Skip to main content
Blogs
/ Celebrating National Pharmacist Day: A...
12 January 2025

Celebrating National Pharmacist Day: A Pharmacist's Perspective

Mitchel Rothholz
Media Center > Blogs > Celebrating National Pharmacist Day: A Pharmacist's Perspective

Pharmacists are proud to provide their communities with frontline healthcare. Whether it’s providing medications and counseling on their use, helping individuals choose an appropriate over-the-counter medication or administering recommended vaccines, they are an accessible healthcare resource to their communities. More and more, Americans are turning to their local pharmacists for healthcare advice and needs.

Today is National Pharmacist Day, and as a pharmacist who has focused on optimizing the patient care role of pharmacists, especially in immunizations for more than 40 years, I see this as an opportunity to share the unique roles pharmacists play and their significant contributions to improving public health.

Pharmacists are so much more than the people who fill your prescriptions. They are highly trained healthcare professionals who play an integral role on every person’s healthcare team. They conduct patient counseling and health screenings, optimize drug therapies and even prescribe medications in some practices. Many pharmacists are also actively involved in community health initiatives such as vaccination campaigns, health education programs and disease prevention efforts. Pharmacists work hand-in-hand with other members of a patient’s healthcare team to ensure they receive the best possible care.

Neighborhood Healthcare

One of the most important things pharmacists offer is accessibility. In some communities, pharmacists are a patient's first point of contact for healthcare advice and support. This easy access to a healthcare professional is crucial, especially for those in communities without access to medical care, or for people who may face other barriers to healthcare.

Convenience is key. Nearly 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a community pharmacy.¹

Care During Crises

The trust between patients and local pharmacists was especially apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. People turned to their local pharmacists for continuity of care, stability and reassurance. Pharmacies remained an accessible and reliable resource, providing essential services like ensuring patients received critical medications, even during lockdowns; playing a vital role in COVID-19 testing and vaccinations to protect communities; and offering reliable information and answering questions to help alleviate fear.

Trusted Resource on Vaccinations

Pharmacists’ role in vaccine administration has expanded drastically in recent years. In fact, a report conducted by the Global Healthy Living Foundation and IQVIA found that between 2018-2022, more routine adult vaccinations were administered in pharmacies than in non-pharmacy settings.² Pre- and post-pandemic, pharmacists have been ready, willing and able to serve individual and community vaccination and other healthcare needs, along with other members of healthcare teams.

Like other vaccine providers, pharmacists stay up-to-date on the latest recommendations so they can provide clear and consistent information, combating misinformation and building trust in vaccines. They understand that some people may have questions or hesitations about vaccines and address those concerns with patience and empathy, offering evidence-based information and creating a safe space for dialogue. Sometimes it takes more than one conversation to help someone feel comfortable making informed decisions about their health. Just because someone asks a vaccine question does not mean they are “anti-vaccine.” They are what I call a “vaccine contemplator” and need additional information to reach their comfort point to get vaccinated. I've seen this firsthand. I’ve listened to patients’ concerns, provided additional, evidence-based information, had them leave the pharmacy and come back a day or two later ready to get vaccinated—and sometimes they bring family or friends! Patients recognize pharmacists are their healthcare advocates.

Pharmacists not only provide annual vaccines like influenza and COVID-19 but can also administer a wide range of vaccines throughout the year for people of all ages, including those for shingles, pneumonia, RSV and HPV.

More than Just Filling Prescriptions

Beyond dispensing medications and administering vaccines, pharmacists contribute to public health in many ways:

Preventing illness: Pharmacists provide guidance on healthy habits, like proper handwashing, to help prevent the spread of infections.

Managing chronic conditions: Pharmacists support and educate patients with chronic conditions, helping them manage their medications, achieve therapy goals and improve their quality of life.

Ensuring access to care: Pharmacists connect patients with resources and services, especially in rural and underserved communities where access to healthcare may be limited. Many times, pharmacists serve as a referral source for their patients to needed care.

The heart of any pharmacy is its dedicated team members, who bring experience and compassion together to provide exceptional patient care. National Pharmacist Day is an opportunity to celebrate the unwavering commitment of pharmacists to improving public health and to say, “thank you.” By recognizing their contributions, we can strengthen the healthcare system and create healthier communities for everyone.

¹https://www.japha.org/article/S1544-3191(22)00233-3/fulltext
²https://www.iqvia.com/insights/the-iqvia-institute/reports-and-publications/reports/trends-in-vaccine-administration-in-the-united-states

Loading