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Pharmacy at SKMCH&RC, Lahore

The Department of Pharmacy aims to provide safe pharmaceutical services with high-quality patient care in an atmosphere of professionalism, respect, and effective communication. Department of Pharmacy is integrated with multi-site Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust pharmacies based in Lahore, Peshawar, and Karachi. The patient-focused quality services are achieved through safe medication management and utilise processes comprising effective planning and organisation, selection and procurement, storage, prescribing, preparing and dispensing, administering, monitoring and evaluating, reporting adverse drug events, and education.

The Department of Pharmacy plays an integral role in planning and implementing policies and procedures related to medication management and use under the umbrella of Pharmacy & Therapeutic Committee and the department of Pharmacy is also an effective part of other hospital committees e.g infection control, quality council and hospital safety committee etc.

The Department functions include a dispensing pharmacy, aseptic pharmacy, in-patient pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, and drug information services and ensures optimisation of pharmaceutical care to all patients through high-quality medicinal products, provided by qualified and well-trained pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy assistants.

Our clinical pharmacists work as integral members of the health care team to achieve desired therapeutic outcomes, prevent, or minimise drug-related problems, and safe use of medication with the help of hospital information system.

The Department of Pharmacy is dedicatedly involved in the education and training of healthcare professionals. Various educational activities including annual symposium, Pharmacy Residency Programme, continuing medical education (CME) events, pharmacy newsletters, internship programmes etc are conducted at various levels to ensure quality services and support in development of skilled human resource at SKMCH&RC. The Department of Pharmacy is ISO 9001-2015 certified, and accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) 7th edition and Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI). The residency programme at the Lahore site is also accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).

Our Expertise

The Department of Pharmacy at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centres in Lahore and Peshawar provides around-the-clock services for both outpatients and inpatients. At the Shaukat Khanum Diagnostic Centre and Clinic in Karachi, the department offers ambulatory services only. Pharmacists play a crucial role in reviewing prescriptions for appropriateness, dispensing medications, and counselling patients on their proper use.

The outpatient pharmacy caters to prescriptions from both SKMCH&RC and external sources, offering a wide range of chemotherapeutic drugs, controlled medications, and customised preparations like Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) and extemporaneous preparations. The aseptic and inpatient pharmacy services involve skilled pharmacists and technicians preparing ready-to-use chemotherapeutic drugs and antibiotics, following international guidelines (USP 797 & 800).

The clinical department facilitates communication between healthcare workers and provides continuous services throughout the hospital. Clinical pharmacists participate in daily rounds with the healthcare team, monitor the appropriateness of prescriptions, conduct therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), report Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR), and perform Drug Utilisation Reviews (DUR) and Medication Utilisation Reviews (MUE). The department also provides ADR data to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and complies with provincial Health Care Commission laws.

As custodians of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme (ASP), the department educates healthcare professionals, implements hospital treatment guidelines, restricts certain antibiotic prescriptions, monitors antibiotic consumption trends, reviews antibiograms, participates in hand hygiene audits, and provides feedback to prescribers.

Pharmacists are involved in Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) of medication management processes, medication reconciliation, and medication adherence programmes, promoting continuity of patient care.

All practices adhere to quality standards, including Joint Commission International (JCI), Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), and Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) recommendations. These efforts improve patient quality of life and reduce risks associated with drug therapy.

Trainig Opportunities For Pharmacists

The Department of Pharmacy is committed to team progress and provides numerous learning opportunities for pharmacists to advance their careers. These include educational sessions, symposium, volunteer programmes, internships, and participation in national and international conferences. Our one-year pharmacy practice residency programme is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).

International Pharmacy Practice Residency Programme (IPPRP) – SKMCH&RC, Lahore

Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC), Lahore, is the first hospital in Pakistan offering an International Pharmacy Practice Residency Programme (IPPRP), accredited by ASHP. This programme is designed to provide structured training to resident pharmacists based on their interests and career goals. Under the guidance of preceptors, residents acquire the knowledge, attitude, and skills necessary to provide high-quality pharmaceutical care to patients. The one-year residency includes the following learning experiences:

Management & Leadership

Quality & Patient Safety

Staffing Support

Ambulatory Care

Aseptic Services

Parenteral Nutrition

Drug Information Services

Internal Medicine

Critical Care

Infectious Diseases

Surgical Services

Medical Oncology Adult

Medical Oncology Paediatric

Palliative Care

Research Project

Pharmacy Internship Programme

The Department of Pharmacy offers a comprehensive internship programme for fresh pharmacy graduates from various universities in Pakistan as well as international pharmacists.

Research

The Department of Pharmacy plays a crucial role in all clinical research studies conducted at SKMCH&RC. For clinical trials, the pharmacy is responsible for managing drug storage, preparation, dispensing, public health awareness, and drug accountability.

The Department also conducted in-house research on various topics, including medication errors, drug utilisation reviews, and the clinical efficacy of newly added formulary drugs. Our research focuses on improving pharmaceutical care.

Research publications by pharmacists at SKMCH&RC have been accepted and published in well-reputed international journals. These publications can be found in the medical research publication section of the SKMCH&RC website.