As the government moves to reorganize tertiary hospitals to focus on critically ill and complex patients, experts are urging the institutional inclusion of hospital pharmacists as essential personnel in intensive care settings.

They argue that multidisciplinary, team-based care is critical to reducing medication errors in ICUs and improving patient survival.

The need to strengthen pharmacists' roles in critical care was emphasized during the “2025 National Assembly Policy Forum,” hosted Wednesday by the Korean Society of Health-System Pharmacists at the National Assembly Library under the theme “Changes in the Healthcare Delivery System and Strengthening the Role of Hospital Pharmacists.” The event was co-hosted by Reps. Seo Young-seok and Kim Yoon of the Democratic Party of Korea and Rep. Kim Sun-min of the Rebuilding Korea Party.

“Critically ill ICU patients are often elderly and have multiple underlying conditions,” said Professor Suh Gee-young of the Department of Critical Care Medicine at Samsung Medical Center in a keynote address. “With impaired organ function, even small medication errors—such as incorrect dosages—can cause severe harm.”

Citing international models, Suh noted that pharmacist participation in ICU rounds has been shown to reduce medication-related adverse events. In the United States, ICU pharmacist involvement is considered a best-practice standard. The U.K. assigns pharmacists based on the number of ICU beds, while European health systems define pharmacist accessibility during working hours as a patient safety requirement.

“Personnel, equipment, and space are all important for high-quality ICUs, but Korea still lacks a structure that enables multiple specialists—including clinical pharmacists—to participate,” she said. “Their involvement is crucial for optimal clinical outcomes.”

Professor Kim Eun-young of Chung-Ang University College of Pharmacy urged policymakers to immediately incorporate “ICU patients per pharmacist” into ICU evaluation metrics and formally classify pharmacists as essential staff.

“Specialized pharmacists have managed high-risk medications in ICUs for over a decade, improving real-world patient outcomes,” Kim said. “To sustain and expand these gains, Korea needs urgent financial support to build a stable multidisciplinary care model, including new reimbursement codes for critical care pharmacists.”