DRUG INFORMATION SERVICES TO HIV/AIDS CARE AND SUPPORT CENTRE IN RESOURCE LIMITED SETTINGS

Abstract

Drug information services are considered as a major resource to provide patient counseling in clinical basis and to provide pharmaceutical care to improve rational use of medicines. In India, the drug information services are usually provided by the pharmacists those who are servicing in academic institutions and hospitals. Quality assurance is an important process required for continuous development and improvement. Hence, the present study was conducted to evaluate drug information services provided by clinical pharmacist of pharmacy practice department to HIV/AIDS care and support center in a resource limited settings. Drug information Queries received by the center was answered by clinical pharmacist of pharmacy practice department after analyzing by using modified systematic approach for their completeness, straight forwardness, reliability of answers and the reliability of references used to answer the queries from both the providers and receivers perspective. Over all it was observed that our drug information services are useful for health care professional in their clinical practice. As a part of pharmaceutical care the drug information service, provided by our pharmacy practice department could serve the need of health care professionals for better patient care were acceptable.

Keywords: Pharmaceutical care, Drug information, Quality assurance.