Clinical Pharmacy
Clinical pharmacy is the part of healthcare that makes medicines work safely and well for each person. Clinical pharmacists, most with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree, review every medicine you take, check for interactions, side effects, wrong doses and duplicates, and work with your doctor on the best plan. They also run medication therapy management (MTM), counselling, chronic care programmes and clinical research.
What it treats
- Many medicines from different doctors (five or more)
- Side effects, interactions and duplicate medicines
- Diabetes, blood pressure, heart, kidney, thyroid and asthma medicines
- Blood thinners such as warfarin and other high-risk medicines
- Antibiotics and infections (antimicrobial stewardship)
- Medicines in pregnancy, breastfeeding, children and older age
- Missed doses, complex timings and pill burden
- Medicine costs and generic options
When to see a clinical pharmacist
- When you take five or more medicines, or see more than one doctor
- After a hospital stay, surgery or a new diagnosis
- When a medicine seems to cause problems or is not working
- Before starting supplements, herbal or over-the-counter medicines with your prescriptions
- Once a year for parents over 60
In an emergency call 108 or 112 in India, or 911 in the United States.
Good to know
- Bring every medicine you take, including vitamins, herbal and Ayurvedic products, to the review
- Never stop or change a medicine on your own: ask your doctor or pharmacist first
- Never share prescription medicines
- MD/PharmD Clinical Expert MyDoctor Staff provide medication reviews, MTM and counselling on MyDoctor, in person and online
Guides, articles and videos
Guides for clinical pharmacy are being written and checked by MD/PharmD Clinical Expert MyDoctor Staff. Until then, the articles below and our blog can help.
Hospitals, labs, health brands and insurers: become a partner of Clinical Pharmacy on MyDoctor.
Services
Medication therapy management (MTM)
A complete review of all your medicines with a written plan for you and your doctor: what each medicine is for, what to stop, change or add, and follow-up. Used in diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, COPD and asthma care.
Comprehensive medication review (CMR)
A one-to-one review, usually once a year, of every prescription, over-the-counter medicine and supplement, with a personal medication list you can carry.
Patient counselling
How and when to take each medicine, what to avoid with food or alcohol, side effects to watch for, and how to use inhalers, insulin pens and other devices.
Interaction and allergy checks
Medicine with medicine, food, alcohol, health conditions, pregnancy and allergies, with the reason and what to watch. Try the free MyDoctor medication interaction check.
Chronic care and adherence programmes
Regular follow-up for long-term conditions, refill reminders, blister packs and home blood pressure and sugar logs, working with your doctor through Chronic Care Management.
Dose adjustment and therapeutic monitoring
Doses matched to age, weight, kidney and liver function, and levels of medicines such as vancomycin, digoxin, lithium and anti-seizure medicines.
Antimicrobial stewardship
Right antibiotic, right dose, right length of course, to treat infections well and slow antibiotic resistance in hospitals and clinics.
Hospital clinical pharmacy
Ward rounds with doctors, medication reconciliation at admission and discharge, ICU and oncology pharmacy, and adverse drug reaction reporting (pharmacovigilance).
Pharmacovigilance and medication safety
Finding, reporting and preventing side effects and medication errors, and reporting to the national programmes (PvPI in India, FDA MedWatch in the United States).
Clinical research
Clinical trials and real-world studies run by PharmD and PhD scientists: protocol design, patient safety monitoring, data and publications, following ICH-GCP and ethics committee rules.
Drug information service
Evidence-based answers for doctors, nurses and patients on doses, interactions, pregnancy safety and new medicines.
Deprescribing and polypharmacy care
Safely reducing medicines that are no longer needed, especially for older adults, to cut side effects, falls and costs.
Who you will meet
A 6-year professional doctorate in India (5 years of study plus a 1-year hospital internship) and a 4-year professional doctorate in the United States after pre-pharmacy study. PharmD graduates train on hospital wards with doctors and focus on patient care.
A 3-year PharmD in India for pharmacists who already hold a BPharm degree.
Research doctorates in pharmacology, pharmaceutics, clinical pharmacy, pharmacoepidemiology and related fields. PhD scientists lead clinical research, new medicine development and teaching.
PharmD and PhD researchers with advanced research training who lead studies and outcomes research.
Registered pharmacists (4-year BPharm; 2-year MPharm with a specialty such as pharmacology or pharmacy practice) who dispense, counsel and manage pharmacies.
In the United States, BPS board certification such as BCPS (pharmacotherapy), BCACP (ambulatory care), BCOP (oncology), BCCCP (critical care) and BCIDP (infectious diseases).
Pharmacists are registered with the State Pharmacy Council under the Pharmacy Council of India, or licensed by the State Board of Pharmacy in the United States.
Stay well, not just get well
A MyDoctor wellness plan covers you and your whole family (yourself, your spouse, children and parents) with yearly check-ups, reminders, reports in one place and a doctor who knows your history.
Learn more
MyDoctor services and software for Clinical Pharmacy
One trusted platform for patients, families, doctors, hospitals and healthcare organisations in India and the United States. Secure online payment by UPI, card, net banking or bank transfer, with a GST invoice and a PDF receipt by email.
For patients and families
MyDoctor Premium
A doctor-led membership for you and your family: yearly check-ups, medication reviews by MD/PharmD Clinical Expert MyDoctor Staff, reminders and every report in one place.
Book a doctor or a visit
A doctor or specialist at home, a clinic or hospital OPD visit, or a video consultation in clinical pharmacy, in India and the United States. We confirm the doctor and the fee before you pay.
MyDoctor Store
Every MyDoctor membership and service in one place, paid online with a GST invoice. Connected devices coming soon.
For doctors, hospitals and organisations
Hospital and clinic software
OPD and appointments, patient records and notes, e-prescriptions, lab orders, billing with GST invoices, telehealth, AI scribe and team chat, with support from MD/PharmD Clinical Expert MyDoctor Staff.
MyDoctor Conferences
Conference management software for medical societies, hospitals and universities: call for abstracts with review, invited speakers, paid registrations with GST invoices, scholarships, countdowns and certificates, with our Premium Travel Concierge included free.
MyDoctor Social
The private network for doctors, pharmacists, nurses and every healthcare professional. Find classmates and colleagues, get your verified tick and write research with MyDoctor.
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Do you run a clinic or hospital in clinical pharmacy?
List your practice on MyDoctor, get clinic and hospital management software free to start, and support from MD/PharmD Clinical Expert MyDoctor Staff.
Work in clinical pharmacy with MyDoctor
We hire doctors, PharmD clinical pharmacists, PhD and postdoctoral scientists, nurses, therapists and care coordinators for India and the United States, on site and remote.
Other departments
General information from MyDoctor's clinical team to help you understand your options. It is not a diagnosis; please see a doctor about your own health.