The Director of Pharmacy, General Hospital, Ijede, Pharm. Sunday Idowu Banjoko has revealed that the new collaborative care models incorporated in pharmacy have categorised Pharmacists as important and one of the key contributors to the healthcare team.
Speaking at an event organised by the Hospital recently to commemorate the year 2022 World Pharmacists Day, Banjoko stated that incorporating Pharmacists in team-based care increases patient awareness of the importance of medication adherence and encourages behavioural change in self-management of chronic illness and diseases.
The Director further disclosed that the core duty of every pharmacist is to apply the full measure of their knowledge and abilities to support the health and well-being of patients.
While noting that the expanded role of the 21st-century Pharmacists has positioned them to have a greater impact in the dispensary of medication, Banjoko averred that Pharmacists also provide a spectrum of prevention services to help improve health outcomes.
Also speaking, Pharm. Basirat Osijirin informed that the role of Pharmacists is expanding and evolving from the traditional product-oriented to include patient-oriented (clinical) functions, administration and public health functions.
Other roles performed by the pharmacists, according to her, include reviewing prescription medication orders, ensuring the rational and cost-effective use of medication, promoting healthy living, improving clinical outcomes by actively engaging in direct patient care, and collaborating with other health care professionals among other functions.
She stated that studies have shown that effective teamwork in Health Care Service Delivery has significantly reduced medical errors, unnecessary waste and improved efficient health outcomes, adding that quality of care enhances patient safety, improves patient satisfaction, reduces patient morbidity, reduces workloads, and increases job satisfaction among others.
Her words: “Teamwork is globally recognised as an essential tool for building and sustaining an optimum health care service delivery system as it is beneficial to the patient, team menders, health facility and society at large”.
Every 25th of September is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as World Pharmacists Day and this year’s theme is “Pharmacy United in Action For A Healthier World”.
