US Pharm. 2006;12:1.
Whew! Thank goodness, the elections are finally over. I don't know about you, but with so many serious issues facing this country at both the state and national levels, I was very disenchanted by the mudslinging campaign strategies from candidates on both sides of the aisle. There is no question that the citizens of this country sent a clear message for change, but make no mistake about it: The Democratic Congress has a full agenda of critical issues on its plate, including the war in Iraq and health care. And while many of the issues are fairly obvious to every American, tucked away in a small corner of that Congress' very crowded plate are the not-so-obvious important issues facing pharmacy that I hope the 110th Congress will have the time and stomach to tackle.
Health care in general has been largely ignored by legislators over the past several years. It seems to me that when it comes to health care, we are paying more and getting less. Some argue that health care should not be legislated. They say it's best to let market forces and the private sector dictate its direction. It seems to me we've tried that already, and look at the mess we're in as a result. When it comes to the quality of health care in this country, it is the tail wagging the dog. Third-party organizations are controlling how physicians, pharmacists, and other health care providers get paid, by instituting restrictive formularies in the name of cost containment that are putting some patients' lives at serious risk. Others say that government has no place in regulating health care. I mean, look at the Medicare Part D debacle. I say let's find a happy medium. Legislators need to take a closer look to see what they are getting for the bucks they are spending. Health care professionals, managed care, pharmaceutical companies, and legislators need to come together to fix a system that is obviously broken.
And if Congress is going to be serious about improving the health care system in this country, it needs to pay more attention to pharmacy. The profession of pharmacy plays a crucial role in the distribution of lifesaving medications. Every time a pharmacist dispenses a prescription, it has been checked against a patient's medication profile for interactions with other drugs or foods. The pharmacist is available to offer patients essential medication therapy management to make sure the medications are being taken properly. This reduces the likelihood of an unnecessary doctor or hospital visit, thereby shrinking the overall cost of health care.
In addition to federally regulated issues that need attention, like Medicare Part D, the list of issues impacting pharmacists is impressive and must be addressed. In no particular order, they include importation of drugs and drug pedigrees, technological advances such as RFIDs and their effect on counterfeit drugs and devices, the pharmacist shortage, unnecessary delays in third-party reimbursements, drug shortages, restrictions on compounding, collaborative practice protocols, and Medicare provider status.
I hope that the new Congress will understand its responsibility in helping pharmacists and other health care professionals to do their job properly. I encourage all of you to contact your newly elected legislators now. Let them know you had a voice in putting them in office, and now it is payback time.
Harold E. Cohen, R. Ph.
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