Dr Cameil Wilsonclarke Programme, Director & Lecturer, Doctor of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Pharmacy Section, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Mona

Reflecting on the theme for the Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica (PSJ) 2020 Pharmacy Week: “Pharmaceutical Care 5.0: Creating a New Frontier”, we acknowledge the efforts of the Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica and the impact it has made in Jamaica and across the region.

For the past 5 years, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Doctor of Pharmacy Programme, has been offering the first Entry Level Doctor of Pharmacy Programme in the Caribbean region. We made history when we graduated our first eight Post Baccalaureate - Doctor of Pharmacy students on November 2, 2019. We were excited and in a celebratory mood, looking forward to experiencing future successes and achievements in the upcoming 2020. We were optimistic as the year 2020 started and could not have imagined the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In March 2020, we definitely entered a new frontier in the training of our students, using online platforms while maintaining the standard of education.

The ways in which the pandemic has changed our delivery of care has been unparalleled, to say the least. Masks are now a necessary part of how we dress and hand sanitizers our travelling companion. Increased fears of being infected with the Sars-cov-2 from our clients, family and friends, based on the magnitude of deaths that were happening globally, require the way we practice to drastically change. I commend all my colleagues for stepping forward, keeping their pharmacies open and giving service to our clients when most would have preferred to stay home in a protective environment with their families.

Pharmacists are at the frontline of the healthcare system in Jamaica with pharmacy practice being an essential service. Creating access during a pandemic and onwards will be challenging. But I believe that the PSJ and its members are up to the task and will embrace the “New Practice Frontier” that will put our clients first, allow for clear communication, improve health outcomes and take care of our clients so that the trust they have placed in us will be maintained.

So, how do we keep practicing in this pandemic that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon? Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) states that: “Pharmaceutical Care is the pharmacist’s contribution to the care of individuals in order to optimize medicines use and improve health outcomes .” Our role is to ensure adherence to therapy, provide comfort and empathy, while convincing our customers to follow the necessary health and safety protocols, staying connected with our vulnerable patients, looking out for the underserved within our communities, advising them to stay home and keeping safe while maintaining calm in the face of fear.

Pharmacy practice has to become innovative and start transitioning towards the use of available technological platforms that are available or design ones relevant to support the changing environment. We will see more personalized pharmaceutical care such as pharmacogenomics (ensuring the right drug for the right patients based on genetic make-up), online consultations with patients instead of face to face, delivery platforms as part of a centralized database system that will include a virtual space for them to shop with guided advice regarding their specific needs. The use of mobile applications paired with Customer Relationship Management software will increase personalized communication with patients and clients through the use of point-of-care devices to manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. The face of Pharmacy is changing and we need to adapt and thrive with the use of innovation.

As pharmacists, the way we practice has to reflect the ever-changing landscape of our profession through informatics as we venture into the new frontier.