The Role of Pharmacists in Patient Safety

[Name of the Institute]

The Role of Pharmacists in Patient Safety

Introduction

Short History & Current Status of Health Care 'Patient Safety'

In the recent history of patient safety in health care; the pharmacists were provided with a highly passive role where their main task was to ensure that the patients are provided with the correct forms and types of medicines, however in the contemporary society the role of the pharmacists has become more proactive. Currently the health crate industry on a global stage is experiencing vast changes in its infrastructure. Patient safety and high standards of services has become a crucial element of this industry (Melville, 2010). The pharmacists have a crucial role in ensuring the safety of the overall population, and they can also ensure that any errors in the health care system are identified at the right stage. In terms of the delivery of the relevant healthcare treatments, the pharmacists can be identified as the most significant stakeholders. These are the healthcare professionals who have the responsibility to provide the relevant medicines to the end patients, and they represent the last stage after which the patients would start their medication process (BBC News, 2013). In this perspective every healthcare stakeholder has to ensure that they realize their respective patient care responsibilities. Only through a collaborative effort among the majority of the health care professional stakeholders, would the quality of the end service provided to the population enhanced.

Aim of the Essay

The aim of the essay is to highlight the crucial role of pharmacists in the bolstering of patient safety, in the health care industry. The paper would critically analyze the core tasks and responsibilities of pharmacists and how they can contribute to better safety measures.

Discussion

Primary Medication Handlers

Interaction with the Prescribers

The pharmacists possess the knowledge regarding the types of drugs which have to be provided to the relevant patients. They are in a very pivotal position, where through certain actions they can significantly enhance the level of health care services provided to the patients. As the pharmacists have extensive technical knowledge regarding the type and specifications of the drugs which have to be provided to the end patients; they can interact with eth prescribers to make the crucial medical decisions (Hobson et Al, 2010). In the traditional perspective he pharmacists did not have a highly active role in correcting the prescribers, or identifying and mistakes. In this scenario the issues which occurred at the end of the prescriber, were not rechecked by the pharmacist; hence resulting in negative consequences for the patients. Hence in terms of enhancing the level of patient safety, the pharmacists can help assist the prescribers to make the relevant prescriptions for the patients, and resolve any dilemma which occurs before eth medication is provided to the end patients.

The wrong medication prescription can be identified as one of the biggest issues that negatively impact the health of the patients. Since the pharmacist have to provide the relevant medicines to the patients, which ...