2016 Pharmacist Workforce Fact Sheet

Abstract

More than half of all Americans used prescription drugs between 2011 and 2012. In order to obtain these prescriptions, they likely interacted with a pharmacist. As health care providers, pharmacists’ primary responsibilities include dispensing and managing medications and educating patients on medication use. In addition to traditional responsibilities, pharmacists are also taking on new roles delivering patient services in various health care settings as a part of care teams. As the pharmacy profession evolves, policymakers, educators, and health administrators will need to have a good understanding of the workforce to inform effective policy development and implementation.