Experts at the International Symposium on Medication Safety and Clinical Pharmacy, held by Continental Hospitals in Hyderabad, have emphasized the importance of prescription audits in order to prevent medical errors. Clinical pharmacists need to be extremely cautious when analyzing prescriptions, as even one error per day can lead to significant drug-related morbidity and mortality. India, being the generic capital of the world with hundreds of formulations and names, requires pharmacists to be especially vigilant. Without proper care, a wrong medication can have detrimental consequences for patients. Medication errors can occur anywhere, making audits a crucial aspect of multi-disciplinary patient care. Adhering to standard indicators when detecting medical errors during audits can help improve patient care.
Dr Sangeeta Sharma, Professor and Head of the Department of Neuropsychopharmacology at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences in Delhi, stressed that healthcare should be accessible to everyone. The high costs associated with serious illnesses can lead to families selling their homes and compromising on their children’s education and nutrition. Unfortunately, the public health system has yet to take significant steps towards improving this situation. Pharmacists play an increasingly important role in patient care, being one of the three pillars for service delivery. Patients rely on pharmacists for medication-related questions.
According to Continental Hospital Chairman Guru N Reddy, India will require 3.5 million hospital beds, 3 million doctors, and six million nurses at a cost of $250 billion within the next 20 years. There are currently 1.6 million registered pharmacists in India, which is 30 to 40 percent of the world’s total. This presents enormous opportunities for young pharmacists in India.
