COMMUNITY PHARMACY CONCEPT
Transition in pharmacy
Supporting drug
3 distribution
in the organization
1 Manufacturing
Clinical Pharmacy &
4 Supporting drug distribution
2 Compounding in the organization
5 Pharmaceutical care
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1952 1960
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1860 1870 1990
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1952 1960
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Consulting &
3 Dispensing only 4
Dispensing
Time line of the five stages of major change in pharmacy practice
Ross H, Christine N. Beyond pharmaceutical care. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. 56 (17):1758-1764.
Introduction
¨ Community pharmacy includes all of those establishments that are
privately owned and whose function, in varying degree, is to serve
societies need for both drug products and the pharmaceutical
services”.
OR
¨ Community pharmacy is a unique hybrid of professionalism and
business. In addition to dispensing pharmaceuticals, pharmacist in
community (retail) pharmacies answers questions about prescription
and over the counter (OTC) drugs and give advice about home health
care supplies and durable medical equipments
Introduction
¨ Community pharmacy include a great variety of pharmacy services
ranging from;
¤ Corporately owned chain pharmacy
¤ Pharmacy department in supermarket (Pharmacy departmental store)
¤ Independently owned pharmaceutical shop (providing prescription services and
health related products)
Scope of Community Pharmacy
¨ Steep rise in the field of medical and health services.
¨ Latest techniques and globalization of medical profession.
¨ Tremendous increase in global population.
¨ Current medical and health services are insufficient for overall improvement of health.
¨ Disease burden (communicable and non-communicable).
¨ Ageing society.
¨ Health promotion and disease prevention.
Roles and responsibilities
Following are the areas where a community pharmacist can be actively involved to serve
the community
¨ Drug related problems (DRPs) è Counseling on proper use of OTC and prescribed
medicines, recording of drug and medical problem histories, immunization schedules,
refer patients to specific healthcare professionals.
¨ Pharmacoepidemiology è post marketing phase of clinical trial of a drug that
concerns the safety or risk assessment of a new drug coming in market.
¨ Control of serious communicable diseases è making community aware through
counseling e.g. Dengue, syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes genitals, AIDS, hepatitis etc.
¨ Prevention of chronic diseases è using various proven techniques of preventions
e.g. prevention of stroke by control of high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol and
promoting regular intake of prescribed medicines and physical exercise (life-style
modifications.
¨ Patient health education è use of pamphlets and bulletins
Roles and responsibilities
¨ Woman and child health è counseling to pregnant ladies about personal hygiene
and child health on diet and other diseased or sub nutritional states and proper
immunization schedules.
¨ Family planning è control of population.
¨ Nutritional advice è guide patients about nutrition intake according to the
requirement of the patient and their disease states.
¨ Weight control program è to control the obesity.
¨ Environmental Health è make aware community about food born diseases, local
hazards, carcinogens etc.
¨ Prevention of drug abuse è provide counseling to patients involved in alcoholism
and drug abuse about the hazards and side-effects or draw backs. May refer the
patient for treatment to an appropriate health care professional.
Pharmacist in relation to job
¨ Scope of pharmaceutical service: the supply of commonly required medicines
without any interruption. It also involves emergency supplies at all the time.
¨ Conduct of the pharmacy: the arrangement in the pharmacy should be of such
grade that it avoids risk or error of accidental contamination in the preparation,
dispensing and supply of medicines.
¨ Handling of prescriptions: prescription should be received by a pharmacist without
any comment over it regarding the merits and demerits of its therapeutic efficacy.
Any question on a prescription should be answered with every caution and care. It is
not in the privilege of pharmacist to add, omit or substitute any ingredient of
prescription.
¨ Apprentice pharmacist: A pharmacist should see that apprentice trainee is given full
facilities for their work—at the completion of their training should have acquired
sufficient technique and skill to make themselves independent pharmacists.
Pharmacist in relation to trade
¨ Price structure: It should be fair as per written on the box of medicine.
¨ Fair trade practice: no attempt should be made to capture business of a
contemporary by cut throat competition.
¨ Purchase of drugs: should be from genuine and reputable source and
dealers/suppliers authorized by the pharmaceutical company.
¨ Hawking of drugs: no attempt should be made to solicit orders from door to door.