한국약사법에 근거한 약사보조원의 교육과 임상약제서비스 확대

Abstract

Hospital pharmacy practices have shifted from pharmacy outputs to patient outcomes. Unfortunately, some Korean hospital pharmacists lack the opportunities to provide patients with quality clinical pharmacy services and maintain their professional development because of a heavy workload in drug distribution and maintenance of inventory. Gyeongsang National University Hospital (GNUH) pharmacy department has changed the framework of practice to focus on quality clinical pharmacy services. An operational manual for Pharmacy Technician (PT) was developed in February 2009, which defines PT duties. Twelve pharmacists and twelve PTs in the GNUH pharmacy department were included in this practice. One year into the program, pharmacists’activities were evaluated by their clinical performance and surveys. Pharmacists and PT clearly recognized their duties involving professional judgement under the law. Pharmacists’work-hours for drug distribution and maintenance of inventory were reduced allowing them to perform clinical pharmacy services such as nutrition support consultation, anticoagulation service, IV admixture, therapeutic drug monitoring, drug information, and patient counselling. According to survey results, pharmacists enhanced their clinical capabilities by 83% and job motivation by 100%. PT clearly recognized their duties involving removing drugs from stock, placing products into containers, affixing labels to envelopes, and maintaining inventory by 96%. The operational manual allowing PT to perform non-discretionary tasks helps pharmacists to improve their focus on providing quality clinical pharmacy services.