Dear editor

We read with great interest the article by¹ titled “Building a Hospital Pharmacist Workforce by a Diversified and Position-Oriented Learning System”. As the role of hospital pharmacists continues to evolve from primarily ensuring drug supply to providing comprehensive pharmaceutical care, the need for innovative training approaches becomes increasingly apparent. The authors present a compelling case for a position-oriented learning system that addresses the challenges faced by modern hospital pharmacies.

The shift towards patient-centered care in healthcare systems globally has necessitated a reimagining of pharmacist roles and responsibilities.² Effectively demonstrate how their learning system aligns with this transition, creating specialized positions such as clinical pharmacists, management pharmacists, and informatics pharmacists. This diversification of roles is crucial for meeting the complex demands of contemporary pharmaceutical care.¹

A particularly noteworthy aspect of the described learning system is its flexibility and adaptability. By utilizing online courses and practical tasks, the system allows pharmacists to engage in continuous learning while balancing their professional responsibilities. This approach not only enhances learning efficiency but also promotes a culture of ongoing professional development, which is essential in the rapidly evolving field of healthcare.³

The authors report significant improvements in various pharmaceutical care metrics following the implementation of their learning system. For instance, the increase in the percentage of inpatients receiving pharmaceutical care and the rise in outpatient visits to pharmacist clinics are encouraging indicators of the system’s positive impact. These outcomes align with findings from other studies that highlight the importance of comprehensive pharmaceutical care in improving patient outcomes.⁴

However, we believe there are some limitations to the study that warrant further investigation. Firstly, as acknowledged by the authors, this is a single-center experience. While the results are promising, multi-center studies would be beneficial to assess the generalizability of this learning system across different hospital settings and healthcare systems.

Secondly, the lack of participant questionnaires and interviews is a missed opportunity to gain deeper insights into the pharmacists’ experiences with the learning system. Understanding the perspectives of the learners could provide valuable information for further refining and improving the system.

Additionally, while the study demonstrates improvements in quantitative metrics, it would be interesting to explore qualitative outcomes such as job satisfaction, perceived competence, and interdisciplinary collaboration. These factors can significantly influence the long-term success and sustainability of such initiatives.⁵

Despite these limitations,¹ we have presented an innovative approach to pharmacist training that addresses many of the challenges faced by hospital pharmacies in the modern healthcare landscape. Their position-oriented learning system offers a promising model for other institutions seeking to enhance their pharmaceutical workforce and improve patient care.

We commend the authors for their contribution to this important area of healthcare education and look forward to seeing further research that builds upon these findings.