The Appsavvy World of Pharma!!!

In today’s sedentary lifestyle which is leading to increase in no. of patients and use of medicines with limited sources for patient counselling, emerges the need to think for the new ways of developing patient safety.

The age old proverb used in pharmacy,”“right medication in right dose to a right patient at right time by right route” needs modification as

“right medication in right dose to a right patient at right time by right route and right channel through right information and communication means”

Where right channel is the one helping in administration and right technological means – whether the information is browsed and medicine used by consulting doctor online , or on advice by pharmacist, on advice by layman , etc.

As per WHO,”More than 2.6 Million “Avoidable Deaths” occur each year,thus WHO marked 17^th September as ‘World Patient Safety Day’.A lot many underlying causes for patient safety , ineffective medicines and other common issues have come up. But in the ever-evolving technosavy world where apps have taken accounting role for each and every sphere, the hope for solution still exist.

Next few years necessitates the development of reliable apps for better health system.

Here are few Current apps available :

Not only cans this but a pharmacist work with the following few methods to keep in track patient safety and efficacy of medicines:

1. A database for different ADR based on each category of drugs, moreover if we can have a pharmacist specialized only in all the ADR’s of drugs will definitely improve the efficiency of the drug and correct delivery of information .
2. Triology- a pharmacist, a doctor and a patient. Imagine where a patient can anytime contact with the pharmacist and ask the questions regarding the medicines and take a better step for safe use and can be counseled easily .A best example of this is the Al powered App developed by Lupin- wherein doctors and patients are connected through this app interface.

3. Fake medicines- with the fake medicines on rise an app to identify them is recently been developed, so that they anyone can scan the medicine and identify whether they are fake or not.
4. Videos of how to use the particular medical devices should be created as another way of techie-patient counseling.
5. A toll-free number / call centres for any assistance related to medicines and medical devices.
6. An app for personalizing the dosage regimen will be a great boon for the patients.

With these ideas and apps, websites etc controlling them, their content is another big task that young pharmacists can take up to decrease the misuse and making available only right information and accurate dosing.

As they say “harm to the patient is a threat to the sustainability of health systems where medicines are integral part.”  So taking care of patientsis our utmost responsibility being in a noble profession and vital part of healthcare.

By
Kajal Kabra,
M.Pharm Student
Department: Quality Assurance and Techniques
AISSMS COP