Written By: Hanan Khalaf. RPH

Clinical pharmacy can be defined as that area of practice within the health organization in which the pharmacist, through his work within an interdisciplinary team, apply his clinical judgment to assure safe and appropriate use of drugs. This division of pharmacy practice requires specialized education within the pharmacy curricula and structured training to candidates in order to achieve the required goal in their practice.

Based on the above definition, the clinical pharmacist, who is working in direct patient care areas, is usually involved in medical rounds with the other health care professionals and participates in:

1. Obtaining patient medication histories.

2. Selecting the most appropriate therapeutic agent and monitor the therapy.

3. Answering drug information queries to physicians & other health professionals.

4. Patient education and counseling.

5. Providing in-service education for physicians, nurses, and other health professionals.

In addition to the above mentioned functions, several other functions are being introduced in the field of clinical pharmacy, but rather in a specialized form. Examples of these are:

1. Clinical pharmacokinetics. 

2. Total parenteral nutrition services.

3. Clinical toxicology practicing in formal poison information centers.

4. Clinical drug investigations.

5. Formal drug therapy consultations.

6. Participation in medication use evaluation.

7. Specialized clinical pharmacy practice in various medical fields like oncology, nephrology, surgery, pediatrics, intensive care, and others. Such specialization requires specialized training under what is called residency programs and others.