Vol.66 No.3 May 2018
The role of board-certified infection control pharmacy specialists who are also hospital pharmacy managers -The management of the department of pharmacy and the department of infections-
Department of Pharmacy Management, Suzuka Kaisei Hospital, 112-1 Kou-cho, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
Abstract
University hospitals and other large-scale hospitals have a number of infection specialists, infection control doctors (ICDs), infection control nurses (ICNs), infectious disease chemotherapy pharmacists (IDCPs), board-certified pharmacists in infection control (PICs), board-certified infection control pharmacy specialists (ICPS) and infection control microbiological technologists (ICMTs). However, even though small to mid-sized hospitals have ICDs and ICNs, such hospitals do not have infection specialists and have only small numbers of IDCPs, ICPSs and PICs. Also, physicians are busy and do not have sufficient time for infection control.
At our hospital, IDCPs and ICPS are actively involved in infection control. This greatly contributes to the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents and reduction of resistant bacteria. Also, educational training helps pharmacists to acquire their PIC certification and work in larger infection control fields. It is important that hospital pharmacy managers establish systems whereby pharmacists can have sufficient time for infection control, and also discuss with hospitals about the provision of qualification allowances to accredited/specialized pharmacists as an incentive.
Different from ICNs, pharmacists do not necessarily need educational training. They have to learn and acquire knowledge in daily clinical practice. Although each hospital must establish an educational system, instructors vary between hospitals. Therefore, it is important to educate pharmacists on a regional basis through regional cooperation; it is preferable that hospitals encourage pharmacists to participate in study meetings held by prefectural hospital pharmacist associations, regional pharmacist associations or other organizations. This is considered to contribute to the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents at each hospital.
For nosocomial infection control, it is important that pharmacists who are knowledgeable about infection treatment and anti-infection measures should discuss and exchange opinions with other medical providers.
Key word
antimicrobial stewardship, management, education
Received
November 29, 2017
Accepted
December 11, 2017
Jpn. J. Chemother. 66 (3): 359-365, 2018
