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PHARMACEUTICAL INFORMATICS
Pharmaceutical Informatics is the subset of Health Informatics
that deals with the study, research and implementation of Information
Technology and its applications in pharmaceutical practice. 1
It is now common for retail pharmacies to use computer systems for prescription
management and billing, in addition to providing computer based education to
patients and tracking medical compliance. Some retail pharmacies such as
CVS Pharmacy now offer services over the Internet.
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Pharmaceutical Informatics has been involved in the following
ares of pharmaceutical practice:
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Research and Development: Pharmaceutical firms spend a lot of time and
money researching and developing new drugs and in the process produce a lot of
data, in addition to the data that is being produced by bioinformatics
(especially the Human Genome Project). Data management and statistical analysis
tools have made it easier for researchers to effectively manage the huge amount
of data that being constantly produced on a daily basis.
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Patient Profiling: It is now easier to keep track of medication that
patients are taking presently, as well as medications they might have taken in
the past as well. Exact details, such as past prescriptions and allergies, can
be extracted from computer from computer systems.
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Decision Support: Pharmaceutical Informatics have contributed to the
development of decision support systems in areas such as choosing potential
medications for a condition, offering alternatives based on past medical
history and non-pharmacological conditions such as cost, providing literature
support (evidence-based medicine) and listing of indications and
contraindications.
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Medication Information Systems (MIS): MIS are database systems that
offer health information about medications. This information could include the
composition of drugs, their uses, risks and side effects and food and drug
interactions. The information from MIS is especially useful in educating
patient about the medication they would be taking.
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Telepharmacy: This is the
provision of pharmaceutical care through the use of computer systems to
patients at remote locations by a pharmacist.
References
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Pankaskie, Marvin.; Sullivan, Jodi. [WWW] Computers Open New
Worlds, Pose New Problems.
http://www.thenewalchemist.com/personal/publications/JAPHA_Jan-Feb_98_Article.htm
(23RD April 2003)
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Pharmaceutical
Informatics
A brief description of pharmaceutical informatics.
http://www.aacp.org/memonly/sections/sadminsci/informat.htm
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PharmacyInformatics.com
A news and information portal on pharmaceutical informatics.
http://www.pharmacyinformatics.com/
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PharmacyInformatics.org
Phamaceutical informatics site designed by students.
http://www.pharmacyinformatics.org/
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