Clinical Pharmacy- A Profound Future

The role of a pharmacist is expanding worldwide from a passive role in dispensary at the pharmacy level to a more active role in the clinical settings. Clinical pharmacy services are recognized to be of added value to patient care. Through applying in depth therapeutic knowledge and clinical skills, clinical pharmacists can promote safe and effective use of medication in a hospital setting. Health care systems have adapted multidisciplinary health provision, of which a pharmacist has a profound role, in order to provide better coordination of care. The presence of a clinical pharmacist in a health care setting allows for more proactive interaction with health professional and patients, the provision of on spot recommendations to optimize therapy as well as directly intervening in the patient care process to ensure evidence based and proper choice and dosing of medication. Moreover, providing information to nurses on how to safely administer medication and resolving medication related problems heartens the collaboration with physicians, nurses and other health professionals for the best of care of the patient

Today, patients are on more complex treatment regimens due to the advancement in the development of medication. This has increased the risk of medication errors including adverse drug events. In addition, the cost of health care has increased with the growth of the population, who are demanding high standard preventive and curative treatment. Clinical pharmacy service would have a positive input on these patients as shown in the literature. The service is proposed to enhance patients’ outcome and reduced medication errors, adverse drug events, hospital length of stay and overall health costs. Moreover, specialized clinical pharmacists rapidly review, analyze and reassess the clinical data for patients in addition to monitor drug dosing and administration regimens and evaluate adverse reactions and drug-drug interactions

In Kuwait, ambitious pharmacists have recognized this role and have pursued professional development through higher level of education and specialty. They have been encouraged to obtain a qualification in clinical pharmacy. This is in line with the Ministry of Health’s vision to continuously improve health care and meet the national health care standards set in collaboration with the Accreditation Canada International standards. Currently, several pharmacist have not only obtained clinical pharmacy credentials but also continue to gain knowledge and skills in special areas where clinical pharmacy services have proven to be of great benefit such as critical care and pediatrics. With the launch of the Kuwait Clinical Pharmacy Network early 2015, collaboration has been taken place with Faculty of Pharmacy in Kuwait and other international clinical pharmacy associations, and further development in the service is yet to come.