Smart Talk: Expanded role for pharmacists?; Private water cost more in PA
What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, February 23, 2016:
It is legal for pharmacists to administer seasonal flu immunizations in all 50 states. That authorization has only occurred within the past 20 years.
With a changing healthcare landscape, pharmacists want to expand their patient care roles even more to include chronic disease management, health screenings and tests and to provide immunizations for other health conditions.
Many of those responsibilities are now only performed in a doctor’s office or under the scrutiny of a physician.
As a result, doctors have opposed expanding pharmacist roles in patient care.
Pharmacists also support federal legislation that would compensate them for the expanded services through Medicare.
We’ll learn more on Tuesday’s Smart Talk from Patricia Epple the Secretary and Treasurer of The Pennsylvania Pharmacist Association and Charles Kray the owner of Hershey CKC Pharmacy.
Charles Kray and Patricia Ebble
Also, a recent report from Washington based advocacy group found that Pennsylvanians who get their water from private-owned water utilities pay some of the highest rates in the country.
Keystone Crossroads reporter Emily Previti appears on Smart Talk to explain.
