy management and medication adherence, among other services aimed at optimizing medication use. In providing these services, Aspen RxHealth remote clinical pharmacists have full freedom and flexibility to make their own schedules, work as much or as little as they like, and choose which services they wish to provide.
What are the clinical benefits of a remote pharmacist?
The benefits of remote pharmacists are numerous, but as we discussed in our article, 4 Benefits of a Remote Pharmacist, there are four main benefits for patients, health plans, and pharmacists:
Detecting dangerous events before they occur
Remote pharmacists often deliver comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs) to patients. During these reviews, pharmacists discuss each medication in the patient’s regimen, explain interactions, side effects, and even correct prescription errors made by physicians. Through these proactive medication reviews, pharmacists frequently discover dangerous drug interactions or duplicative medications that could cause harm to the patient if unaddressed.
Empowering members to live healthier lives
Unlike other clinicians, pharmacists are adeptly skilled at meeting patients where they are. This skillset allows patients to empathetically collaborate with patients and empower them to take charge of their own health. In practice, this manifests through goal setting, nutrition education, and/or encouragement of routine vaccinations. Aspen RxHealth pharmacists are trained in techniques such as motivational interviewing to improve their patient interaction skills even further.
Improving levels of pharmacist fulfillment
It’s not only patients who feel the benefits of the important work done by remote pharmacists. In fact, the pharmacists themselves are experiencing myriad benefits as well! When given the opportunity to work remotely, an entirely new world of career freedom and flexibility is unlocked for pharmacists. Not only do they have more time for their patients, but they also have more time for their families, children, hobbies, and other parts of life that matter most to them.
Improved health plan performance
Across the country, models powered by remote pharmacists, such as Aspen RxHealth, are gaining steam. Health plans know that the costs to hire, train, and retain their own pharmacist teams can be prohibitively high, which is why they trust the experts from Aspen RxHealth to act as an extension of their team. With billions in Medicare dollars hanging in the balance and tied to pharmacy quality measures, health plans can’t afford not to deploy a remote pharmacist workforce as part of their quality and Star Rating strategy.
Populations best served by remote pharmacists
Seniors
Seniors covered by Medicare Advantage plans stand to benefit greatly from the services provided by remote pharmacists, with 95% of seniors having at least one chronic condition and 80% having two or more. Part and parcel with managing chronic conditions is adhering to the medications required to manage said conditions. That’s where pharmacists can lend a helping hand. By offering consultative care to seniors, pharmacists can empower them with a greater understanding of how best to use their drugs for the maximum benefit.
Patients taking specialty medications
Regardless of age, patients taking specialty medications drive a staggering amount of our nation’s pharmacy spending. In fact, the 2% of patients on specialty medications account for over half of all pharmacy costs. Specialty medications can be very expensive and complicated to take correctly. That’s why the helpful guidance of a pharmacist can be beneficial. From coaching on proper administration, to informing on side effects to beware of, pharmacists play a key role in ensuring that patients get the best possible outcomes from their specialty medications.
Anyone taking medication
While pharmacists can be instrumental in helping patients who are older or have complicated medication regimens, the truth is that anyone who takes a medication can benefit from speaking to a pharmacist. If you’ve ever wondered if a medication was safe to take on an empty stomach, or before bed vs. in the morning, you know this well. Ultimately, pharmacists’ knowledge and skillset are applicable to almost anyone across the full spectrum of health. From the healthiest to the most chronically ill patients, pharmacist insight and advice can only stand to improve health outcomes.
Top reasons to consider a remote pharmacist role
More flexibility for what matters most
When you move to a remote pharmacist role, like the ones available with Aspen RxHealth, you’ll find that you have more time to focus on the parts of your life that you didn’t have enough hours in the day for before. Does trading in commutes, impatient customers, and phones ringing off the hook for freedom and flexibility sound enticing?
Use your skills in a fulfilling way
For too long, pharmacists’ power has been underutilized, but we at Aspen RxHealth want to be the change. When you deliver remote patient consultations, you’ll put your pharmacist superpowers to work helping patients live healthier, happier lives. Not to mention, you’ll be building strong pharmacist patient relationships and growing your panel of patients for future consultations over time.
Do well by doing good
It’s a saying we live by. By delivering consultations to drive patient health, our pharmacists are doing good for patients across the country. But they’re also doing well for themselves. Aspen RxHealth pharmacists have the ability to work as much or as little as they like, and with performance-based compensation and professional development programs, they’re able to do well for themselves and their families. Unlock new financial freedom while doing the work you sought by becoming a pharmacist.
Join the nation’s largest community of remote pharmacists. If you’re ready to discover why thousands of pharmacists have already made the switch to Aspen RxHealth, you can dive in here.