Introduction to Clinical Pharmacy & Practice

Clinical pharmacy practice

Clinical Pharmacy is a health specialty, which describes the activities and services of the clinical pharmacist to develop and promote the rational and appropriate use of medicinal products and devices.

The practice of clinical pharmacy aims to help maximize drug efficacy, minimize drug toxicity and promote cost-effectiveness. In order to achieve this, pharmacist require to work as fully integrated members of the health care team. Both as team members and members of their own professional body, pharmacists arc accountable to patients for the services, which they provide.

Activities of a Clinical Pharmacist

The activity of a clinical pharmacist may be carried out in different areas, which may give way to different specialties,

CONSULTING: Analyzing therapies, advising health care practitioners on the appropriateness of drug therapy and providing pharmaceutical care to patients both at hospital and at community level.

DRUG SELECTION: Defining “drug formularies” or “limited lists of drugs” in collaboration with hospital doctors, general practitioners and other decision makers.

DRUG INFORMATION; Seeking information and critically evaluating scientific literature; organizing information services for both the health care practitioners and the patients.

FORMULATION AND PREPARATION OF MEDICINAL PRODUCTS AND DEVICES: According to acceptable standards to meet specific needs of patients.

DRUG USE STUDIES / PHARMACOEP1DEMIOLOGY: Analyzing prescribing patterns and drug effectiveness both in hospital and in the community.

PHARMACO VIGILANCE; Monitoring drug safety collecting and distributing information on adverse events and adverse drug reactions.            

PHARMACOECONOMICS; Compare treatment strategies in terms of their cost and their effectiveness.

PHARMACOKINET1CS/ THERAPEUTIC DRUG MONITORING: Studying the kinetics of drugs and optimizing the dosage.

CLINICAL TRIALS: Planning, evaluating and participating in clinical trials.

DISPENSING AND ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINAL PRODUCTS AND DEVICES;

Studying and developing systems for the dispensing and administration of medicinal products and devices that can guarantee a higher security in administration, a reduction of expenditure and a reduction in medication errors.

PRE- AND POST-GRADUATED TEACHING AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES; Providing training and education programs for pharmacists and other health care practitioners.

pharmaceutical care plan

Hepler and Strand, in their 1990’s article, “Opportunities and responsibilities in pharmaceutical care”, defined pharmaceutical care as the “responsible provision of drug therapy for the purpose of achieving definite outcome that improve a patient’s quality of life”