Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, the Continuing Education Unit in collaboration with the Ibn Sina Unit for E-learning at the University of Baghdad/ College of Pharmacy held an in-person workshop entitled “Masterclass: Making the most of medication reviews” delivered by Assistant Professor Dr. Fadya Yaqoob Al-Hamadani, faculty member at the clinical pharmacy Department and Dr. Sundus Jawad, FRPharmS, NHS Frimley, NIHR SCPR, UK.
The workshop aimed to equip healthcare professionals with the comprehensive knowledge and practical skills required to effectively conduct structured medication reviews, thereby optimizing pharmacotherapy, managing problematic polypharmacy, and enhancing patient safety and outcomes.
The workshop included several topics including: Explain the history, purpose, and importance of medication reviews in patient care, list the key components of a clinical structured medication review, clarify the steps, clinical skills and practical considerations needed to conduct effective medication reviews that improve patient outcomes, clarify the role of medication reviews in managing problematic polypharmacy and safe deprescribing, identify patient groups who would most benefit from a medication review, recognise common challenges and barriers to medication reviews and propose strategies to overcome them and discuss evidence-based tools and resources available to support medication reviews.
The workshop concluded that, a thorough understanding and proficient application of structured medication review principles are paramount for modern healthcare practice. By systematically addressing medication complexities, identifying at-risk patients, and leveraging available tools, healthcare professionals can effectively manage polypharmacy, promote safe deprescribing, and ultimately elevate the standard of patient-centered care.
