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A pharmacy technician, sometimes known as a pharmaceutical technician, is a health care provider who performs pharmacy-related functions, generally working under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Pharmacy technicians work in a variety of locations (usually in community, retail, and hospital pharmacies), but can also work for long-term care facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers, third-party insurance companies, computer software companies, or in government or teaching. Job duties include dispensing prescription drugs and other medical devices to patients and instructing on their use. They may also perform administrative duties in pharmaceutical practice, such as reviewing prescription requests with doctor's offices and insurance companies to ensure correct medications are provided and payment is received. In recent times, pharmacy technicians also speak directly with the patients on the phone to aid in the awareness of taking medications on time.〔PCI Calls.("CVS.com" ), as of Oct, 2011〕〔US Bureau of Labor Statistics. ("Pharmacy Technicians and Aides" ), ''Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition'', accessed February 6, 2011.〕〔World Health Organization. ("Pharmaceutical technicians and assistants" ), ''Classifying health workers'', accessed July 12, 2011.〕〔Humber College. ("Pharmacy Technician" ), School of Health Sciences, accessed 12 July 2011.〕 In many countries, both developed and developing, the relative importance of pharmacy technicians within the pharmacy workforce has been amplified in recent years, largely as a reaction to pharmacist shortages, resulting in an increase in their numbers and responsibilities;〔Hawthorne N, Anderson C. ("The global pharmacy workforce: a systematic review of the literature." ) ''Human Resources for Health'' 2009, 7:48 〕 alternative medicine, pharmacotherapeutics, customer care, retail and hospital software systems, inventory management, and infection control.〔〔Irish Pharmacy Union. (IPU Pharmacy Technician's Course ), accessed 13 July 2011.〕 Practical training, such as completing an internship in a pharmacy, is also often required as part of training for employment as a pharmacy technician.〔〔National Health Service. (Entry requirements and training for pharmacy technicians ), ''NHS Careers in Detail'', accessed July 12, 2011.〕 Many employers favor pharmacy technicians to be certified with a national or local pharmacy board, such as by passing a standard exam and/or paying a fee. In the United States, voluntary certification is available through many private organizations.〔 Elsewhere, such as in Tanzania and the United Kingdom, pharmacy technicians are required to be registered with the national regulatory council. ==Training and practice== In the United States, there is no mandated regulatory agency governing the training of Pharmacy Technicians. Each state has a Board of Pharmacy which regulates the licensure of Pharmacy Technicians in their state.〔http://pharmtechtraining.net/state-requirements.html〕 Licensure requirements vary widely by state. Some states require training from board-approved schools, PTCB certification, on-the-job training or no requirements at all. There are two National Examinations for the certification of Pharmacy Technicians (PTCE @ www.ptcb.org) (ExCpT @ www.nhanow.com/pharmacy-technician.aspx). The PTCB, Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, has enacted a plan to require an ASHP (American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists) certified Pharmacy Technician education program by the year 2020.〔http://www.aacp.org/governance/COMMITTEES/professionalaffairs/Docs/ptcb-certification-program-changes().pdf〕 This is a hotly debated issue, as training schools have come under great scrutiny regarding the issuance of Title IV loans.〔http://therxtechexam.blogspot.com/2013/07/lawsuits-career-colleges-deceive.html〕 According to RxTechExam.com, all that is required to become a Nationally Certified Pharmacy Technician is: 1) a demonstrated ability of the material necessary to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam〔https://RxTechExam.com〕 2) you must be 18 years of age or older〔 3) you have not been disqualified from obtaining a license in your state due to a felony conviction or drug related misdemeanor.〔 In Canada, according to a 2007 profile of the pharmacy technician workforce, 43% of technicians work in hospitals and other related facilities, 37% in chain or franchise community pharmacies, and 16% in independent community pharmacies.〔Canadian Pharmacists Association. (''The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes'' ), accessed 13 July 2011.〕 Most (62%) obtained pharmacy technician training from a career college or community college, some (16%) had only a high school education and no formal pharmacy training, while about 20% had some university education. A very small proportion (2%) had trained and worked abroad as either pharmacists or pharmacy technicians. The wide range of technical training and educational attainment likely reflects in part the variety of training programs for pharmacy technicians currently available in the different provinces and territories of the country.〔 Accredited Pharmacy Technician diploma, certificate and college programs are offered in the Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan.〔Canadian-universities.net. (Pharmacy Technician College Programs and Courses in Canada ), accessed 13 July 2011.〕 908 In provinces and jurisdictions where pharmacy technician is a regulated health profession, professional liability insurance is required in order to practice.〔Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians. (Regulated Technician ), accessed 13 July 2011.〕 In Ghana, a 2009 assessment of pharmaceutical human resources identified a total of 1,637 practicing pharmacists (1 per 14,400 population), 918 practising pharmacy Technicians/Technologists (1 per 25,600), and 1,642 medicine counter assistants (1 per 14,300). Nearly half (45%) of pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufacturers across the country reported having one or more vacancies for pharmaceutical personnel, including 82% of public sector facilities.〔Ghana Pharmacy Council, Ghana Ministry of Health, and World Health Organization. (''Assessment of Human Resources for Pharmaceutical Services in Ghana'' ), Accra, 2009. Accessed 13 July 2011.〕 In the area of training, the assessment identified only one pharmacy technologists training school in the country (enrolling 70 students in the Higher National Diploma program).〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Pharmacy technician」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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