While there’s no doubt that diabetes patients need a doctor’s care, they also directly benefit from a having a team approach. Pharmacists, with their accessibility and medication expertise, can play a vital role in treating diabetes and making life easier for the sufferer. There are more diabetes cases than ever before and with costs on the rise there is a need to deliver more cost-effective and worthwhile diabetes management and support through existing healthcare resources.
A recent study found that pharmacists make a very positive contribution to the treatment of patients who have Type 2 diabetes. The authors based their study on 17 articles that evaluated interventions delivered by a pharmacist either alone or as part of a team, in order to treat diabetes.
While the researchers found that pharmacists help produce improvements in controlling the blood sugar level, their study suggested that pharmaceutical care for Type 2 diabetes can have a positive impact on health-related quality of life. The research actually suggests that pharmacists have a greater effect on mental rather than physical health.
Prescription medicine is only a small aspect of what a pharmacist can provide. They can be spoken to about complex medical problems without having to make an appointment and they can often give excellent insight into health problems and offer suggestions to help.
Through regular and less formal contact than that with doctors, pharmacists are able to build important relationships with patients and become a reliable source of information. Pharmacists in both the community and clinics can also have on-going relationships with other health care professionals and bridge the gap between health care providers and the patients.
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