The 2017 ACCP International Symposium—Middle East, titled “Optimizing Safe and Effective Care to Patients Across Health Systems: Focus on Clinical Pharmacist Services and Outcomes,” engaged practitioners and pharmacy profession leaders from the region in reflecting on local health care issues and institutional practices, exploring various clinical pharmacy services to address unique local needs, and discussing metrics to measure the quality and outcomes associated with such services.

Christopher W. Crank, Pharm.D., M.S., BCPS-AQ ID, director of pharmacy services at Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora, Illinois, discussed key challenges to ensuring medication safety and promoting the role of clinical pharmacists in managing antimicrobial and antithrombotic agents in health systems. Select pharmacist services that advance care to oncology, critical care, and pediatric patients were presented. The final session, led by Wafa Y. Dahdal, Pharm.D., BCPS, director of international programs at the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, emphasized the importance of developing clinical pharmacists to attain the competencies needed to provide comprehensive medication management and introduced ACCP’s template for evaluating the clinical pharmacist.

The 1-day symposium was held Saturday, October 21, 2017, in conjunction with the 4th Annual GCC Pharmacy Congress in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.