Based on VII sem, B.Pharmacy, Pharmacy Practice Subject syllabus. Role of pharmacist in the interdepartmental communication and communityhealth education.

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DR . S . V E DH A
DE P A RT ME N T OF P HA RM A C Y P RA C TI C E
K. K. C O L LE GE OF P HA R MA C Y ,
C HE N N A I
Role of Pharmacist in Interdepartmental
Communication & Community Health
Education

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Contents
 Understand the pharmacist's role in
interdepartmental communication
 Explain the importance of community health
education
 Explore examples and case studies

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Interdepartmental Communication
Definition:
 Exchange of information between departments in a
healthcare setup
Key departments involved:
 Pharmacy,
 Nursing,
 Medicine,
 Laboratory,
 Administration

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Pharmacist’s Role
 Prescription clarification
 Drug interaction and compatibility information
 Participation in ward rounds
 Ensuring medicine availability
 Reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs)

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Case Study: Preventing a Medication Error
 Scenario: Nurse misreads an illegible prescription
for Digoxin
 Action: Pharmacist clarifies with physician; corrects
the dose
 Outcome: Prevented overdose in elderly patient

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Pharmacist as a Communication Bridge
 Links doctors, nurses, and administrative staff
 Ensures accurate documentation and
communication flow
 Acts as a bridge between doctors, nurses, laboratory,
and administrative staff.
 Coordinates with departments to ensure proper
medication delivery and patient care.

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Community Health Education
 Definition: Educating public to improve health
literacy and disease prevention
 Settings:
Schools,
public health camps,
Rural clinics

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Case Study: Antibiotic Misuse Awareness
 Scenario: Community with high self-medication
rates using antibiotics
 Action: Pharmacist conducts awareness campaign
 Outcome: Reduced self-medication and antibiotic
resistance cases
 Pharmacist should Teach the community about
avoiding self-medication and misuse of antibiotics.

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Examples of Health Education Topics
 Educates patients on proper use of medications
(dosage, timing, side effects).
 Focuses on lifestyle diseases like diabetes,
hypertension, and asthma.
 Vaccine importance- Encourages and educates the
public on immunization schedules and vaccine
benefits.
 Educates youth and families about the dangers of
tobacco, alcohol, and drug abuse.
 Tailors health messages for elderly, pregnant
women, children, and people with disabilities.

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Collaborating with Other Health Workers
 Working with:
 Other department workers
 NGOs
 Local health departments
 Joint efforts improve health outcomes
- Works alongside community health workers, NGOs,
and local health authorities for mass outreach.

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Skills Required for Effective Communication
 Listening and empathy
 Technical and clinical knowledge
 Cultural sensitivity
 Leadership and teamwork

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Importance in Healthcare System
 Improves patient safety and therapeutic outcomes
 Reduces medication errors
 Increases medication adherence
 Promotes preventive healthcare
 Strengthens the public health infrastructure

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Summary Table
Role Area Pharmacist Activity
Interdepartmental Communication Prescription review, drug info sharing
Community Health Education
Counseling, awareness, preventive
education
•Pharmacists play a vital role beyond dispensing
•Effective communication enhances patient care and public health

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Thank You
References:
 Merchant S.H. and Dr. J.S.Quadry. A textbook of
hospital pharmacy, 4th ed. Ahmadabad: B.S. Shah
Prakakshan; 2001.
 Parthasarathi G, Karin Nyfort-Hansen, Milap C
Nahata. A textbook of Clinical Pharmacy Practice-
essential concepts and skills, 1 st ed. Chennai: Orient
Longman Private Limited; 2004.
 William E. Hassan. Hospital pharmacy, 5th ed.
Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1986.