Every so often the media will triumphantly publicize a breakthrough in medical treatment to the world, often life changing for its intended users, and we will, rightly, wonder at the advances medical research has brought to society each time.

However, whilst these infrequent leaps will garner the publicity and admiration of the world, it often goes unnoticed that smaller improvements to medical treatment, and even our attitudes to healthcare, happen daily.

One of the lesser publicized changes is the introduction of the compounding pharmacy, a development in treatment and attitude that can bring benefits for both medical professionals and patients alike.

Compounding?

Rather than the traditional process of prescribing off the shelf medication, and more than one type if the treatment requires it, pharmaceutical compounding takes a different path and creates custom medication based on the needs of a patient and specifications from the medical professional. It has been widely adopted in both paediatrics and dermatological areas of healthcare and is starting to make its way into many other areas of treatment at a rapid pace.

In practise, this means that rather than multiple medications at multiple doses, the physician can create a specification for a single medication that the pharmacy will create, tailored to that patient’s exact needs, covering all of the requirements for treatment within a single dose.

Benefits for the medical professional

For the doctor, the number one benefit of going with pharmaceutical compounding is that of the improved quality of patient care. Having the ability to control exact doses of any medication within a single prescription even for someone requiring treatments for multiple conditions can only be a benefit to the patient, and an improved level of service is good for medical professionals and the reputation of their practice.

Replacing multiple medications with a single dose has further benefits, a reduction in paperwork and general administration for each patient can be a major boon to efficiency within a medical practice, instead of multiple medical orders for multiple prescriptions, there is a single order for a single prescription. It also, of course, reduces the chances of the patient getting confused with dosage requirements in a situation where they have numerous different medicines to take.

The last benefit for doctors is the least discussed, but in terms of actual treatment perhaps may even be the most important. And that is dosage. Because the medication is designed specifically for each patient, the dosage can be exact, so rather than a situation where a patient may require something that is in-between two dosages of an off the shelf medication, the customized treatment can include the precise amount the medical professional wishes, with no need for extra or less because that is the amount the medicines are packaged in.

Improved healthcare

Whilst the benefits as outlined are individually compelling, the overall benefit of a compounding pharmacy is one of simply more precise, efficient and easier to manage treatment, for both the medical team and the patient, which is what every practice strives towards.