Advocacy Leader in Pharmacy Lars-Åke Söderlund, Part 1: ‘I want community pharmacy to be perceived as a positive force in our society.’

SnapshotEducation: Pharm. D. and Exec MBAOccupation: Vice President, FIPCountry: SwedenDescribe your journey into the field of pharmacy and what inspired you to take on a leadership role in advocacy.When I graduated I said to myself: -“I want community pharmacy to be perceived as a positive force in our society.” And this has ever since then been my motto. I think the pharmacy profession chose me as much as I chose to be a pharmacist. As I have always been interested in healthcare and patients, I think I also – as a young pharmacist – saw where and how pharmacy could make a difference for our healthcare systems, and in peoples’ lives. It is cliché, but I love being a pharmacist because of the impact that I can play in my patients’ lives. I have been blessed to work in community pharmacy chain in Sweden – Apoteket – where I have been given the opportunity to become so much more than just a pharmacist, to develop the profession and our clinical services, to engage with our healthcare system, to advocate for our profession, to develop strong and fruitful relationships with patient organizations, to work abroad in many countries, to speak at World Expos about a sustainable healthcare system with support from pharmacy, to engage and work with FIP and so much more, and in so many different leadership roles. A true and fantastic journey within the pharmacy profession. What a privilege!I think it would be difficult to find a different profession that garners the immediate respect from the community that a healthcare profession offers. However, community pharmacy is unique among healthcare professions as our accessibility naturally allows us the opportunity to do more than just counsel on the proper use of an OTC medicine, or a prescription medicine for high blood pressure. It allows us to do the rest of our job so much more effectively. We are the frontline of health care and that is a responsibility that I take very seriously. Our interactions with patients can truly change and save lives.I can sum up my love of being a pharmacist in one word really: opportunity. My work has given me so many opportunities. I am not just talking about the financial or career path opportunities. I am talking about the social, cultural, educational, and enriching opportunities that can otherwise be easy to miss in everyday life. Every patient and consumer is unique, every meeting is unique. I have since the early days in my career been fortunate enough to work with a multidisciplinary team – in the heart of my community – that did teach me something new each day. Pharmacists are a trusted link between patients and their doctors. This position affords us a unique perspective into many facets of healthcare. I, literally, have learned something new every day and I am so appreciative of that.I have been working with patients from any background imaginable, which did allow me, and forced me, to learn and practise cultural sensitivity. The population is becoming more and more diverse. Healthcare needs to adapt to this by embracing and responding to differences in patients’ expectations based on their culture. As a pharmacist, I have always been in the perfect position to strengthen the healthcare message by tailoring my recommendations to patients, by advocating for the patients, I actually advocated for pharmacy.I also have had to make decisions in my work each day that had a real impact on patients’ lives. I evaluated drug interactions to avoid patient harm. Sometimes the patients were aware and thanked me, sometimes they were not and don’t, but it is always a satisfying feeling when I could have an impact.The extraordinary thing, all of this is just the tip of the iceberg. Today I am an officer at a global pharmacy organization – the International Pharmaceutical Federation – where I get to have all experiences within science, education, workforce development and pharmacy practice every day, and where I can only imagine what I could learn ‘tomorrow’. There is so much more out there to explore, and as a pharmacist, I will always have that opportunity.What are some of the most significant challenges you have faced in your advocacy efforts, and how have you overcome them?I think that pharmacists, as integral members of the healthcare system, face a myriad of challenges in their advocacy efforts. One significant challenge is the lack of recognition of their role as healthcare providers. Despite our extensive knowledge and accessibility, pharmacists are often seen merely as dispensers of medication rather than as vital contributors to patient care. To overcome this, I have always tried to engage actively in educating both the public and other healthcare professionals about our capabilities – this has been a lifelong mission. And also a fruitful mission! I have been engaged in community outreach programs, participation in health fairs, healthcare and political events – and also – since graduation collaborated with other healthcare providers to demonstrate the value of our expertise in managing chronic diseases, medication therapy management, and preventive care.Another challenge is navigating the complex and ever-changing healthcare regulations. Pharmacists must stay abreast of the latest legal and policy changes that affect our practice. This requires continuous professional development and involvement in professional organizations that advocate for the profession. By participating in these organizations, I have had the opportunity to stay informed, influence policy changes, and advocate for legislation that supports the pharmacists’ role in patient care. In reality – it’s all about relations!Pharmacists also face barriers related to reimbursement for our services. Many insurance plans, or national health systems, do not adequately cover the clinical services provided by pharmacists, limiting our ability to offer comprehensive care. Advocacy efforts must focus on demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist-led interventions and lobbying for changes in reimbursement policies. For me, this was about collecting and presenting data on the positive outcomes associated with pharmacist interventions, such as improved medication adherence and reduced hospital readmissions. And this means tailor the message depending on who you are speaking to.Additionally, pharmacists often encounter challenges in integrating into interdisciplinary healthcare teams. To overcome this, I focused a lot on developing strong communication and collaboration skills, ensuring that we can effectively work alongside physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers. Building these relationships can be facilitated by seeking opportunities for interprofessional education and joint practice initiatives.Lastly, time constraints and workload pressures can hinder pharmacists' advocacy efforts. Balancing clinical responsibilities with advocacy activities requires effective time management and prioritization skills. As such, one of my key interest areas was to leverage technology to streamline routine tasks and create more time for advocacy work. Furthermore, we can delegate responsibilities and foster a team-based approach within our practice to ensure that advocacy efforts are sustained. In this perspective I have always said: “Together we are stronger.”In summary, while pharmacists face significant challenges in our advocacy efforts, I strongly believe, based on my personal experience, these can be overcome through education, professional development, strategic collaboration, policy advocacy, and effective time management. By addressing these barriers, pharmacists can enhance our role in healthcare, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and recognition of their critical contributions to the health system.How do you envision the future of pharmacy practice, and what role do you see advocacy playing in shaping that future?As I reflect over my career in pharmacy, I have worked alongside many inspiring colleagues from all over the world – and I feel lucky to directly help people in my community on a daily basis. I envision the future of pharmacy practice as one where pharmacists are fully integrated into the healthcare team, recognized not only for their expertise in medication management but also as essential providers of patient-centred care. In this future, pharmacists will play a pivotal role in managing chronic diseases, providing preventive care, and improving overall patient outcomes through comprehensive medication therapy management. They will work closely with other healthcare professionals to ensure a holistic approach to patient care, leveraging their unique skills and knowledge to optimize treatment regimens and enhance patient safety.Advocacy will be instrumental in shaping this future. By championing the expanded role of pharmacists, advocacy efforts can drive legislative and regulatory changes that recognize pharmacists as healthcare providers. Such recognition is crucial for integrating pharmacists more fully into the healthcare system and for enabling them to practice at the top of their license.Furthermore, advocacy will help address barriers to access, ensuring that patients in underserved and rural areas can benefit from pharmacist-led care. This involves lobbying for policies that support telepharmacy and other innovative care delivery models, which became particularly vital during the COVID-19 pandemic and are likely to remain important in the future.Education and public awareness campaigns, key components of advocacy, will also play a significant role. By informing the public, healthcare professionals, and policymakers about the critical contributions of pharmacists, advocacy can help shift perceptions and increase support for expanded pharmacy services. Highlighting success stories and data-driven evidence of the positive impact of pharmacists can further bolster these efforts.In addition, advocacy can foster interprofessional collaboration by promoting policies and practices that encourage teamwork across healthcare disciplines. This can lead to more cohesive and effective patient care, where the expertise of each team member is utilized to its fullest potential.Lastly, advocacy will continue to push for advancements in pharmacy education and training, ensuring that future pharmacists are well-equipped to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare system. This includes advocating for curricula that emphasize clinical skills, interprofessional collaboration, and the use of technology in patient care.In summary, the future of pharmacy practice is one of greater integration, recognition, and impact on patient care. Advocacy will be the driving force behind this transformation, shaping policies, increasing awareness, and fostering collaboration to ensure that pharmacists can fully realize their potential as essential healthcare providers. In whatever ‘new normal’ emerges – whether it includes interacting digitally or harnessing emerging technologies to innovate – it’s important to ensure that the workforce has the right skills and a willingness to embrace change. I do see a very positive future for community pharmacy!Can you share a success story where your advocacy efforts led to a tangible improvement in pharmacy practice?I have been fortunate to already in 1991 be part of the development of “Good Pharmacy Practice” as a concept in Sweden – which later was adopted as FIP’s Good Pharmacy Practice model. In 1991 I spoke about GPP in Mexico, USA and Canada. I was one of the very first persons in Sweden to work with the Pharmaceutical Care concept. In 2002 I was part of a working group implementing e-prescriptions all over Sweden, and I have been fortunate to together with my colleagues develop a number of clinical services for community- and hospital pharmacy. A fantastic opportunity was to advocate for our patients and the right to have a Medicines Utilization Review (MUR) by pharmacists – collaborating with the main organizations for retired people, resulted in a new law in 2012, giving patients the right to a MUR. This was part of the National Swedish Project “Check My Medicines,” where we have been able to improve medical therapy for hundreds of thousands of elderly in Sweden (something I am extremely proud of as it significantly reduced the number of inappropriate medications for elderly, improved health literacy and improved the therapeutic outcomes, as well as reducing hospital readmissions) – just to mention a few. This project has been transformed into a long-lasting collaboration, where we together advocate for our patients in different areas. And still, after 16 years this collaboration is making a huge impact in Swedish healthcare, benefitting our patients.Sherif Guorgui - FIP-Community Pharmacy Section | LinkedIn

Advocacy Leader in Pharmacy Lars-Åke Söderlund, Part 1: ‘I want community pharmacy to be perceived as a positive force in our society.’

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