Title 9. PHARMACEUTICAL CARE.pdf ✅

PHARMD GURU Page 1 INTRODUCTION: Health is defined as physical, mental, and social well being of an individual. Medicines are used to treat various disorders. Medicines if appropriately used will give relief to patients and cause harm to the individual's health if inappropriately used and increases the therapy related expenditures to patients and to the government. Worldwide pharmacists are offering professional services in community, hospital and clinical setting to meet the patients' pharmaceutical requirements. By virtue of their knowledge in the area of therapeutics and clinical pharmacy, pharmacists are able to identify drug related problems and provide suitable solutions to the patients and as counselors educate the patients about safe usage of their medicines, appropriate diet and life style changes to maximize the therapeutic benefit. Pharmaceutical public health has been defined as the application of the pharmaceutical knowledge, skills and resources to prevent diseases and prolong the life through promoting, protecting and improving the health of the society in an organized way. Pharmaceutical public health addresses the health related issues at societal level where as pharmaceutical care addresses the health related issues at individual level. PHARMACEUTICAL CARE: The word "Pharmaceutical Care” was first coined by Mikeal et. al. in 1975 and defined Pharmaceutical care as "the care that a given patient requires and receives which assures safe and rational drug use”. Since 1975, this definition underwent various modifications. In 1990, Duglas C Hepler and Linda M Strand gave a new definition to pharmaceutical care which is globally accepted. Hepler & Strand defined “Pharmaceutical care as the responsible provision of drug therapy for the purpose of achieving definite outcomes that improves the patient's quality of life”. This definition was considered to be more realistic, PHARMACEUTICAL CARE


PHARMD GURU Page 4 In addition, the patient must be apprised of (1) various pros and cons (i.e., cost, side effects, different monitoring aspects, etc.) of the options relative to drug therapy and (2) instances where one option may be more beneficial based on the pharmacist's professional judgment. The essential elements of the plan, including the patient's responsibilities, must be carefully and completely explained to the patient. Information should be provided to the patient at a level the patient will understand. The drug therapy plan must be documented in the patient's pharmacy record and communicated to the patient's other healthcare providers as necessary. 4) THE PHARMACIST ASSURES THAT THE PATIENT HAS ALL SUPPLIES, INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE DRUG THERAPY PLAN: The pharmacist providing Pharmaceutical Care must assume ultimate responsibility for assuring that his/her patient has been able to obtain, and is appropriately using, any drugs and related products or equipment called for in the drug therapy plan. The pharmacist must also assure that the patient has a thorough understanding of the disease and the therapy/medications prescribed in the plan. 5) THE PHARMACIST REVIEWS, MONITORS, AND MODIFIES THE THERAPEUTIC PLAN AS NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE, IN CONCERT WITH THE PATIENT AND HEALTHCARE TEAM: The pharmacist is responsible for monitoring the patient's progress in achieving the specific outcomes according to strategy developed in the drug therapy plan. The pharmacist coordinates changes in the plan with the patient and the patient's other healthcare providers as necessary and appropriate in order to maintain or enhance the safety and/or effectiveness of drug therapy and to help minimize overall healthcare costs. Patient progress is accurately documented in the pharmacy record and communicated to the patient and to the patient's other healthcare providers as appropriate. The pharmacist shares information with other healthcare providers as the setting for care changes thus helping assure continuity of care as the patient moves