Clinical pharmacy in a South Indian teaching hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To describe how clinical pharmacy is helping to improve medication use at a South Indian teaching hospital by addressing medication use problems, which are commonly encountered in India.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical pharmacy is practiced in many countries and makes a significant contribution to improved drug therapy and patient care. India is a country with significant problems with medication use, but until recently Indian pharmacists have not been educated for a patient-care role. Postgraduate pharmacy practice programs have been established at 2 pharmacy colleges in South India as a result of a joint Indo-Australian program of cooperation. At a teaching hospital associated with the colleges, clinical pharmacy services such as drug information, medication counseling, drug therapy review, adverse drug reaction reporting, and the preparation of antibiotic guidelines are assisting clinicians to improve drug therapy and patient care. Seven hundred twenty-seven requests for drug information were received from July 1997 to February 2001, and 543 suspected adverse drug reactions were evaluated from November 1997 to February 2001. The most common drug classes causing adverse drug reactions were antibiotics, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, and antitubercular agents. Physician opinion and service utilization have also been surveyed: 82% of respondents had sought drug information from the Clinical Pharmacy Department and 71% of respondents had sought advice on individual patient management. The success of this program is raising awareness of clinical pharmacy among pharmacy educators elsewhere in India and has led to the introduction of clinical pharmacy services at other Indian hospitals.
Parthasarathi
Gurumurthy
G
Clinical Pharmacy Department, JSS Hospital, JSS College of Pharmacy, Ramunaja Road, Mysore 570-004, Karnataka, India. partha18@eth.net
Ramesh
Madhan
M
Nyfort-Hansen
Karin
K
Nagavi
Bahubali Gundappa
BG
D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D003376:Counseling / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004346:Drug Information Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017723:Drug Utilization Review / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008509:Medication Systems / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000995:Antitubercular Agents