File photo used for representation only.
Doha, Qatar: The all-in-one ‘Clinical pharmacist-led oncology clinic’ at Hamad Medical Corporation’s National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) is revolutionising the way patients receive care. Led by highly skilled clinical pharmacists, this model of care ensures that patients with cancer receive optimised services tailored to their specific needs.
The new clinic is considered a major step towards improving services and it helps in the effective use of medicine, improves patient safety, and reduces the time consumed for solving medication-related concerns, according to NCCCR’s Clinical Pharmacist Dr. Maria Benkhadra. She said that the clinic is “another successful step towards improving.”
At the ‘Clinical pharmacist-led oncology clinic,’ patients can expect comprehensive medication management and support throughout their cancer treatment journey. The team of pharmacists works closely with oncologists and other healthcare professionals to provide personalized medication plans, ensuring the safe and effective use of cancer medications. They conduct thorough assessments of each patient’s medical history, current medications, and individual treatment goals to develop individualized care plans that prioritize patient safety and well-being.
“If you are a patient diagnosed with an organ-specific cancer (not a blood cancer) and your doctor has decided that you receive chemotherapy through the vein (intravenous; IV), this clinic (Clinical pharmacist-led oncology clinic) will provide you with free-of-charge clinical pharmacy services,” Dr. Benkhadra said in an interview with NCCCR’s newsletter ‘News and Views.’
Explaining how the clinical pharmacy services involved in the clinic, Dr. Benkhadra said, “The services provided by our highly qualified clinical pharmacy team include reviewing all possible medication-related issues and collaborating with your doctor to solve the identified concerns.
She said that it will be done in collaboration with the doctor, and ensure that the chosen therapy is the best option for the patient according to international standards.
Also, the pharmacists at the clinic will be checking all the medications and supplements to verify that they do not negatively impact the outcomes of treatment.
They also review all lab tests that may affect the response to treatment. Pharmacists at the clinic also follow up on the education provided by the doctor with precise details and address any medication-related concerns that the patients may be having.
“These services will facilitate the early-recognition of any medication-related problem that you may be at risk for. This allows for the optimisation of your medications, improvement of your safety, and reduction of the time consumed for solving medication-related concerns on the day of your chemotherapy,” said Dr. Benkhadra.
“Furthermore, late identification of possible medication-related problems may require more treatments to help alleviate their consequences.
“Thus, it is only rational that their early identification can also reduce the overall cost of treatment.
“These benefits are not only logical, rather they were also demonstrated by international research, such as a published review that summarized 17 studies on the topic. Those studies were conducted in numerous centres from multiple countries,” she added.
