Doha: In line with the evolving changes in the industry, pharmacists at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) have expanded their role in the health care.
Their role has been expanded beyond the traditional dispensing practice to more clinical patient-centred practice. Pharmacists have become an essential component of the healthcare team. They contribute not only via direct patient care, but also through research and innovations, said Executive Director of Pharmacy Department at HMC, Dr. Moza Al Hail.
“The pharmacy practice research is significantly growing and enhancing health services and patient outcomes,” Dr. Al Hail told The Peninsula.
“As pharmacists, we have a societal duty to provide the best possible care to all our patients. Pharmacists are trained in collating medical information using a comprehensive literature search and evidence-based strategies and thereby improving quality of care and the use of health care resources judicially,” she added.
In line with the corporate agenda to build a vibrant research capacity at HMC, Pharmacy Department has developed a dedicated Pharmacy Research Centre (PRC) committed to providing leadership support to improve pharmacy research capacity, and assist the pharmacy staff to develop, evaluate, implement and disseminate the evidence-based practices through research.
“A team of well-qualified pharmacists with specialised research-oriented skills and training are available to guide our pharmacy professionals those interested to begin a new research or willing to participate in an ongoing research. We are also collaborating with national and international stakeholders to develop strategies to plan, design, and monitor the pharmacy research projects and their progress,” said Dr. Al Hail.
Dr. Al Hail also explained that COVID-19 pandemic has further augmented the need for high quality research, the pharmacy department encouraged pharmacists to participate in research activities.
“Ever since the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pharmacy team was actively involved in research focusing on safety and efficacy of medications used during pandemic, outcomes of COVID-19 and medications used, effect of disease and medications on vulnerable population such as pregnant, patients with comorbidities and elderly. Several case reports and studies are already published in relevance to COVID-19 and its management,” said Dr. Al Hail.
To mention some 130 research projects from different disciplines were submitted by the Pharmacy Department in 2021 to HMC’s Medical Research Centre and majority of the research focused on oncology/haematology followed by infectious diseases.
In terms of research publications, 109 studies were published in national, regional and international medical journals more than one fourth of these publications were related to ongoing COVID-19 infections followed by oncology and other infectious diseases.
Sixty-six research findings were presented as poster and ten were oral presentation.
“The quality of our research activities was evident as the pharmacist team won 14 awards at the national and international level,” said Dr. Al Hail.
