Table of Contents
Routine Activities
"Pharmaceutical care" for patients has become the fundamental work of pharmacists at the National Cancer Center Hospital East. At the thoracic disease ward, pharmacists visit the bedside to deliver the prescription slip which explains the medicine, providing the name, dosage, site of action, time of administration and so on, so that the patient can understand the medicine which he or she takes. At the palliative care unit (PCU), how and how much medicine to take is precisely explained particularly for those scheduled for discharge, because it is important for these patients to fully understand the medication regimen to be used at home in order to maintain their physical and mental well-being. After discharge from the hospital, these patients are followed-up with pharmaceutical care at the outpatient clinic. As a matter of course, we also provide such care for other outpatients, if requested.
Since October, 1997, we have used a printing medication packet machine on a full scale basis, such that nurses and patients can verify drug names and indications. Aseptic preparation of IVH for both in- and outpatients and that of anti-cancer agents for outpatients receiving chemotherapy at the day care center are other important activities comprising our daily clinical duties. The former strongly supports cancer treatment or care at home for outpatients. New drugs under investigation are strictly controlled according to GCP manuals with computer registration of prescriptions.
New Developments
1. Medication instructions: Because we continuously strive to make medication instructions for patients more widespread, in 1997 we began providing written instructions, which are easy to understand, explaining the drug. This actually contributes to the patientÕs QOL (quality of life).
2. Drug information service: We promote our drug information service for medical staff members, using an intra-net installed in both drug and drug discrimination searching systems. In addition, we provide drug information with electronic files.
3. Computer-network-system for new-GCP: For investigational drug management, we provided an exclusive computer-network-system to carry out more precise management based on new-GCP.
Statistics
| 1996 | 1997 | |
| Prepared in hospital pharmacy | ||
| Inpatients | 51,807 | 55,653 |
| Outpatients | 35,815 | 39,746 |
| Total | 87,622 | 95,399 |
| Prepared outside hospital | 16 | 29 |
| (0.04%*) | (0.07%*) | |
| 1996 | 1997 | |
| IVH Preparations | 11,372 | 9,392 |
| Anti-Cancer Drugs | 2,874 | 5,135 |
| Others | 1,081 | 1,343 |
| 1996 | 1997 | |
| Newly registered | 14 | 8 |
| Ongoing study | 36 | 26 |
| Prescriptions | 2,109 | 1,528 |
| 1996 | 1997 | |
| Sterilized | 21 | 29 |
| Non-sterilized | 167 | 162 |
| 1996 | 1997 | |
| Total | 1,771,9102 (100.00) | 1,810,517 (100.00) |
| Internal/external medicines | 320,682 (18.10) | 371,717 (20.53) |
| Injections | 739,008 (47.71) | 793,986 (43.85) |
| Blood | 89,675 (5.06) | 90,437 (5.00) |
| X-ray | 194,328 (10.96) | 133,344 (7.37) |
| RI | 35,787 (2.02) | 204,266 (11.28) |
| Others | 220,070 (12.42) | 183,220 (10.12) |
| 1996 | 1997 | |
| Total | 128,123 | 134,251 |
| Inpatients | 117,912 | 124,862 |
| Outpatients | 10,211 | 9,389 |
(T. Domon)