The plethora of manufactured drug products and the abundance of physicians coupled with the propensity to prescribe multiple products for various concurrent ailments present an opportunity for pharmacists in community practice. The community pharmacy can broadly be considered as community-based pharmacy. The main responsibilities of a community pharmacy include compounding, counseling and dispensing of drugs on prescription to the patients with care, accuracy and legality. Appropriate procurement, storage, dispensing and documentation of medicines are within the purview of its professional responsibilities. It is an important branch of the pharmacy profession and involves a qualified and pertinent pharmacist. Being closely in contact with general people, the community pharmacists should have the required education, skills and competence to deliver the professional service to the community.
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Pharmacists in community pharmacy practice, whether independent or chain settings, are slowly shifting their focus from the drug product to patient service. Yet the shift of attention from drug product to patient does not find its genesis solely for the satisfaction of pharmacist needs, aspiration or even in altruism. This change is an exigency for their professional survival. Without a change in focus from drug product to patient service, pharmacists, themselves will be in danger of displacement. Refocusing from drug product to patient has caused the pharmacy profession to develop newer skills and explore the diversified dimension of community pharmacy which need insight both into drug effects ( eg. understanding drug action, kinetics and interactions) and patient dynamics (i.e. learning how to communicate with and educate patients regarding drug, disease and dosage regimen).