The place of clinical pharmacy in the health care system is very core as it is responsible for the provision of medication therapy management. Nonetheless, this field is not without some challenges that may negatively affect clinical pharmacists’ practice. In this article, we focus on discussing seven types of clinical pharmacy difficulties.
Complex Medication Regimens
Clinicians are still prescribing multiple medications, and frequently, clinical pharmacists are confronted with therapeutic drug regimens for patients with chronic diseases. These regimens need to be managed with a vast knowledge of the interaction between drugs, possible adverse effects, and other factors specific to the patient. This is especially so given that patients take several medications at one time from different health practitioners, hence the concern of balancing between efficacy and safety. Several challenges are associated with alcoholic beverages’ reporting and recording, including the following: To overcome these challenges, effective communication and record-keeping are crucial.
Medication Errors
Medication errors are among the biggest challenges that are faced in the area of clinical pharmacy. Such mistakes could be made at different levels, such as in administration, prescription, and dispensing of the drugs. Some of the causes of medication errors are poor prescription, similar-sounding medication names, and the need for more communication between caregivers. It is, therefore, important for clinical pharmacists to remain alert, embrace technology through the prescription of electronics, and ensure effective verification measures to prevent such errors.
Evolving Regulations and Policies
Healthcare policies are ever-changing, and the responsibilities given to clinical pharmacists are complex. Education and training are significant in ensuring that individuals are well-informed about the ever-changing regulatory requirements, guidelines, and policies. They have the potential to alter the practice of pharmacy in areas such as drug approval, drug pricing and reimbursement. Clinical pharmacists must stay current and adapt to changes because they are working in a clinical realm that requires compliance and excellence.
Resource Constraints
Challenges are evident through limited resources, such as the workforce, financial constraints, and scarce availability of pharmacy stocks and essential drugs in clinical pharmacy settings. These are some of the limitations that can limit the full-service delivery of clinical pharmacists. This means that pharmacists undertake tasks that involve prioritizing, bending time, and coming up with constructive changes as well as lobbying for resources that will enhance the quality of patient care. Furthermore, one has to include other healthcare professionals in the team as much as possible in resource-constrained settings.
Patient Education and Adherence
Maintaining patients’ compliance with their prescribed medication regimes remains a concern to this day. Many patients have low health literacy levels, and thus, they struggle to comprehend their treatment regimen. The Pharmacy dispenser is involved in educating patients and always clarifies the do’s and don’ts regarding the prescription. However, achieving consistent adherence is a continuous process that requires further encouragement, reinforcement, and client-specific interventions to remove any barriers.
Integration with Healthcare Teams
The present paper focuses on the reasons for the incorporation of clinical pharmacists into patient care teams. However, there are potential difficulties with this integration, such as conflict in professional cultures, communication breakdown, and a variable receptiveness to the pharmacist’s function. It becomes imperative that clinical pharmacists actively solicit inclusion in these teams, effectively communicate the role of pharmacists to the other members of these teams, and build cooperative partnerships with these professionals.
Technological Advancements
Health information and technology systems, including EHRs, telepharmacy, and telesurgery, have numerous advantages and disadvantages. Clinical pharmacists should be aware of current technological developments so that they can incorporate them into their practice. This is because it requires constant training and the capability to upgrade to new systems. Finally, data protection and confidentiality of patients’ information within social media platforms remain crucial issues to be tackled by pharmacists.
In summary, clinical pharmacy is an exciting area of practice that has many challenges to address, from coping with complicated medication schedules to collaborating with other healthcare professionals. To overcome these challenges, clinical pharmacists need to be flexible, updated, and assertive regarding their position in the delivery of patient care. By overcoming these barriers, clinical pharmacists can increase their impact on healthcare and patients’ quality of life.
