Crisis at the Pharmacy Counter: Empowering Pharmacy Technicians to Lead the Charge in Preventing Medication Errors in Complex Healthcare Environments

Abstract

Medication errors in complex healthcare environments present a critical threat to patient safety, often resulting in increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Pharmacy technicians, with their expanding roles, are uniquely positioned to address these challenges through tasks such as medication reconciliation, immunization delivery, and accuracy checking. This review explores the systemic issues contributing to medication errors, highlights the transformative potential of empowering pharmacy technicians, and proposes strategies to enhance their training and integration into healthcare teams. By leveraging their expertise, healthcare systems can improve medication safety, optimize workflows, and reduce errors in high-pressure environments.
Aim of Work
To examine the role of pharmacy technicians in preventing medication errors, identify barriers to their expanded responsibilities, and propose strategies for empowering them to lead medication safety initiatives in complex healthcare systems.