• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.281-287
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• 2022

Pharmacists should maintain professional competencies to provide optimal pharmaceutical care services to patients, which can be achieved through continued commitment to lifelong learning. Traditionally continuing education (CE) has been widely used as a way of lifelong learning for many healthcare professionals. It, however, has several limitations. CE is delivered in the form of instructor-led education focused on multiple learners. Learning is passive and reactive for participants, so it sometimes does not lead to bringing behavioral changes in workplace performance. Therefore, recently the concept of lifelong learning tends to move from CE toward continuing professional development (CPD). CPD is an ongoing process that improves knowledge, skills, and competencies throughout a professional's career. It is a more comprehensive structured approach toward the enhancement of personal competencies. It emphasizes an individual's learning needs and goals and enables learning to become proactive, conscious, and self-directed. CPD consists of four stages: reflect, plan, learn, and evaluate. CE is one component of CPD. Each stage is recorded in a CPD portfolio. There are many practical difficulties in implementing the complete CPD system for lifelong learning of pharmacists in many countries including Korea. Applying a hybrid form that utilizes CPD and CE together, as in the case of some countries, could be an alternative. Furthermore, in undergraduate pharmacy education, it is necessary to teach students about CPD and train them on how to perform CPD as a pharmacist.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.22-42
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• 2001

Background : A study comparing unit dose drug distribution system(UDS) versus traditional drug distribution system(TDS) was conducted in Seoul National University Hospital. The objectives of this study were to identify safer drug distribution system and to measure the efficiency of both systems in utilizing nursing and pharmacist's time. Methods : The study was designed to compare the data on medication errors, nursing time and pharmacists' time before and after implementation of the UDS in the internal medicine and otorhinolaryngology care units. The data on actual medications administered to patients were obtained by a disguised observer during the study period. The data collected were then compared with the physicians' orders to determine the rate of medication errors. In addition, using ten-minute interval work-sampling method nursing and pharmacists' time were measured. Results : About 6% of medications were administered incorrectly in the TDS, in comparison to 1.6% in the UDS. The rate of medication error decreased significantly in the UDS compared with the TDS. Mean times spent on medication-related activities by nurses were 34.1% in the TDS and 28.5% in the UDS. In the internal medicine care unit, nursing time associated with medications decreased significantly after the implementation of the UDS, but the reduction in medication-related nursing time in the otorhinolaryngology care unit was not significant. Pharmacist's medication-related work activities, increased from 2% in the TDS to 20% in the UDS. Pharmacist's time spent on therapy-related activities increased significantly. Conclusion : The rate of medication errors in the UDS decreased significantly compared with the TDS. Time spent on medication-related activities decreased for nurses while it increased for pharmacists. In summary, the UDS was estimated to be safer and to utilize of pharmacists' and nursing time more efficiently than the TDS.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.30 no.4 s.48
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• pp.561-570
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• 2004

The purpose of this research is to examine the level of understanding, current management and degree of satisfaction about 'Cosmeceuticals' among pharmacists running pharmacists. Using this research as a foundation, pharmacies are able to prepare an implementation plan for the marketing of 'Cosmeceuticais'. The level of understanding among pharmacists surveyed was found to be rather low as yet, and it will be necessary to increase their specialized knowledge. Through this analysis of current conditions, several means for pharmacies to implement marketing of 'Cosmeceuticals' are evident. These include expanding the definition of 'Cosmeceuticals' reforming the system for inspecting 'Cosmeceuticals', developing and distributing various specialized 'Cosmeceuticals', initiating training for increasing the level of specialized knowledge of pharmacists, developing public information by corporations and consumer networks, driving coordinated marketing with medical associations, linking marketing with health foods, ensuring display space at pharmacies, and offering knowledgeable consultations and detailed information about the products. This research is significant in that it shows that a plan reforming pharmacy management, which is affected by the environment in pharmacies such as the separation of pharmacies from medical practices, should include the an increase in marketing for 'Cosmeceuticals'. This research will be of great usefulness in forming a foundation for the sales strategy and manufacturing of 'Cosmeceuticals' by pharmacists, for the training of distributors about 'Cosmeceuticals', and for developing a distribution strategy.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.117-128
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• 2005

Purpose: The study examines the condition of medication counseling to determine the patient customers' demands, with the purpose of providing a basic data to improve the condition of medication counseling for phamacists and clinical nurses. Method: Questionnaire was completed by 150 nursing students. For data analysis, the SPSS win 10.0 program was used. Result: The contents of medication counseling given by the pharmacists in order of frequency were($100\%$ means 'always'): way of use$(78.7\%)$, period of taking medicine $(63.3\%)$, dosage$(46.7\%)$, effect$(27.3\%)$, drug name$(18.7\%)$, diet$(12.7\%)$, question of taking other drug$(12.7\%)$, giving a notice$(12.0\%)$, way of storage$(7.3\%)$, side effects$(6.0\%)$, drug interaction$(3.3\%)$' The needs and demands desired by the patients in order of frequency were('the most important' is given 10 points, followed by the others in numerically decreasing order until 0): effect(8.68), way of use(7.60), side effect(7.20), giving a notice(6.38), dosage (5.95), drug name(5.67), a period of taking medicine(5.60), drug interaction(4.37), diet(3.63), the way of storage(3.03). Most of the respondents were satisfied with the pharmacists' kindness$(62.7\%)$. Some recognized the medication counseling was quite good$(16.7\%)$, but the majority felt it was modest$(50.8\%)$' Nearly half of them felt the medication counseling time was quiet short$(47.3\%)$' The communication was mostly oral$(83.3\%)$, while others used sticker$(6.0\%)$ or leaflet$(6.0\%)$ additionally. There was a significant correlation between pharmacists' kindness and medication counseling content(p<,01), and also recognition(p<.001). The correlation between the number of medication counseling which gave to the patient customer and the recognition was also significant (p<.001). As the number of medication counseling increased, the patient felt the medication counseling time was adequate(p<.05). The correlation between the medication counseling recognition and the adequate time was also very significant(p<.001). Conclusion: These results revealed the situation of medication counseling to be poor and to be differ from the patient customers' demands. Therefore optimal medication counseling, especially regarding possible side effects and drug interaction should be emphasized. Pharmacists and clinical nurses should give qualitative medication counseling which reflects the patients' demands.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.215-225
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• 2022

Background: Patients with hematologic cancers have a risk of drug-related problems (DRPs) from medications associated with chemotherapy and supportive care. Although the role of oncology pharmacists has been widely documented in the literature, few studies have reported its impact on cost reduction. This study aimed to describe the activities of oncology pharmacists with respect to hematologic diseases and evaluate the associated cost avoidance. Methods: From January to July 2021, patients admitted to the department of hemato-oncology at Seoul National University, Bundang Hospital were studied. The activities of oncology pharmacists were reported by DRP type following the Pharmaceutical Care Network version 9.1 guidelines, and the acceptance rate was calculated. The avoided cost was estimated based on the cost of the pharmacy intervention, pharmacist manpower, and prescriptions associated with the intervention. Results: Pharmacists intervened in 584 prescriptions from 208 patients during the study period. The most prevalent DRP was "adverse drug event (possibly) occurring" (32.4%), followed by "effect of drug treatment not optimal" (28.6%). "Drug selection" (42.5%) and "dose selection" (30.3%) were the most common causes of DRPs. The acceptance rate of the interventions was 97.1%. The total avoidance cost was KRW 149,468,321; the net profit of the avoidance cost, excluding labor costs, was KRW 121,051,690; and the estimated cost saving was KRW 37,223,748. Conclusion: Oncology pharmacists identified and resolved various types of DRPs from prescriptions for patients with hematologic disease, by reviewing the prescriptions. Their clinical service contributed to enhanced patient safety and the avoidance of associated costs.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.277-285
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to provide the comparative study results for the purpose of the developing continuing professional educational systems for Korean pharmacists. The professional continuing educational systems of the UK, USA, Japan and Korea were analyzed. General Pharmaceutical Council in UK controls the pharmacy professions for the protection of the health of the citizens in UK and certifies the schools of pharmacy and the continuing education providers. The USA and Japan have the several accreditation bodies for the pharmacy education and the continuing pharmaceutical education. However, the quality assurance systems in Korea for the continuing education and specialty programs are not implemented, yet. The renewal system of the pharmacist license should be introduced like the health care providers like doctors to improve professionalism. Finally, it is recommended that all of these things should be done by a single administrative authority such as Korean Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

The prevalence of diabetes and its related morbidity and mortality are being increased. Despite the advancement of evidence-based pharmacotherapy in the management of diabetes, many patients in our country do not achieve satisfied therapeutic outcomes. Pharmaceutical care service can be defined as a patient-centered clinical service provided by pharmacists to improve therapeutic outcomes and quality of life of patients, by identifying, and preventing or resolving drug-related problems (DRPs). Pharmaceutical care service is interdisciplinary team-based practice, and is provided through collaborative practice agreement (CPA) between one or more physicians and pharmacists. This article describes a model of pharmaceutical care service which can be adopted in our country for patients with diabetes in the ambulatory care settings. With the successful implementation of this service, clinical, economic, and humanistic outcomes of patients will be improved. Therefore, by actively implementing pharmaceutical care service, pharmacist should contribute to the promotion of patients' health and to the advancement of health care delivery system.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.659-666
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• 2018

The classification of the tablets recovered according to prescription changes is usually carried out manually by a number of pharmacists at the hospitals. Relatively high-wage pharmacists carry out the reclassification of the tablets, which results in a large loss of time and labor, and if the tablets are incorrectly classified, this can lead to medical accidents. In order to overcome these problems, a new automatic tablet classifying machine has been introduced. In the conventional automatic tablet classifying machine, tablets having various shapes, sizes, and colors are transferred to a classifying machine through the line feeder. Problems such as breakaway of the tablets from the line feeder, pilling of the tablets in the line feeder, and appearance contamination of the tablets occur. In this paper, we propose a system that automatically classifies the shape, size, and color of tablets through individual supply method by vacuum adsorption and image processing.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.252-259
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• 2003

Self-medication is a representative phenomenon in the domain of popular care, originated from perspective of medical pluralism and the pharmacy profession is said to be in the most appropriate position of health care professions to activate self-medication. As any healthcare reform impacts in a country, 2000 institutional separation between medicine and pharmacy implemented in Korea brought a lot of changes in behavior of drug use not only to physicians and pharmacists but also to consumers (patients). In this paper, the reality of self-medication since the institutional separation between medicine and pharmacy was analyzed, based on the empirical data which were collected by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs in 2002. The major finding is that the domain of popular care including self-medication was significantly shrunk, while that of professional care was proportionally expanded. As a result, the following four points were strongly recommended for the purpose of promoting self-medication: i) upgrading the pharmacy education system from 4 year to 6 year level, ii) improvement of continuing education and introduction of GPP (Good Pharmacy Practice), iii) activating 'pharmacal encounter' (i.e., pharmacist-consumer relationship) and iv) promotion of socio-economic research activities and proactive participation in the international self-medication movement of pharmacists in Korea.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.432-439
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• 2011

The effects of characteristics of community pharmacists on consultation time for prescription (RX) and nonprescription drugs (nRX) were investigated. A crosssectional descriptive design was established with a self-administered anonymous mail survey. Response rate was 52%. Significant pharmacists' factors related to having less than 3 minutes consultation for RX were one's dispensing duties exceeding 50%, low satisfaction with one's own level of consultation, working at the pharmacies nearby clinics, or shorter duration of consultation time for nRX. Consultation promoting conditions should be built up for the provision of sufficient consultation.