Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy : JACCP最新文献

Saudi Vision 2030 has driven significant changes in ambulatory care pharmacy services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), transitioning pharmaceutical care from inpatient to outpatient settings. With a growing need to address non-communicable diseases, particularly cancer, ambulatory care oncology pharmacy services are of paramount importance. This study aims to evaluate the potential benefits and challenges of establishing such services in the KSA and offers recommendations for clinical pharmacists. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar, encompassing research from inception to September 2023. The search focused on English language studies related to ambulatory care oncology/hematology pharmacy services. Among the 1351 studies found, those assessing the impact of clinical pharmacists on patient outcomes in outpatient oncology clinics were included. The review of the literature highlights the substantial impact of clinical pharmacists in outpatient hematology/oncology settings. A selection of several studies revealed their role in improving patient care, reducing health care costs, and enhancing treatment outcomes. Notable findings include a high acceptance rate of pharmacist interventions with significant cost savings, increased pharmacist involvement in patient encounters, and reduced emergency department visits and inpatient admissions due to pharmacist interventions. These results showed the valuable contributions of clinical pharmacists in the international outpatient oncology setting. Establishing ambulatory care hematology/oncology pharmacy services in Saudi Arabia is critical, considering the rising cancer burden. The value of specialized oncology clinical pharmacists in the outpatient setting is emphasized by various studies conducted in the United States. This review proposes a framework for patient-centered oncology practices, serving as a valuable resource for the strategic development of ambulatory care oncology pharmacy services in Saudi Arabia. These efforts align with Saudi Vision 2030's broader goals of enhancing health care quality and patient care.

Pharmacogenomics is a growing area of medicine, and pharmacists across clinical practice settings have the opportunity to individualize medication selection and dosing using genetic data. However, many practicing pharmacists may feel ill-equipped to interpret pharmacogenomic test results because of insufficient education and training. Evidence-based, updated, and freely available resources such as the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium guidelines can help pharmacists interpret and apply pharmacogenomic test results to patient care. Although gaps for the application of pharmacogenomic information exist, this commentary aims to demystify the interpretation of pharmacogenomic test results and empower pharmacists to apply genetic data alongside other clinical variables to optimize medication-related outcomes for their patients. An “ABCD” framework is proposed to guide pharmacists through the steps: (1) Actionability—Are the gene(s) clinically relevant for the patient? (2) Be Mindful of Limitations—What are the caveats with pharmacogenomic test results and reports? (3) Clinical Practice Guidelines—How do you use pharmacogenomic test results to guide clinical decision-making? and (4) Document and Discuss—How do you educate the patient about their pharmacogenomic test results and document the results for future use? Key concepts are illustrated using a psychiatric patient case example.

Professional standards for academic health care system pharmacy departments and clinical pharmacists advocate for research and scholarly activities. Developing and sustaining a research program in a clinical pharmacy department is challenging. Over the span of a decade, a robust pharmacy research program was developed in an academic medical center not affiliated with a college of pharmacy. The aim of this manuscript is to provide a framework suitable for scaling research in pharmacy departments within an academic medical center. Objectives to accomplish the aim includes describing the structure and evolution of the clinical pharmacy department research program, listing measurable outputs and achievements of the pharmacists and the program and describing the barriers encountered and solutions that were enacted to overcome them. Elements critical to building and sustaining a research program in the pharmacy department included long-term commitment from within the department, a departmental research infrastructure, support from institutional leadership, research funding from the institution, and a growth mindset in accordance with company initiatives to support evolving research needs. A research curriculum was developed for pharmacy residents and pharmacists, created electronic tools for research proposal scientific reviews and allocation of funds, and established departmental research career development awards that allowed for protected time to pursue research and professional development. Over the first 10 years of the program, publication rates grew more than three-fold, faculty appointments and promotions increased approximately five-fold, and pharmacist investigators obtained extramural federal funding. Further offsetting clinical workload relative to dedicated research time remains a challenge. The experience and success at this academic medical center suggest it is feasible to develop a robust, sustainable clinical pharmacy department research program.