A Pharmacy technician is a health care worker who performs pharmacy related functions, generally working under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist or other health professional. Pharmacy technicians work in a variety of locations, usually in community/retail and hospital pharmacies but also sometimes in long-term care facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers, third-party insurance companies, computer software companies, or in government or teaching. Job duties include dispensing prescription drugs and other medical devices to patients and instructing on their use. They may also perform administrative duties in pharmaceutical practice, such as reviewing prescription requests with doctor's offices and insurance companies to ensure correct medications are provided and payment is received. In recent times, they also speak directly with the patients on the phone to aid in the awareness of taking medications on time.
In many countries, both developed and developing, the relative importance of pharmacy technicians within the pharmacy workforce has been amplified in recent years, largely as a reaction to pharmacist shortages, resulting in an increase in their numbers and responsibilities.
Practical training, such as completing an internship in a pharmacy, is also often required as part of training for employment as a pharmacy technician.
Many employers favor pharmacy technicians to be certified with a national/local pharmacy board, such as by passing a standard exam and/or paying a fee. In the United States, voluntary certification is available through many private organizations.