The need to define "Care" in pharmaceutical care: An examination across research, practice and education

The purpose of this paper is to examine the concept of "care" and how it relates to pharmacy. A cross-discipline review of the literature is presented. Five areas are examined: the definition of care, care as behavior, the relationship of caring behaviors to health, the relationship of caring behaviors to outcomes, and the teaching of caring behaviors. How the prior work of other disciplines relates to the pharmacy profession is discussed. Case scenarios are included which are intended to illustrate the patients experience when caring behaviors of professionals are either absent or present. A suggested list of specific caring behaviors of pharmacists is identified which fulfill or advocate for a patient's needs. The profession is urged to adopt specific caring behaviors within the professional standards of practice and perform these routinely in patient care. Education, practice and research agendas to further the pharmacy profession with the adoption of care values and behaviors are presented.