In the wake of increasing number of complaints about hazards of medications during and after treatments, many of the private hospitals in the tertiary sector in Kerala are preparing for establishing clinical pharmacy units  (CPU) inside the hospital settings.

Safe and prudent use of medications to avoid any kind of possible side-effects or adverse reactions and to reduce complaints due to wrong administration are the factors that convince the hospital managements to think of establishing the CPs, said a CEO of a leading healthcare institution in Kerala. For requirement of human resources for the clinical pharmacies, the hospitals will approach the state pharmacy council (KSPC) for support.

The decision of the hospital managements has been welcomed by the Qualified Private Medical Practitioners Association (QPMPA), a body of hospitals owned by qualified allopathy doctors. Till recently QPMPA was against establishing clinical pharmacies in the in-patient wards of the hospitals and taking medication advise from pharmacists.

“Earlier, QPMPA was not in favour of giving prominence to pharmacists in the case of patient care in a hospital setting other than dispensing medicines prescribed by doctors. Since several changes are happening in the healthcare system day to day, especially in the academic arena, medication care is needed much attention. The highly qualified pharmacists with M Pharm (pharmacy practice) and Pharm D are highly sophisticated courses. Their services and knowledge will help the patients in the ward in avoiding medication errors. The medication advice or counseling given by clinical pharmacists will also help reduce any kind of litigation against doctors due to administration of medicines.” said Dr. Kishore Kumar, national secretary of QPMPA.

To another query, Dr Kishore said by agreeing that, the Pharm D graduates have in-depth knowledge of medications, drug dosing and usage. They work in consultation with the doctors. So they should have a role in the patient care along with doctors. Pharmacists are also part of the healthcare system, he agreed.

According to pharmacy academic experts, a clinical pharmacist can promote the rational use of medicines. Medical council of India (MCI) and the union government, while promoting generic prescriptions, also reinforce the idea of rational use. For this, clinical pharmacy can play a big role in major hospitals.

Further, pharmacy profession will become a vital component in the healthcare management system. Highly qualified pharmacy students, those who have completed M Pharm and Pharm D, will get job opportunities and their potential can be used for the patient community along with medical professionals. Moreover, pharmacists will also become responsible for any kind of hazards due to wrong administration of medications. With this, the doctors alone need not become culpable for the medication errors, commented Dr. K.G. Revikumar, former head of pharmacy at Trivandrum Medical College.

In Kerala the government medical college hospital in the state capital had started one clinical pharmacy unit in the IP wards in 1992 and it is working on still. In the year 2010, the medical college at Amrita Hospital in Kochi also started a unit of CP. Dr. KGR said the private colleges which are running Pharm D programs should take steps to start CPs in the respective hospitals.

Rajan B Rajan, president KSPC said the state pharmacy council will provide all help to the hospitals for setting up CPUs in their IP wards. Rajan is a retired clinical pharmacist from the government medical college at Thiruvananthapuram.