Management of pharmaceutical risk factors – warranty of patient’s safety

Abstract

Background: The dispensing process is an integral part of the quality use of medicines and together with patient counseling forms the core of professional activities of a pharmacist. The process of dispensing and counseling is composed of a succession of steps, which if interrupted or completed incorrectly, could result in poor quality outcomes for the patient and less than desirable consequences for the pharmacist. The sequelae to serious dispensing errors may be far-reaching, including patient morbidity and mortality, increased health expenditure due to hospitalization and treatment, and loss of credibility and professional standing for the pharmacist, along with the risk of litigation and financial loss. This study is concerned with the process of drug delivery, including the risk factors that increase the likelihood of medication errors and the measures that can be implemented to achieve a quality process. The goal is evaluation risk factors in community pharmacies that have a negative impact in providing pharmaceutical assistance to patients and developing quality criteria for working conditions. Material and methods: This research is a systematic evaluation where selected studies data were combined quantitatively, to obtain a summary value. Results: The most important risk factors affecting the pharmaceutical assistance to the patients were identified and criteria of quality working conditions were developed. Conclusions: Effective risk management in the community pharmacy contributes to quality assurance; anticipation and optimization of the means of control; establishing increased confidence in the management system; implementation of the concept of responsibility for all staff.