ファーマシューティカルケアの実践

―患者への直接的なケアから医療への貢献へ―

抄録

One of the main roles of the hospital pharmacist is the practice of pharmaceutical care. In this study, we investigated whether the average number of drugs, drug costs and the incidence of adverse effects were reduced by the presence of a pharmacist in the neurology ward of Nagoya Daini Red Cross Hospital and also considered the future role of the hospital pharmacist.
Previously, the main focus of pharmaceutical care was to improve patient compliance but it is now felt that the duties of a hospital pharmacist should not be limited to medication counseling. They should be involved in all aspects of drug therapy and play a central role in risk management. Pharmaceutical care involves a process by which pharmacists cooperate with each other to ensure the safety and effectiveness of a patient's drug therapy.
It was found that the duties of the clinical pharmacist increased yearly from 2000 to 2003 and were extremely varied so it is now vital that they have a high level of knowledge in their field. It was also noted that the presence of a pharmacist in the ward substantially reduced the number of drugs prescribed as well as drug costs and the incidence of adverse effects due to multiple drug therapy.
As members of a multidisciplinary care team, pharmacists now have to be responsible for the safety and effectiveness of medications and for all aspects of a patient's drug therapy. Thus their role is no longer limited to the narrow definition of clinical pharmacy practice which only involves medication counseling.