[india-drug] Training Course In Patient Counseling (5)

["Sampada Patvardhan" <dicmspc@yahoo.co.in>]

Training Course In Patient Counseling (5)
****************************************

With reference to some queries raised by our members, I would like to comment on our initiative to launch a structured Training Course In Patient Counseling, as under:
   
This course meant for registered Community Pharmacists, running the drug stores, is very well received by participants. The batch size is only 30, making the training very intense.I am quite positive about the outcome of this effort and we do collect written and verbal feedback from all trained pharmacists. In fact, many participating pharmacists have started the counseling in their shops, first time in their professional life. The resources are made available from Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council?s Drug Information Centre and the funds for the course have come from Maharashtra State Chemists and Druggists Association (MSCDA), thus making it very clear that chemists want to get upgraded. They want to change the existing image of a trader to trained professional. There are 40000 registered Community Pharmacists in Maharashtra alone and around 5.5 lacs in India. So training them is huge but most essential responsibility of all healthcare experts. 
   
We have also observed that for new pharma product launches, only doctors get briefed by medical representatives of companies, but chemists who dispense the medicines do not receive any such detailing.  Why? Are all doctors fully equipped to take on new drugs, new formulations of existing drugs? May be not. How the nebulizer, new insulin device, rotahalers should be used, is never told to drug store chemist. If he/she receives this demo, it can be rightly passed on to end user, who may not know the methodology. 
   
Why pharmacists still remain underprivileged in area of health and medicines? If their role in therapeutics is encouraged by all, they will get themselves updated in due course of time. In fact, Pharmacy Act 1948, is under amendment now, by PCI and new Act will come in force in near future. It will then have clause stating mandatory updating by pharmacists, compulsory two refresher courses in 5 years span to renew the pharmacy registration to ensure up gradation. Also in rural parts, it is known that qualified pharmacist may serve better than a quack doctor. 
   
Therefore, this ongoing course should be welcomed by all who wish to see better patient care in our country.
   
  Sincerely,
  Dr. (Mrs.) Sampada Patvardhan 
  (Ph.D.Tech. Pharmacology)                              
  Director, Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council?s Drug Information Centre
  E.S.I.S. Hospital Compound, L.B.S. Marg, Mulund (W), Mumbai-400 080   Phone: 25930607  Telefax: 25684291/25684418  e-mail: dicmspc@yahoo.co.in  OR dicmspc@gmail.com


              Dr. (Mrs.) Sampada Patvardhan (Ph.D.Tech. Pharmacology)                                         
   








       
---------------------------------
 SHOUT IT OUT! Tell everyone, from anywhere, that you're online on Yahoo! Messenger