Yogyakarta, September 12, 2026 — The Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held the National Webinar “Sepsis in the ICU: The Strategic Role of Pharmacists in Optimizing Patient Clinical Outcomes” on Saturday (September 12). Held online via Zoom Meeting, the webinar carried the theme “Strengthening the Clinical Role of Pharmacists in Optimizing Medication Therapy Monitoring for ICU Patients with Sepsis Through Evidence-Based Practice.” The webinar provided a platform for healthcare professionals, particularly pharmacists, to strengthen their competencies in delivering comprehensive, evidence-based clinical pharmacy services for critically ill patients.
Sepsis is a medical emergency characterized by life-threatening organ dysfunction resulting from an uncontrolled response to infection. In patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the condition requires prompt, precise, and integrated management, as patients generally receive multiple medications and therapies simultaneously. The complexity of treatment and physiological changes in critically ill patients can also increase the risk of Drug-Related Problems (DRPs), drug interactions, adverse effects, inappropriate dosing, and issues related to treatment efficacy and safety.
In this context, pharmacists play an important role as members of the multidisciplinary ICU team, including through Medication Therapy Monitoring (MTM). Systematic medication monitoring is essential to ensure that medications provide optimal efficacy and safety according to each patient’s individual condition. Therefore, the webinar discussed various aspects of pharmacotherapy for patients with sepsis through an evidence-based practice approach, ranging from antibiotic use to supportive therapy and medication safety.
The webinar was attended by 150 participants from diverse professional backgrounds, including hospital pharmacists, pharmacy lecturers and academics, pharmacist professional program students, Clinical Pharmacy master’s students, and other healthcare professionals. The participation of various groups highlighted the importance of collaboration and capacity building among healthcare professionals in managing patients with sepsis in the ICU. Through the event, participants gained insights into sepsis management, pharmacotherapy individualization, antimicrobial stewardship, medication safety, nutritional therapy, and medication therapy monitoring.
The first session was delivered by Dr. apt. Widyati, M.Clin.Pharm., with the topic “Principles of Antibiotic Therapy for Infections in ICU Patients.” The session discussed the principles of rational antibiotic selection and use in critically ill patients, taking into account therapeutic needs and individual clinical conditions. The discussion also emphasized the importance of appropriate antibiotic use to improve treatment effectiveness while supporting efforts to control antimicrobial resistance.
The next session, “From Standard Dose to Precision Pharmacotherapy in ICU,” was presented by Prof. Dr. apt. Ika Puspitasari, M.Si. The session discussed the paradigm shift from standard dosing toward precision pharmacotherapy, which takes into account the individual conditions of critically ill patients. Participants were introduced to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes in patients with sepsis, dose individualization based on organ function, and optimization of therapeutic regimens to improve medication efficacy and safety.
Medication safety was addressed through the session “High-Alert Medication Safety in ICU,” delivered by apt. Anggraini Citra R.B., M.Clin.Pharm. The session reviewed the use of high-alert medications in patients with sepsis, including vasopressors, sedatives, opioid analgesics, anticoagulants, and concentrated electrolytes, all of which require special attention during use. Participants also gained an understanding of strategies to prevent medication errors, monitor therapy, and strengthen the pharmacist’s role in ensuring medication safety and patient safety.
The subsequent session focused on nutrition and supportive therapy through “Nutrition & Supportive Pharmacotherapy in Sepsis,” presented by dr. Rahma Kusumawardhani, Sp.GK. The session discussed the importance of meeting nutritional requirements in patients with sepsis, as well as the implementation of enteral and parenteral nutritional support in critically ill patients. The integration of nutritional therapy and supportive pharmacotherapy is expected to support the recovery process while optimizing treatment outcomes in patients with sepsis.
Following the presentations, the webinar continued with an interactive case study. Participants were invited to analyze a case involving a patient with sepsis in the ICU, identify DRPs, and develop medication therapy monitoring recommendations based on the patient’s clinical condition. The session was facilitated by an experienced facilitator, allowing participants to apply the knowledge gained from the preceding sessions to a clinical case context.
Through this webinar, the Faculty of Pharmacy UGM promoted the enhancement of pharmacists’ competencies and professionalism in delivering comprehensive, collaborative, and patient-safety-oriented clinical pharmacy services. A stronger understanding of precision pharmacotherapy, rational antibiotic use, high-alert medication safety, and nutritional and supportive therapy is expected to help pharmacists provide more appropriate therapeutic recommendations for patients with sepsis. Ultimately, strengthening the clinical role of pharmacists is expected to contribute to optimized treatment, reduced risks of medication errors and DRPs, and improved clinical outcomes for ICU patients.
The activity also contributes to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) by supporting improvements in the quality and safety of healthcare services for critically ill patients. In addition, the webinar supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) through the development of healthcare professionals’ competencies based on evidence-based practice.
