Pharmacy Informatics: Current and Future Roles for the Pharmacy Technician.

Abstract

Objective: To provide a background on pharmacy informatics and the current role of the pharmacy technician, as well as to review the different technologies that pharmacy technicians utilize in routine practice and identify opportunities for pharmacy technicians to assist pharmacists in the practice of pharmacy informatics. Data Sources: Articles were identified through searches of MEDLINE/PubMed (1946-March 2015) with the following search terms: pharmacy informatics and technician, medical informatics and technician, and technician informaticists. Additionally, informatics resources from the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists were used. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Articles that discussed the pharmacy technician's and/or other pharmacy staff's role in medical or pharmacy informatics were considered for inclusion. Data Synthesis: Several roles for the pharmacy technician were identified and reviewed in the literature and subsequently categorized based on the following identified themes: pharmacy technician informaticists, health-system pharmacy technicians, and community pharmacy technicians. Conclusions: As the field of pharmacy informatics continues to grow, pharmacy technicians will continue to play an integral role at various levels of pharmacy practice.