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- Page navigation anchor for Explaining the role of pharmacists in multidisciplinary careExplaining the role of pharmacists in multidisciplinary careI would like to address the author’s concern about multidisciplinary care.1 As stated, his article is not meant to be disparaging towards pharmacists. However, the message delivered is potentially misleading, as it suggests delegating jobs to other professionals could cause patients harm. I would like to clarify the role of pharmacists because it is often misunderstood.Community pharmacists are here to make an initial assessment and care plan rather than an official diagnosis. If patients return with unresolved symptoms, pharmacists would suggest the patients to see their doctors. Once doctors establish the diagnosis and management plan, pharmacists monitor patients’ therapies in the community, and report drug-therapy problems to doctors. It appears that the author is not satisfied with pharmacists’ diagnosis of dark stool. However, making a diagnosis of gastric ulcer probably requires full abdominal examination, digital rectal examination, and endoscopy, which are beyond the scope of practice of many pharmacists.Anybody is prone to make the wrong initial assessment, since making the right diagnosis requires a lot of clinical experience that aids pattern recognition.2 Making the right diagnosis also depends on the amount of time spent with patients and choice of investigations ordered. One of pharmacists’ roles is to identify symptoms possibly caused by drugs, an...Show MoreCompeting Interests: I have received salaries from working as a medical doctor and a pharmacist, but neither of them pays me to write this article.