ABSTRACT
Pharmacy practice has changed in the United States from making drug preparations from plants found in nature to helping physicians decide which drug to prescribe and helping patients make the best use of their medication. This chapter begins with a short history of pharmacy practice in the United States. It defines pharmaceutical care and showing how it differs from clinical pharmacy. In contrast to clinical pharmacy, all pharmacists, regardless of educational degree or practice setting, could provide pharmaceutical care. Pharmacists should be accountable for the development and documentation of medication-related components, and must have oversight and responsibility for drug distribution. Pharmaceutical care no longer has to be cost justified. There is a long list of well-designed studies that show that pharmaceutical care can improve quality drug therapy and reduce drug-related morbidity and mortality. A shared care plan is a patient-centered health record designed to facilitate communication among members of the care team, including the patient and providers.
