The Role of Pharmacies in Providing Point-of-Care Services in the Era of Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence: An Updated Review of Technologies, Regulation and Socioeconomic Considerations
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Pharmacy-based point-of-care (POC) services have evolved from pilot initiatives to an essential component of decentralized healthcare delivery. These services—ranging from rapid infectious-disease screening to chronic-disease monitoring—improve access, reduce diagnostic delays and empower pharmacists as front-line healthcare providers. The present paper is an updated, in-depth review of the evolution of pharmacy POC services worldwide, combined with the analysis of the regulatory and educational frameworks supporting implementation, technological drivers such as biosensors, mobile health and artificial intelligence and in-depth socioeconomic considerations. Benefits for patients, pharmacies and healthcare systems are contrasted with challenges including variable reimbursement, uneven regulatory oversight and workforce preparedness.