The evolving role of pharmacists in healthcare: A systematic review of clinical, community, and digital health interventions

Abstract

Background: Pharmacists play an increasingly vital role in modern healthcare, extending beyond traditional dispensing duties to include direct patient care, public health initiatives, and digital health solutions. Despite this evolution, there remains a need to systematically examine the impact of these expanded roles across clinical, community, and digital health settings.
Objective: This systematic review aims to synthesize existing literature on the evolving roles of pharmacists in clinical interventions, community health initiatives, and digital health, highlighting their contributions to patient care, health outcomes, and healthcare system efficiency.
Methods: A systematic search was conducted across major databases, including PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus, covering studies from 2016 onwards. Studies were selected based on criteria such as relevance to pharmacists’ roles in clinical, community, and digital health settings. Data extraction and quality assessment followed PRISMA guidelines, with a thematic synthesis applied to analyze the findings.
Results: Thirty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria, revealing that pharmacists significantly improve health outcomes through direct patient care in clinical settings, play a crucial role in community health through public health education and disease prevention, and enhance accessibility and continuity of care through digital health interventions such as telepharmacy. The review found that pharmacists contribute to medication management, chronic disease management, immunization programs, and digital health literacy, which improve patient satisfaction and reduce healthcare costs.
Conclusion: The evolving role of pharmacists across healthcare settings has led to notable improvements in patient outcomes, healthcare accessibility, and system efficiency. Recognizing and further integrating pharmacists into healthcare teams, especially within digital and community-based models, may help address current healthcare challenges. Future research should focus on assessing the long-term impact of pharmacists’ involvement in digital health innovations and community health programs to optimize their roles in advancing public health.