Hospital pharmacy, rational use of medicines and patient safety in Latin America

Public and private hospitals around the world, and specifically in Latin America, have the necessity to diminish medicine costs, support their rational use and achieve patient safety. Nowadays, an important competent strategy to fulfil these goals is the implementation of different pharmaceutical services considering the characteristics and objectives of each hospital. All pharmaceutical services are connected in such a way that not only the quality, efficacy and safety of prescribed medicines are guaranteed but also their rational and correct use by physicians, nurses and patients is achieved. Efficient distribution systems, improvement of patient pharmacotherapy, clinical research trials, active pharmacovigilance, and the obligation to detect and diminish medication errors are important factors of successful patient safety.

This is an Open Series currently considering submissions. If you would like to send an article for inclusion in the series, please send an abstract to the Editorial Office for pre-submission review.