In the rapidly changing healthcare environment in recent years, appropriate and flexible response is required for health professionals including physicians, nurse and pharmacists. At Tokushima University Hospital, dedicated ward pharmacists have been allocated to every ward,providing instruction on the use of drugs, medication support, and counseling on medication, which has contributed to improved outcome of patients. In addition to their tasks such as drug dispensing,drug information management, and measurement and analyses of blood drug concentration,the pharmacists also positively collaborate as part of a nutrition support team, an infection control team, and other activities in the hospital. Rational pharmacy practice requires the ability to organize and apply evidence on a scientific basis to logically design drug therapy. In our department,we promote both clinical and basic research focused on the management of adverse effects and drug repositioning to achieve science-based pharmacy practice. Both pharmacy service and research require similar abilities research ability, such as capacity to think logically and problem resolution skill, is considered to be a basis for clinical competence. Pharmacists are expected to continuously deal flexibly with ever changing and expanding pharmacy services, and to contribute to team-based health care, by putting science-based clinical pharmacy services into practice
