Now, a days the role of pharmacist has been changed from compounder and supplier of drugs towards that of a provider of services and information. Pharmaceutical patient care is the responsible provision of drug therapy for achieving definite therapeutic outcomes that improve the patient’s quality of life. The outcomes include cure of a disease, elimination or reduction of a disease associated symptoms, preventing a disease or slowing of a disease process. Pharmaceutical patient care directly benefit’s the patient and the pharmacist is responsible directly to the patient for the quality of that care. The most important task of pharmacist in pharmaceutical patient care is to ensure that the drug therapy is appropriately indicated in the most effective and safest way. This new approach has been called pharmaceutical care which is the responsible provision of drug therapy for the purpose of achieving definite outcomes that improves patient’s quality of life. Pharmacist use a patient centered approach to optimize patient health and medication outcomes.
VITAL ROLE OF PHARMACIST IN PHARMACEUTICAL CARE
Pharmacist establish a relationship with patient that supports involvement and effective communication with patients, their families and care takers. Pharmacists collect, document and communicate with physicians, other pharmacist and health professionals for safe, effective and coordinated care.
PHARMACEUTICAL PATIENT CARE PROCESS
• Collect:- Pharmacist collect the necessary subjectyive and objective information about the patient to understand their medical history and clinical status.
• Assess: Information collected is assessed by pharmacist which analyses the clinical effects of patient’s therapy in order to identify the problems and achieve optimal care.
• Plan: Pharmacist prepare an individualized patient centered care plan in association with other health care professionals and the patient that is cost effective and evidence based.
• Implement: Pharmacist implement the care plan in association with other health care professionals and patient. During this the pharmacist addresses medication and health related problems.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Pharmacist monitor and evaluates the effectiveness of the care plan and modify the plan if required.
CONCLUSION: Pharmacists are essential members of the health care team. The aim of high quality, cost effective and improved health care for patient is achieved only through team based patient centered care. As the pharmacist have the unique training and experience in appropriate use of medication and provide a wide range of patient care services in many different practice settings. Patient health can be improved by providing patient care services by pharmacists.
