Lemons from Lemonade
This month the CDC published the 2023 provisional data on mortality in the US. It hadn’t changed much year to year, but it has been a topic of discussion in the media since Covid-19.
I know it may be cliché to say, but the pandemic feels like yesterday and decades ago… do you feel this too?!
And it gives me reason to pause and reflect on what our lives are like today compared to pre-pandemic.
Since the pandemic, I believe there are 3 positives that affect us as healthcare providers:
- Pharmacy technician role expansion. There were barriers in place before Covid-19 that inhibited payers and providers to recognize the skillsets of pharmacy technicians. But when we needed help administering immunizations and point of care tests, we could no longer make excuses as to why they weren’t qualified. We jumped into action to properly train technicians, and I think we can all agree how their role largely benefits patient care.
- Pharmacists stepped up and were recognized. The pandemic demonstrated needed roles for the community pharmacist in a high risk urgent situation, including continuity of medication distribution and procurement, providing immunizations and clinical preventative services, and ensuring health equity in the community.
- Mental health for clinicians (and patients) is top of mind. We have more work to do here, but the stigma around mental health has drastically improved since the pandemic began. Culturally, it is now more encouraged for both clinicians and patients to seek help, and because of that, we need more mental health providers!
The list goes on, but as I reflect on the time that has passed, these positives encourage us to celebrate how far we’ve come.
What would you add to the list?
As always, have a great week and keep learning!
