Use of Database Systems in Pharmacy and Healthcare Management

Database systems have become an essential component of pharmacy and healthcare management, as it effectively manages the growing complexity and volume of medical data and have replaced the conventional paper-based approach. Patients who are on traditional medication management methods have often struggled due to medication errors, poor adherence, and lack of continuous monitoring, which poses a serious threat to treatment outcomes and patient safety. This review examines database management systems (DBMS) in the healthcare system, making it more efficient and accessible. Within the pharmacy database systems, support and enhance many critical functions such as drug information management, prescription processing, and inventory control, collectively reducing medication errors and providing greater patient safety.The findings reveal that database systems enable real-time data access, optimized resource management, and enhanced collaboration among health care teams. They also facilitate clinical decision-making and support overall health care service delivery. Despite the number of advantages, there are still significant challenges and gaps present, which include privacy risk, financial cost of its implementation, and lack of access in developing parts of the world. Both pharmacy-specific databases and broader healthcare systems need more research for better development. This paper evaluates the distinct roles of various database types like relational, NoSQl and cloud-based systems. Key applications within pharmacy and healthcare systems are discussed, such as drug information management, prescription processing, inventory control, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS), and Hospital Management Systems (HMS). These systems have the potential to raise the health care quality and operational efficiency.