Clinical pharmacy : the future necessities of the profession

Abstract EN

Clinical pharmacy is a discipline concerned with the application of pharmaceutical expertise to help maximise drug efficacy and minimise drug toxicity in individual patients.

This can only be achieved when the pharmacists function as integral members to the health care team.

A basic objective of clinical pharmacy services is to provide the right drug to the right patient at the right time.

To meet this objective, two components of clinical pharmacy practice are mandatory.

The first component is the overall management of medicines on the ward or at any part of the hospital dealing with drugs through advice on safe handling and formulary management.

The second one is the contribution to the care of the individual patient through the provision of drug information and assisting in problem solving.

Since one of the pharmacist's responsibilities in clinical practice is to attend and participate in patient's care rounds, the lack of clinical orientation will be an obstacle to their professional success.

A clinical practice requires that a major portion of $he pharmacist's time be devoted to clinical activities.

Obviously there are many significant difficulties that hinder the implementation of a successful clinical pharmacy service.

however, one can overcome these difficulties by the proper clinical pharmacy training.