Depending on the kind of hospital, ambulatory patients get themselves registered at the registration counter of that hospital. After registration, consultation with the doctor, and finally receiving the prescription, the patient goes to the pharmacist to obtain the medicines. The various steps involved in dispensing are:
1. While dispensing a prescription, the pharmacist
should take every precaution to eliminate errors. The prescription should be
received without raising any doubt in the mind of the patient.
2. If the pharmacist needs any clarification about the
prescription, he should contact the physician without the knowledge of the
patient.
3. Pharmacist checks the ingredients and collects the
materials for compounding and dispensing.
4. The compounded prescription is filled on a counter
and labeled with detailed instructions including; name, gender, age, and registration
number for use and storage.
5. The pharmacist shall maintain a register for accounting.
Mixtures like; ointments, lotions, and powders are not recorded while records
of costly drugs like; injections, antibiotics, etc. are maintained and are
issued to poor patients only on special drug forms.
6. Prescription is given back to the patient so that
the same can be produced by him during his next visit.
7. Prescription relating to schedule G, H, and X drugs
to be written and dealt with under the provision of the Drug and Cosmetics
(Amendments) Act 1972. The emergency cases the hospital may be issued medicines
immediately.
The ambulatory care pharmacy in modern hospitals is
located in an area where working in such area is very important and includes
the following:
• Reviewing all prescriptions for, clinical
appropriateness of the choice of drug and its dosage, route of administration,
and duration of therapy.
• Monitoring of the patient’s medication profile for
indications of drug abuse, misuse, or non-compliance.
• Maintaining professional communication with the
prescribers and nurses working in the ambulatory area to achieve together the
quality patient care required.
• Supervising all activities and personnel involved in
drug dispensing to ensure the quality of services provided.
• Providing drug consultation for an individual
patient.
• Participating in patient education programs.
• Communicating with the IV area for the preparation
of all injectable drugs to be administered to ambulatory and personnel care
patients, except in emergencies.