PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS
Introduction:
The World Health Organization (WHO), through its consultative groups, has clearly defined the professional responsibilities of community pharmacists. These responsibilities are also confirmed and supported by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
Community pharmacists are no longer limited to dispensing medicines. They play an important role in patient care, medication safety, public health promotion, and collaboration with other healthcare professionals.
According to WHO and FIP, the key professional responsibilities of community pharmacists include:
- Processing of prescriptions
- Dispensing of medicines
- Patient counseling
- Drug information services
- Health promotion
- Health screening services
- Responding to symptoms of minor ailments
- Consultation with general practitioners
1. Processing of Prescriptions:
Community pharmacists are expected to carefully review and evaluate prescriptions before dispensing medicines. This includes checking the prescription for:
- Legal validity
- Correctness of drug selection and dose
- Appropriateness for the patient
- Potential drug-related problems such as interactions or duplication
Only after ensuring that the prescription is appropriate and safe should the pharmacist proceed with dispensing the prescribed medicines.
2. Dispensing:
According to the Oxford Dictionary, dispensing means preparing and giving out medicines on a prescription. In earlier times, pharmacists were mainly involved in compounding medicines. With the availability of pre-packaged pharmaceutical dosage forms, compounding activity has become minimal.
Modern dispensing focuses on accurate supply and proper labeling of medicines. Each dispensed item should be clearly labeled with:
- Name of the patient
- Age and gender
- Name and strength of the drug
- Directions for use
- Name of the prescriber
- Seal and name of the pharmacy
3. Patient Counseling:
Many patients do not have adequate knowledge about the correct use of their medicines. Due to busy schedules and high patient load, prescribers may provide only limited information. This creates an important opportunity for pharmacists to perform patient counseling.
Patient counseling is defined as providing disease-related and medication-related information in simple and understandable language to patients or their caregivers. It also includes advice on:
- Correct use of medicines
- Possible side effects
- Dietary recommendations
- Lifestyle modifications
Research studies have shown that effective patient counseling improves medication adherence, therapeutic outcomes, and overall quality of life.
4. Drug Information Services:
Every year, many new drugs are approved by regulatory authorities. However, their long-term safety and efficacy may not always be fully established. In many cases, prescribers depend on pharmaceutical companies for information, which may be biased due to commercial interests.
Community pharmacists play an important role in providing unbiased and evidence-based drug information. Drug information service involves:
- Systematic review of medical literature
- Critical evaluation of available evidence
- Providing accurate answers to healthcare professionals and patients
Sources of drug information include:
- Primary sources such as peer-reviewed journals (e.g., The Lancet, BMJ)
- Secondary sources such as databases like Micromedex and IDIS
- Tertiary sources such as textbooks and drug compendia
5. Health Promotion:
Due to their knowledge and close contact with the public, pharmacists are well positioned to promote healthy lifestyles and disease prevention.
Health promotion activities include:
- Smoking cessation programs
- Family planning education
- Participation in vaccination programs
- Education on balanced diet and deworming
6. Health Screening Services:
Health screening services are patient care services offered by community pharmacists for early detection of diseases. Early diagnosis allows timely treatment and prevention of complications.
Community pharmacists may assist in screening and monitoring of chronic diseases such as:
- Hypertension
- Diabetes mellitus
- Hyperlipidemia
- Asthma
Monitoring helps assess treatment effectiveness and improve therapeutic outcomes, reducing disease burden on individuals and society.
7. Responding to Symptoms of Minor Ailments:
Pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare professionals. In case of minor ailments such as common cold, diarrhea, body aches, spasms, and sprains, pharmacists can provide suitable medications and appropriate advice.
This helps reduce unnecessary doctor visits and ensures quick relief for patients while maintaining safety.
8. Consultation with General Practitioners:
Community pharmacists maintain professional collaboration with general practitioners. They guide patients to doctors when medical consultation is required and provide drug-related information to prescribers.
In countries such as Australia, pharmacists participate in Home Medicine Review (HMR) programs. Under this service:
- Accredited pharmacists visit patients at their homes
- Patient case records and medications are reviewed
- Drug-related problems are identified
- Issues are resolved in consultation with general practitioners
- Patients are educated to improve medication adherence
Summary:
Community pharmacists play a vital role in modern healthcare systems. Their responsibilities extend beyond dispensing medicines to include patient counseling, drug information services, disease prevention, and collaboration with doctors. These roles contribute significantly to improved patient safety, therapeutic outcomes, and public health.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who defines the professional responsibilities of community pharmacists?
The professional responsibilities of community pharmacists are defined and supported by the World Health Organization and the International Pharmaceutical Federation.
2. Why is prescription processing important?
Prescription processing helps identify legal issues, dosing errors, and potential drug interactions, ensuring patient safety.
3. What is patient counseling?
Patient counseling involves educating patients about proper medicine use, possible side effects, and lifestyle modifications in simple language.
4. Can community pharmacists manage minor ailments?
Yes, community pharmacists can provide appropriate medicines and advice for minor ailments such as cold, diarrhea, and body aches.
5. What is Home Medicine Review (HMR)?
Home Medicine Review is a service where trained community pharmacists visit patients’ homes to review medications and improve treatment outcomes in consultation with doctors.
