Clinical RPh scope of practice includes which of the following?

• A. Diagnosing diseases.
• B. Designing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and modifying or recommending modifications in drug therapy.
• C. Performing surgery.
• D. Billing insurance.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that clinical pharmacists focus on medication therapy management—designing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and adjusting drug therapy to optimize patient outcomes. This means choosing the right drug and dose, starting therapy when appropriate under the right supervision or agreement, watching how the patient responds (including efficacy and safety), and making or recommending changes based on evidence and patient response. That active role in managing a patient’s drug regimen is what defines clinical scope.

Diagnosing diseases is outside the pharmacist’s scope because it involves identifying diseases based on history, exam, and tests, which is typically a physician or advanced practitioner responsibility. Performing surgery is clearly a physician-only skill. Billing insurance is an administrative function, not a clinical medication-management activity. The ability to design and modify drug therapy directly captures the clinical pharmacist’s role in optimizing pharmacotherapy.