Everyone in the healthcare industry is wondering how their specialty, their job or their role will change with government healthcare reform. Pharmacists are no different.

According to a series of articles in the Los Angeles Times, pharmacists could start contributing more on the front lines of patient care by filling in healthcare gaps and providing better advice to patients. Research by the Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Services Collaborative has shown that when clinical pharmacists collaborate with physicians, they improve health outcomes.

Additionally, with pharmacists' expertise in available drugs, they can often save patients money by prescribing the most cost-effective options. The Los Angeles Times reports that in addition to providing patients with better care earlier in their treatment, pharmacists can also improve health outcomes through counseling.

Unfortunately, the article states that most consumers miss out on the opportunity to speak with the pharmacist. A recent study, referenced in the article, showed that 50 percent of patients 65 or older waive the counseling option. Pharmacists can offer patients many benefits through counseling, including improving the patient's health and saving money.

Source: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. "Pharmacists Could Play Important Role in Reform" Medical News Today. 1 December, 2009. www.medicalnewstoday.com