• Title/Summary/Keyword: Clinical pharmacist

Search Result 127, Processing Time 0.024 seconds

The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Changes of Pharmacists' Roles in the Future (제4차 산업혁명과 미래 약사 직능의 변화)

  • Kim, Yookyeong;Yoon, Jeong-Hyun
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
    • /
    • v.30 no.4
    • /
    • pp.217-225
    • /
    • 2020
  • The fourth industrial revolution, with its characteristics of "hyper-connectivity", "hyper-intelligence" and "automation", is a hot topic worldwide. It will fundamentally change industry, economy, and business models through technological innovations, such as big data, cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and 3D printing. In particular, the development of highly advanced information technology (IT) and AI is expected to replace human roles, thereby changing employment and occupation prospects in the future. Based on this, some predict that the profession of the pharmacist will soon disappear. To counter this, pharmacists' attention and efforts are required to seek innovative transformations in their functions by responding sensitively and promptly to changes of the fourth industrial revolution. It is also necessary to recognize the new roles of pharmacists and to develop the competencies to perform them. The fourth industrial revolution is an inevitable change of the times. At this time, we should take comprehensive and open perspectives on how the future society will change economically, culturally, and socially, and use it as an opportunity to shape the new future of pharmacists.

Continuing Professional Development of Pharmacists and The Roles of Pharmacy Schools (약사의 전문직업성개발과 약학대학의 역할)

  • Hyemin Park;Jeong-Hyun Yoon
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
    • /
    • v.32 no.4
    • /
    • pp.281-287
    • /
    • 2022
  • Pharmacists should maintain professional competencies to provide optimal pharmaceutical care services to patients, which can be achieved through continued commitment to lifelong learning. Traditionally continuing education (CE) has been widely used as a way of lifelong learning for many healthcare professionals. It, however, has several limitations. CE is delivered in the form of instructor-led education focused on multiple learners. Learning is passive and reactive for participants, so it sometimes does not lead to bringing behavioral changes in workplace performance. Therefore, recently the concept of lifelong learning tends to move from CE toward continuing professional development (CPD). CPD is an ongoing process that improves knowledge, skills, and competencies throughout a professional's career. It is a more comprehensive structured approach toward the enhancement of personal competencies. It emphasizes an individual's learning needs and goals and enables learning to become proactive, conscious, and self-directed. CPD consists of four stages: reflect, plan, learn, and evaluate. CE is one component of CPD. Each stage is recorded in a CPD portfolio. There are many practical difficulties in implementing the complete CPD system for lifelong learning of pharmacists in many countries including Korea. Applying a hybrid form that utilizes CPD and CE together, as in the case of some countries, could be an alternative. Furthermore, in undergraduate pharmacy education, it is necessary to teach students about CPD and train them on how to perform CPD as a pharmacist.

Virtual Global Collaboration to Advocate Students for Pharmacy Immunizations during Coronavirus Disease-19 (약학대학생대상 코로나바이러스감염증-19 예방접종 약료활동 교육계몽을 위한 국제협력)

  • Sandy Jeong Rhie;Hoai-An Truong;See-Won Seo
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
    • /
    • v.33 no.2
    • /
    • pp.81-85
    • /
    • 2023
  • Background: It was to describe collaborative educational efforts under Coronavirus disease 2019 period to advocate pharmacy-based immunization delivery and meet unmet needs of partnership institution using virtual learning platforms. Methods: A partnership was established among three pharmacy schools from two countries. The class content included the history of pharmacy immunization, pharmacists' roles and contribution to public health of the USA. The class also reviewed the value of pharmacists as frontline healthcare workers to foster student insights and the scope of pharmacy. The virtual class featured an interactive video simulation and small breakroom discussion besides a lecture. Results: Participants indicated that public accessibility to pharmacy and six-year education system in South Korea as advantages. However, legislative restrictions, pharmacist burden, and interprofessional disagreements were expressed as barriers to introduce the pharmacist immunization. Conclusion: A virtual learning platform was used to advocate for pharmacy-based immunization and fulfilled an unmet educational gap at a partnership institution.

Cost Avoidance and Clinical Pharmacist Interventions on Hospitalized Patients in Hematologic malignancies (혈액종양 입원 환자 대상 임상약사의 처방중재활동 및 회피비용 분석)

  • Kim, Ye Seul;Hong, So Yeon;Kim, Yoon Hee;Choi, Kyung Suk;Lee, Jeong Hwa;Lee, Ju-Yeun;Lee, Euni
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
    • /
    • v.32 no.3
    • /
    • pp.215-225
    • /
    • 2022
  • Background: Patients with hematologic cancers have a risk of drug-related problems (DRPs) from medications associated with chemotherapy and supportive care. Although the role of oncology pharmacists has been widely documented in the literature, few studies have reported its impact on cost reduction. This study aimed to describe the activities of oncology pharmacists with respect to hematologic diseases and evaluate the associated cost avoidance. Methods: From January to July 2021, patients admitted to the department of hemato-oncology at Seoul National University, Bundang Hospital were studied. The activities of oncology pharmacists were reported by DRP type following the Pharmaceutical Care Network version 9.1 guidelines, and the acceptance rate was calculated. The avoided cost was estimated based on the cost of the pharmacy intervention, pharmacist manpower, and prescriptions associated with the intervention. Results: Pharmacists intervened in 584 prescriptions from 208 patients during the study period. The most prevalent DRP was "adverse drug event (possibly) occurring" (32.4%), followed by "effect of drug treatment not optimal" (28.6%). "Drug selection" (42.5%) and "dose selection" (30.3%) were the most common causes of DRPs. The acceptance rate of the interventions was 97.1%. The total avoidance cost was KRW 149,468,321; the net profit of the avoidance cost, excluding labor costs, was KRW 121,051,690; and the estimated cost saving was KRW 37,223,748. Conclusion: Oncology pharmacists identified and resolved various types of DRPs from prescriptions for patients with hematologic disease, by reviewing the prescriptions. Their clinical service contributed to enhanced patient safety and the avoidance of associated costs.

Initiation of Pharmaceutical Care Service in Medical Intensive Care Unit with Drug Interaction Monitoring Program (내과계 중환자실 약료 서비스 도입과 약물상호작용 모니터링)

  • Choi, Jae Hee;Choi, Kyung Sook;Lee, Kwang Seup;Rhie, Sandy Jeong
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
    • /
    • v.25 no.3
    • /
    • pp.138-144
    • /
    • 2015
  • Objective: It is to evaluate the drug interaction monitoring program as a pilot project to develop a pharmaceutical care model in a medical intensive care unit and to analyze the influencing factors of drug interactions. Method: Electronic medical records were retrospectively investigated for 116 patients who had been hospitalized in a medical intensive care unit from October to December in 2014. The prevalence of adverse reaction with risk rating higher than 'D' was investigated by Lexi-$Comp^{(R)}$ Online database. The factors related with potential drug interaction and with treatment outcomes were analyzed. Results: The number of patients with a potential interaction of drug combination was 92 (79.3%). Average ages, the length of stay in the intensive care unit and the numbers of prescription drugs showed significant differences between drug interaction group and non-drug interaction group. Opioids (14.4%), antibiotics (7.2%), and diuretics (7.2%) were most responsible drug classes for drug interactions and the individual medications included furosemide (6.4%), tramadol (4.9%), and remifentanil (4.5%). There were 950 cases with a risk rating of 'C' (84.6%), 142 cases with a risk rating of 'D' (12.6%), and 31 cases with a risk rating of 'X' (avoid combination) (2.8%). The factors affecting drug interactions were the number of drugs prescribed (p < 0.0001) and the length of stay at intensive care unit (p < 0.01). The patients in intensive care unit showed a high incidence of adverse reactions related to potential drug interaction. Therefore, drug interaction monitoring program as a one of pharmaceutical care services was successfully piloted and it showed to prevent adverse reaction and to improve therapeutic outcomes. Conclusion: Active participation of a pharmacist in the drug management at the intensive care unit should be considered.

Guideline of Improvement and Evaluation of Prescribing Errors in Colorectal Chemotherapy (대장암 항암 화학요법의 처방 오류 평가 및 개선안 제시)

  • Lim, Hyun-Soo;Lim, Sung Cil
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
    • /
    • v.23 no.2
    • /
    • pp.158-166
    • /
    • 2013
  • Background: Colorectal cancer shows a significant increase in South Korea due to westernization of diet, lack of dietary fiber, drinking and smoking, irregular defecation. There are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy in treatment of colorectal cancer. There may be a medication errors in the process of chemotherapy because of its high toxicity, narrow therapeutic index and the health status of cancer patients. Consequently medication errors can cause increasing the risk of death, prolonging hospital stay and increasing the cost. Among medication errors on medication use process, prescribing errors are of particular concern due to higher risk of serious consequences. It is important for pharmacist to prevent the prescribing errors before reaching patient. Therefore we analyzed the prescriptions of colorectal cancer, classified prescribing errors, suggested guideline to reduce prescribing errors and verified the importance of pharmacist's role in prevention of medication errors activity. Methods: We collected the numbers of prescriptions of colorectal cancer(n=2,373) through anti cancer management program and EMR and analyzed the errors of prescriptions by categories from Oct 1st 2011 to Sep 30th 2012 at Chungbuk National University Hospital. We reviewed the prescriptions as follows - patients' characteristics, the result of test, previous prescriptions, characteristics of antineoplastic agents and patients' allergy, drug sensitivity, adverse events. Prescriptions are classified into inpatient and outpatient and analyzed the errors of prescriptions by categories (dosage form, dose, input, diluents, regimen, product). Results: Total prescription number of inpatient and outpatient of colorectal cancer was 1,193 and 1,180 and that of errors was 107(9%) and 22(1.9%), respectively. In case of errors of categories, the number of errors of dosage form is 69 and 8, errors of dose is 15 and 5, errors of input is 9 and 9 in inpatient and outpatient prescriptions, respectively. Errors of diluents is 8, errors of regimen is 3, errors of product is 3 in only inpatient prescriptions. In case of errors of categories by inpatient department, the number of errors of dosage form is 34 and 35, errors of dose is 7 and 8, errors of input is 6 and 3, errors of diluents is 4 and 4, errors of regimen is 2 and 1, errors of product is 2 and 1 in SG and HO, respectively. In case of outpatient department, the number of errors of dosage form is 8 in HO, errors of dose is 5 in HO, errors of input is 5 and 4 in SG and HO, respectively. Conclusions: The rate of errors of inpatient is higher than that of outpatient. Junior doctors are engaged in prescriptions of inpatient and pharmacist need to pay attention to review all prescriptions. If prescribing errors are discovered, pharmacist should contact the prescriber and correct the errors without delay. The guideline to reduce prescribing errors might be upgrading software of anti cancer management program, education for physicians as well as pharmacists and calling prescriber's attention to preventing recurrence of errors.

Pharmacists' Perception for the Current and Future Pharmaceutical Services (현재와 미래 약국서비스에 대한 약사의 인식)

  • Kang, Minku;Bang, Joon Seok
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
    • /
    • v.27 no.4
    • /
    • pp.228-237
    • /
    • 2017
  • Objective: We conducted a survey to understand the current state of pharmacy services and pharmacists' thoughts in the future of the community pharmacy setting. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 229 pharmacists and gathered from 95 respondents. Results: We asked to pharmacists about what the ideal pharmacy duty should be in the next 10 years at the community pharmacy setting in Korea. For this question, the respondents said drug counselling (19.4%), dispensing (13.8%), long-term care of chronic disease and healthcare education (12.8%), and OTC counselling (11.5%). When asked about how much time they were spending doing certain tasks in the pharmacy, the main tasks were dispensing (23.5%), counselling (17.1%), prescription review (10.1%), and OTC counselling (5.5%). When asked about what the most important duty of a pharmacist was, medication counselling (45.4%) was the most important task that they identified and the reasons for not being able to fulfill this role properly was time shortage (78.9%) followed by the lack of counselling spaces, up-to-date knowledges, and focus on financial gains over patient counselling. Conclusion: Korean pharmacists are mainly focusing on dispensing in their daily work. Their basic responsibilities can be easily mechanized over the next few years, but the social expectations of disease-prevention and public health promotion both in current and future can not be replaced by such mechanical measures. Therefore, pharmaceutical services in Korea should be developed in more diverse and professional ways.

Development of a Pharmaceutical Care Service Model for Patients with Diabetes in Ambulatory Care Settings (외래환자 대상 당뇨병 약료서비스 모델 개발)

  • Yoon, Jeong-Hyun
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
    • /
    • v.27 no.1
    • /
    • pp.1-8
    • /
    • 2017
  • The prevalence of diabetes and its related morbidity and mortality are being increased. Despite the advancement of evidence-based pharmacotherapy in the management of diabetes, many patients in our country do not achieve satisfied therapeutic outcomes. Pharmaceutical care service can be defined as a patient-centered clinical service provided by pharmacists to improve therapeutic outcomes and quality of life of patients, by identifying, and preventing or resolving drug-related problems (DRPs). Pharmaceutical care service is interdisciplinary team-based practice, and is provided through collaborative practice agreement (CPA) between one or more physicians and pharmacists. This article describes a model of pharmaceutical care service which can be adopted in our country for patients with diabetes in the ambulatory care settings. With the successful implementation of this service, clinical, economic, and humanistic outcomes of patients will be improved. Therefore, by actively implementing pharmaceutical care service, pharmacist should contribute to the promotion of patients' health and to the advancement of health care delivery system.

Clerkship on Clinical Pharmacy Education (임상약학 교육을 위한 수련과정)

  • Burm, Jinpil
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
    • /
    • v.3 no.2
    • /
    • pp.175-185
    • /
    • 1993
  • The goal of this clerkship is to expose the student to basic skills needed fir a patient oriented pharmacist to assume an existing clinical role and participate in therapeutic decision making processes. As the pharmacy profession has moved from the traditional product orientation to a patient orientation, curricula within the college of pharmacy have evolved to include more experiential coursework to lister this patient orientation. This change has been supported by the philosophy of pharmaceutical care which encourages pharmacists to assume a patient advocacy role in optimizing a patient's drug therapy while minimizing the adverse effects of the medication. The role of experiential education, and especially the clerkship experience will be to hasten and enhance the development of this concept and philosophy for pharmacy students.

  • PDF

Study on the Clinical Trial Practice of Drugs at the Designated Hospitals (국내 임상시험 실시기관의 의약품 임상시험 관리현황 분석)

  • Lee Eui-Kyoung;Jang Sun-Mee;Huh Soon-Im
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
    • /
    • v.5 no.2
    • /
    • pp.33-49
    • /
    • 1995
  • The purpose of this study is to understand present situation of clinical trials, and evaluate the preparedness of the desiRnated institutions to abide by GCP(Good Clinical Practice) standards during clinical trials. Survey on the status of clinical trials was conducted for the desienated 83 clinical trial hospitals, and response rate was $95.2\%$. The results showed that 39 hospitals have conducted clinical trials to obtain drug manufacturing approval from 1990 to 1994. Most of them were trials on Phase III. Only $46.8\%$ of the institutions had sufficient human resources to perform the clinical trials. Institutions which established IRB(Institutional Review Board) accounted for 41 or $51.9\%$, but those who have a protocol evaluation guideline, or Adverse Drug Reaction(ADR) reporting system were only 12, and 21 Places, respectively. Regarding supervision of the investigational drugs, less than 30 institutions designated pharmacist as a supervisor. In conducting clinical trials, $97.4\%$ of trials had high rates of prior consent of testees, but only part of them-$61.7\%$-gave written consent. The level of conducting GCP is found to be unsatisfactory. Institutions must build the appropriate infrastructure and government must prepare in order to protect testees' rights as well as to ensure validity of the results.

  • PDF