| DCMH pharmacists highlight vital role in improving patient safety |
 |
 |
| Written by News Release | |||
| Wednesday, 15 October 2008 03:00 | |||
|
Pharmacists at Delta County Memorial Hospital will use the occasion of National Hospital & Health System Pharmacy Week, Oct. 19-25, to underscore the many new and vital roles they now play in patient care.
The evolution has been especially dramatic in recent years as pharmacists have moved beyond compounding and dispensing medications to become vital members of multidisciplinary patient care teams. “Many consumers are not aware that pharmacists play a critical role in preventing medication errors, advising prescribers on the best drug choices, and working directly with patients to ensure they understand how to use their medications safely and effectively,” said Victoria Nunamaker, RPh. “Pharmacy Week is a great way to educate the public about how pharmacists can help them get the most benefit from their medicine.” Hospital and health-system pharmacists have been able to take on enhanced patient-care roles because of a number of factors, including the deployment of highly trained, certified technicians and new technologies like robotics that dispense medications. As technology evolves — such as the addition of machine-readable codes to medication labels — patients will have greater opportunities to have a pharmacist involved in their care. “When it comes to medications, our main interest at DCMH is patient safety,” said Casey Atchley, pharmacy technician in charge of medication dispensing machines. Pharmacists are experts on the thousands of medications available today, how each one works in the body, and the ways to use each one safely and effectively. Pharmacists who graduate today receive six years of education focused on medication therapy, and many pharmacists practicing in hospitals and health systems also complete post-graduate residency programs. They advise doctors and nurses on the best medications and monitor every patient’s medication therapy and provide quality checks to detect and prevent harmful drug interactions, reactions, or mistakes. Here are some tips for ensuring safe medication use while in a hospital: Bring a personal list of prescribed drugs and over-the-counter medications, home remedies, and medical foods that you are currently taking and show it to the health professional(s) managing your care. Bring a list of medications that you cannot take (due to allergic reactions, etc). Give the reasons why, and show it to the health professional(s) managing your care. When admitted, ask how to contact the on-site pharmacist. Ask the names of the medications that you are receiving during your hospital or health-system visit. Request any written information that is available about your medications. Question anything about your medications that you don’t understand or that doesn’t seem right. Be especially alert to unexpected changes, such as a change in the appearance of your medication. Ask your health system pharmacist if you have any questions about the treatments or medications you receive. If you’re too ill to follow these suggestions, ask a friend or relative to help.
Bookmark
Email this
Hits: 714 Comments (0)
 Write comment
You must be logged in to post a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed