To improve the services that PUMCH pharmacists provide and help patients with difficult and complicated medication problems, the Pharmacy Clinic under the Department of Pharmacy, PUMCH was officially opened on November 2, 2021 with the support of the Department of Medical Affairs, the Department of Outpatient, the Information Technology Center and the Department of Medical Records. Under the Pharmacy Clinic there are pharmacotherapy management clinics for multiple specialties, including that for pregnancy and lactation, coronary heart diseases, diabetes, antithrombotic drugs, respiratory diseases, and multiple chronic diseases. Senior professional pharmacists at the clinic provide one-on-one, individualized pharmacy consultation and medication guidance.

Put patient needs first

As China’s population ages, the rationality and safety of medication use of the elderly has become a focal issue of social concern. The elderly use more kinds of medications over long courses of treatment, and conditions such as hepatic and renal dysfunction that occur as their physiological functional capacity declines with age entail corresponding pharmacotherapy adjustment. In light of this, the Pharmacy Clinic of PUMCH, based on the practical needs of patients, has set up pharmacotherapy management clinics for diabetes, coronary heart disease and multiple chronic diseases, etc., in a bid to solve practical medication problems for elderly patients and improve their treatment compliance.

Assist clinical practices

Since its opening, the Pharmacy Clinic of PUMCH has been well received among patients. Besides, many doctors express the hope of referring their patients with medication problems to the clinic for professional pharmacological advice from senior pharmacists, which would benefit the clinical diagnosis and treatment of such patients. To ensure that the referring departments could get effective and targeted advice for their patients, the Pharmacy Clinic added the post of “pharmacist for referrals” in April, 2022, which works as follows: once a clinical department applies for the referral of a patient, the “pharmacist for referrals” will, based on the specialty of the clinical issue involved, refer the patient to the pharmacist of that specialty, which ensures that the pharmacological advice given will be more targeted and accurate.

Since the opening of the Pharmacy Clinic, it has benefited dozens of patients with the effective and high-quality pharmacy services “tailor-made by PUMCH”, which range from answering questions related to pharmacotherapy to identifying, evaluating and responding to drug-related adverse reactions and interactions. Going forward, PUMCH pharmacists will continue to take care of patients with their professional mastery and compassion and ensure rational drug use.

The pharmacotherapy management clinic for multiple chronic diseases

The pharmacotherapy management clinic for diabetes

Written by: Tang Xiaowan, Tang Yan and Hu Yang from the Department of Pharmacy

Picture courtesy: Tang Xiaowan, Tang Yan and Hu Yang from the Department of Pharmacy

Translator: Liu Haiyan

Editor: Wang Yao