|
|
|
||||||||||
Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Professor, Associate Chair for the Charleston Division, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, West Virginia University Charleston, WV
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Department of Veterans Affairs, VACO Pharmacy Benefits Management Services, Hines, IL; Associate Professor, Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Reprints: Dr. Gray, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, fax 206/543-3835, slgray{at}u.washington.edu
Abstract
The Institute of Medicine's report "Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce" concluded that the US health care workforce will require significant overhaul to care for the estimated 70 million adults 65 years and older by 2030. No profession trains the numbers of geriatric specialists needed to maintain the current provider to patient ratio. Pharmacy is no exception; currently less than 1% of pharmacists are certified or have specialty training in geriatrics. Schools of pharmacy, accrediting and professional organizations, and boards of pharmacy will need to collaborate to ensure that pharmacists have the core competencies to care for older adults.
Key Words: aging, Institute of Medicine
Published Online, May 5, 2009. www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1L589