OBJECTIVE：To improve the level of pharmaceutical care，enhance the professional value and social status of pharmacists by clarifying the development process of pharmaceutical care and summarizing the value of pharmacists in pharmaceutical care. METHODS：The development process of pharmaceutical care at home and abroad（service objects，service contents and service methods）was summarized；the current situation of pharmaceutical care in China was analyzed；the value of pharmaceutical care were defined in respects of rational drug use，humanistic value and medical resources. The development of pharmaceutical care in the future was prospected. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS：The development of pharmaceutical care can be divided into three stages：“drug supply as the center”“promoting rational drug use as the center”and“patients as the center”，and the service objects，service contents and service methods in different stages are expanding and diversifying. Compared with developed countries，the overall level of pharmaceutical care in China lags behind，and there are differences in level of pharmaceutical care modes in hospitals at different levels. Pharmacists ensure the safety，effectiveness and economy of drug use through pharmaceutical care，and promote rational drug use；the compliance，quality of life and satisfaction of patients have been improved through pharmaceutical care；pharmacists participate in medical quality management to save medical and health resources through pharmaceutical care. Pharmaceutical care，as an important part of the medical and health system，plays an important and irreplaceable role in the medical process，which is suggested that the relevant government departments should fully understand the value of pharmaceutical care and further strengthen their support for pharmaceutical care；pharmaceutical staff should improve their self-cultivation and cooperate with other disciplines to achieve the sustainable development of hospital pharmacy in different regions and medical institutions.