Pharmacy Technicians and Mental Health Support: Optimizing Psychotropic Medication Management for Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030
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Abstract
As Saudi Arabia progresses towards the goals of Vision 2030, which emphasize the importance of improving healthcare services and promoting mental well-being, the role of pharmacy technicians in supporting mental health through optimized psychotropic medication management has become increasingly vital. This systematic review aims to explore the current state of pharmacy technicians' involvement in mental health support and identify strategies for enhancing their contributions to psychotropic medication management in alignment with Vision 2030 objectives. A comprehensive search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, was conducted to identify relevant studies published between 2010 and 2023. The search strategy employed a combination of keywords related to pharmacy technicians, mental health support, psychotropic medication management, and Saudi Arabia. A total of 24 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The findings highlight the essential roles of pharmacy technicians in supporting mental health, including medication dispensing, patient education, medication reconciliation, and collaboration with healthcare teams. Key factors influencing the optimization of pharmacy technicians' contributions include training and education, interprofessional collaboration, technology integration, and policy and regulatory support. The review also identifies challenges and barriers to pharmacy technicians' involvement in mental health support, such as limited mental health-specific training, workload pressures, and stigma. The findings of this review have significant implications for pharmacy practice, education, and policy in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the need for strategic initiatives to enhance pharmacy technicians' roles in psychotropic medication management and mental health support to achieve Vision 2030 goals.