Pharmacists need training in clinical practice

Pharmacists should be educated to provide patient-centered care and services for safe drug preparation and distribution among others, Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University Vice-chancellor Dr S Geethalakshmi today said.
Development of an adequate and appropriate healthcare workforce along with the academic and institutional infrastructure to deliver the required competency based education and training needed focus as the pharmacy practice as of now was isolated without patient care, she said here.
Speaking at the 2nd convention of Indian Association of the Colleges of Pharmacy and Indian Congress of Pharmacy Practice 2016, she requested the head of Pharmacy department to give the young pharmacist expert to clinical practice.

Pharmacy Council of India President Dr B Suresh spoke about shifting of pharmacy profession from product oriented to patient oriented.
He deliberated on how the transformation about a Pharmacist perception should start right from themselves and the pharmacist should lead the change of process towards becoming more accessible and patient centered especially with chronic disease management, safety and efficient use of drugs.
The pharmacist should look for supporting rather than substituting anybody in Health care team which can done by engaging the Physicians, Nurses, Policy makers and administrators, Suresh said.