The role of the pharmacist has been evolving from that of a medicine dispenser and compounder to a pharmaceutical treatment manager who contributes to a patient’s overall clinical care. This evolution is embodied by the concept of “pharmaceutical care,” for which the World Health Organization and International Pharmaceutical Federation adopted the following definition: “the responsible provision of drug therapy for the purpose of achieving definite outcomes that improve or maintain a patient’s quality of life.”

Pharmaceutical care calls for all members of the health care team, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, community health workers, and the patient, to collaborate on preventing or solving medicine use problems to achieve desired health outcomes.

The SPS Program applies the concept of pharmaceutical care at both the individual and system levels in developing countries. We capacitate all health workers who provide pharmaceutical services to incorporate pharmaceutical care into their traditional activities by providing additional services, such as medicine information and counseling and treatment adherence support.

In addition, SPS helps establish systems to improve pharmaceutical care by implementing tools, such as the Electronic Dispensing Tool, which helps program managers monitor treatment adherence and HIV drug resistance indicators.