Pharmacy
Since 2003, Purdue
University College of Pharmacy (PUCOP) has been providing
pharmaceutical care at AMPATH and Moi Teaching and Referral
Hospital. The purpose of this partnership is to provide
clinical and community pharmacy services. Our mission is to
provide and expand sustainable access to high quality care by
providing excellent healthcare for individuals and populations,
developing passionate leaders in pharmacy, performing research
focused on local needs and global solutions, and establishing
critical healthcare infrastructure and systems.
Teaching
Under the supervision of two full-time on-site faculty members, PUCOP student pharmacists and interns from the University of Nairobi practice on the adult internal medicine inpatient wards (Nyayo wards) medical teams. Through this partnership, PUCOP students are able to participate in a true bilateral exchange experience. The students participate in interdisciplinary patient care rounds, in which they answer pharmaceutical care questions, assist with medication administration record reconciliation, and address medication stock-outs and substitutions. More than 140 students have completed this experience.
In July 2011, Purdue University faculty started a global health pharmacy residency program in conjunction with on-site Kenyan adjunct faculty. The mission of the residency is to educate international pharmacy residents in a diverse, collaborative environment resulting in innovative healthcare enhancement and expansion of clinical pharmacy services. The residency class includes one American and three Kenyans.
Clinical Services
The pharmacy team consists of pharmacists, pharmacy
technologists, physicians, medical officers, and community health
workers. The team has established and continues to grow both
a diabetes care program and an anticoagulation management
service. The diabetes care program is database driven, has
three clinic locations, and uses a cell phone based model of care
for immediate needs and home based glucose monitoring for high-risk
patients. The program cares for more than 2,000 patients. The
anticoagulation clinic serves more than 200 active patients by
using point-of-care INR testing, assisting with adherence through
medication pillboxes, and utilization of standardized encounter
forms.
The Pharmacy team is also partnering with public health facilities and the communities generate innovative ways of sustainably improving access to quality medicines. One of the ways is through the "Revolving Fund Pharmacy" concept. The revolving fund pharmacy provides a sustainable back-up to the government pharmacy. This concept has already been piloted successfully in two sites with the plan to scale up the program in more facilities within the AMPATH catchment area. Additionally, pharmacy has implemented an electronic database in the AMPATH pharmacy. It assists in recording inventory, tracking patient prescriptions and alerting changes in regimens. In addition, pharmacy manages the donations from pharmaceutical industry.
Awards
All of this patient-focused care and research is possible due to strong collaborative relationships with amazing Kenyan counterparts. The program has received the following awards:
- 2009 American College of Clinical Pharmacy New Clinical Practitioner Award
- 2010 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Student Community Engaged Service Award
- 2010 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Best Practices Award in Health-System Pharmacy
Values
- Patients First - Excellent patient care is the first priority and the focus of all activities
- Investing in Future Leaders - Develop global health champions in pharmacy through mentoring and training
- Bilateral Collaboration - Work together in a collaborative, supportive, goal oriented environment of trust, encouragement, and accountability
- Sustainable Impact - Establish programs lasting beyond the tenure of any individual and independent of any single funding source
- Sharing Best Practices - Disseminate knowledge and experience through scholarly activities