Pharmaceutical Care in the EU and Lithuania
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Abstract
Pharmaceutical care is the responsible provision of drug therapy for the purpose of achieving definite outcomes that improve a patient’s quality of life. In Lithuania, pharmaceutical care will be implemented starting from 1st January, 2015, when a specific part of Good Pharmacy Practice reglamentation comes into force. Pharmaceutical care is implemented and well defined in many EU countries. Pharmaceutical care services are available to the patients and in many countries paid from the national health budget.
This article describes the concept of pharmaceutical care, looks into the role that pharmacists and community pharmacy play in primary care in different EU countries. Pharmaceutical care services are presented according to four main clusters of pharmacists’ professional practice:
• Enhancing medicine safety and access to medicine,• Improving outcomes of individual patients,
• Improving public health,
• Contributing to health system efficiency.
According to experience of other EU member states, when implementing pharmaceutical care in Lithuania it is important to define the concept of pharmaceutical care, define standards, quality assurace system and accreditation.
This article describes the concept of pharmaceutical care, looks into the role that pharmacists and community pharmacy play in primary care in different EU countries. Pharmaceutical care services are presented according to four main clusters of pharmacists’ professional practice:
• Enhancing medicine safety and access to medicine,• Improving outcomes of individual patients,
• Improving public health,
• Contributing to health system efficiency.
According to experience of other EU member states, when implementing pharmaceutical care in Lithuania it is important to define the concept of pharmaceutical care, define standards, quality assurace system and accreditation.
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