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Among

the
most
fundamental
responsibilities of Pharmacists
The Pharmacists can serve as a
resource for issues regarding:
Cost-effective

medication selection and

use
Medication policy decisions
Medication information resource selection
Practice related issues
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Opportunities

are growing in

several areas:
Managed

Care Organizations
The Pharmaceutical Industry
Ambulatory Care
Insurance Industry

Information

printed in a reference
or verbalized by an individual that
pertains to drugs.
Can also be associated with other
words:
Specialist/

practitioner/provider
Center/Service/Practice
Functions/Skills
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Used

in place of drug information

The management and use of
information
on
medication
therapy and to signify the broader
role that all pharmacists take in
information provision

1.
2.
3.
4.

Support for Clinical Services

Pharmacy and Therapeutics
committee activity
Publications
Education

5.
6.
7.
8.

Medication usage evaluation/

Medication Use Evaluation
Investigational Medication
control
Coordination of Reporting
programs
Poison information
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 The

first drug information center was

opened at the University of Kentucky
Medical Center
An area separated from the pharmacy
was dedicated to provide drug
information
a source of selected, comprehensive
drug information for staff physicians
and dentists to evaluate and compare
drugs
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 Expected

to take and active role in

the education of health professional
students
A stated goal was to influence
pharmacy students in developing their
role as drug consultants.

10

Different

approaches to
providing drug information
services included:
Decentralizing

pharmacists in the

hospital
Offering a clinical consultation
service
Providing services for geographic
area through a regional center
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 EXPECTATION:

Drug information would

be stored in the center, retrieved,
selected, evaluated and disseminated
by the specialist.

DRUG

INFORMATION SPECIALIST

The

individual responsible for operation of

the center

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 Information

would be disseminated to:

Respond

to specific questions
Assist in the evaluation of drugs for use in
the hospital
Inform through newsletters of current
developments related to drugs.

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 Drug

Literature is vast and complex.

Drug Literature is growing rapidly in
size. It is also increasingly complex,
interdisciplinary and inter-professional
in nature.

14

Literature

on clinical experience
with drugs is sizable and growing
Competent evaluation of masses
of drug information is particularly
necessary.
15

Medical

Retrieval
System (MEDLARS)
Developed

and

Analysis

by the National Library of

Medicine
Provided a computerized form of
searching

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 Requests

for searches were submitted

by mail and results returned by mail

The

drug information Specialist was

viewed as a person who could bridge
the gap and effectively communicate
drug information.

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 The

beginning of the CLINICAL

PHARMACY concept
It laid the groundwork for pharmacists
to demonstrate the ability to assume
more responsibility in providing input
on patient drug therapy.
Pharmacists
were
provided
the
opportunity to extend their patient
contribution
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Pharmacists

could offer their

expertise as consultants on drug
therapy.

CLINICAL

DRUG LITERATURE

The

tool the pharmacist uses to

function in this capacity

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 Many

of the services still continue as

the major responsibilities of drug
information centers
But the scope and depth have changed
largely
The
problems referred to drug
information centers tend to be more
complex, require use of specialized
resources or require more in0depth
analysis
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Study Commission on Pharmacy

The external group was established to
review the state of the practice and
education of pharmacists and report
its findings.

21

among the deficiencies in the health

care system, one is the unavailability
of adequate information for those who
consume, prescribe, dispense and
administer drugs. This deficiency has
resulted in inappropriate drug use and
an unacceptable frequency of drug
induced disease.

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 Pharmacists

are seen as health care

system of the future by providing
information about drugs to consumers
and health professionals. Education
and training of pharmacists now and
in the future must be developed to
meet these important responsibilities.

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