Communication & Management Skills for the Pharmacy Technician Book

Pharmacy technicians play an important role in the management and operation of modern pharmacy practices. They need a working knowledge in areas such as customer service, protecting patients' health information, ethics, third-party payers, medication and inventory control,
managing workflow, staffing, and team building. Because they regularly interact with colleagues and patients, good communication skills are also essential. Communication & Management Skills for the Pharmacy Technician includes a wealth of practical information on the wide range of communication and management issues that arise in pharmacy settings. This book helps pharmacy technicians develop professional skills that are critical to the efficient operation of the pharmacy.
Key Features:
Practical information is presented in a clear, reader-friendly format
Activities and real-world examples reinforce concepts
Includes discussion of key pharmacy issues and suggested readings

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Patrick J. McDonnell, PharmD(Temple University School of Pharmacy)
Description:Part of the APhA Pharmacy Technician Training Series, this book focuses on enhancing skills in professional communication, applying them to the career of a pharmacy technician.
Purpose:The purpose is to provide practical information on a wide range of communication and management issues that come up in a pharmacy setting. Identification and use of these skills may help pharmacy technicians assume certain management responsibilities. The book meets these objectives with some user-friendly chapters, particularly on general communication skills.
Audience:Although written for pharmacy technicians, this book also could be useful for pharmacy students who are just starting in pharmacy practice. It is authored by a senior practicing pharmacist.
Features:Well written and user friendly general chapters cover professionalism, communication skills in general, customer service, ethics, and other topics that, in essence, could apply to almost any general business setting. More specific pharmacy and healthcare topics include ones such as medication and inventory control systems, patient confidentiality, insurance issues. The general topics are a highlight of the book, as they are applicable to many more healthcare fields. The chapters on professionalism, communication, and customer service would be useful for pharmacy students who could use them for review prior to introductory pharmacy practice experiences.
Assessment:This is a well written and easy to read book, not only for pharmacy technicians already in practice seeking advancement, but also for pharmacy students who will begin intern positions. Standards of Practice for the Pharmacy Technician, Mohr (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2010), is a comparable book that seems to be more detailed, but nonetheless, Communication and Management Skills for the Pharmacy Technician is a worthy addition for technicians seeking to improve their professional careers.