'Test and treat' not a good model for pharmacists

Pharmacists and technicians are protesting across the country against unreasonable work expectations, while corporate interests are pushing for already overworked and understaffed pharmacists to do more.

The physicians of Illinois are particularly concerned with the lobbying for a new business model, "test and treat," that would grant pharmacists the authority to diagnose, prescribe for, and treat a broad range of potentially serious health conditions without the requisite training and education.

One-off visits with a pharmacist do not provide an opportunity to offer follow-up care, nor do they begin to approximate the critical relationships patients have with their highly trained primary care professionals and other physician specialists who treat chronic conditions, a key feature of which is having access to patients' records to develop an appropriate treatment plan. Equally important, many "test to treat" models fail to provide safe spaces that protect patient privacy.

The added pressure being placed on our pharmacy teams could have dire consequences. Pharmacists have said they are more liable to make prescription errors and there are not adequate safety protections to serve their customers when they are juggling too many tasks.

Pharmacists and technicians should be allowed to focus on their primary responsibilities of making sure people get their accurate medications and are properly counseled on them when needed. They are vital members of our healthcare team and are essential to the well-being and overall health of patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they played a crucial role in speedy distribution of our nation's vaccine supply, and we thank them for their service. However, we oppose this continued push by the national pharmacy retail chains that seek to prioritize profit over proper patient care.

Rodney S. Alford, President

Illinois State Medical Society