AI has emerged as a profound technology, reshaping a wide range of sectors across the globe in recent years, and healthcare is no exception. In the last few decades, significant changes in pharmacy practices have been observed. Artificial Intelligence has played a crucial role in molding the approach of professionals towards conventional methods in handling a plethora of pharmacy practices. This innovation in artificial intelligence technology has opened the way for the healthcare system, ensuring safe and effective medication management and optimal patient care through activities such as the reconciliation of medications, medication review, medication therapy management (MTM), drug information, patient awareness, adverse drug reaction (ADR) monitoring, and multidisciplinary collaborations.
AI technology integration provides pharmacists with tools and systems that assist them in making accurate and evidence-based healthcare judgments. Pharmacists can swiftly examine vast volumes of patient data, such as medical records, test findings, and prescription profiles, by employing AI algorithms and machine learning. This enables them to discover potential drug-drug interactions, evaluate pharmaceutical safety and efficacy, and provide informed recommendations suited to particular patients.
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) serve as fundamental repositories of data crucial for the development and implementation of AI applications in the healthcare domain. They play a pivotal role by offering the requisite information essential for training AI algorithms, validating their performance, and providing real-time decision support. The seamless integration of AI into EHR systems holds significant promise in optimizing clinical workflows, elevating the quality of patient outcomes, and actively contributing to the advancement of precision medicine.
AI-powered tools play a pivotal role in enhancing patient engagement and education within pharmacy settings. Chatbots and virtual assistants, equipped with advanced AI capabilities, serve as valuable resources by providing information, addressing inquiries, and enriching the overall patient experience. These technologies are instrumental in fostering improved communication between healthcare providers and patients, contributing to a more informed and empowered healthcare journey.
Pharmacointelligence is one such term that needs to be highlighted by the professionals involved in pharmacy practices across the globe. The aim for the forthcoming years should be the necessary development in this field, and there is a vital need to alter the approach of orthodox methods involved in handling pharmacy practices.
Within the dynamic landscape of Artificial Intelligence’s cumulative growth, the constant evolution and the introduction of cutting-edge AI tools, exemplified by Chat GPT, underscore the pressing need for a strategic emphasis on enhancing the incorporation of these technologies within the fabric of pharmacy practices, with the ultimate goal of advancing healthcare facilities in the approaching future.
Rajas Sameer Sheth
Final Year B. Pharm.