The practice of hospital pharmacy started in India in 1941 but became a respectable discipline only in the sixties. The objectives of hospital pharmacy are:
1. To professionalize the functioning of pharmaceutical
services in hospitals.
2. To ensure the availability of the required
medication at an affordable cost at the required time.
3. To plan, organize, and implement the policies of
the pharmacy.
4. To perform functions of the management of material,
purchase, and storage of essential items.
5. To maintain a strict inventory of all items
received and issued.
6. To counsel the patient, medical staff, nurses, and
others involved in patient care on the use of drugs, possible side effects,
toxicity, adverse effects, drug interactions, etc.
7. To serve as a source of information on drug
utilization.
8. To manufacture drugs, large/ small volume
parenterals are critical for use in patients.
9. To participate in and implement the decisions of
the pharmacy and therapeutics committee.
10. Organize and participate in research programs, and
educational programs.
11. To provide training to various members of the
patient team on various aspects of drug action, administration, and usage.
12. To engage in public health activities to improve
the well-being of the population.
13. To interact, cooperate and coordinate with various
other departments of the hospital.