Pharmacy Fact Sheets

Pharmacists - Making a Difference! ...On Patient Care/Health Outcomes

Misuse of drugs is a major health concern. Studies have shown that 50% of Canadians do not take their prescription medications exactly as prescribed.¹ Each year, drug non-compliance is the cause of 10% of all hospital admissions, 25% of hospital admissions for the elderly, and 23% of all nursing home admissions. As well, adverse drug reactions are a leading cause of patient mortality.^2,3 Medications are an important tool in the management of health, but if they are not used properly, they can cause serious harm.

Can pharmacists really make a difference?

Literally hundreds of papers have shown that a pharmacist can make a significant difference in patient care.⁴ When pharmacists are directly involved in patient care:

the patient's knowledge of their disease is improved
the patient's knowledge and understanding of their drug therapy is improved
compliance with medication therapies is improved
drug related problems are more readily identified and resolved, reducing patient risk
the patient's overall management of their disease is improved, resulting in lower incidence of hospital admissions, and shorter lengths of stay
the patient's quality of life and overall satisfaction with their drug therapy is improved

How do pharmacists help patients?

The pharmacist:

works with the patient to achieve desired outcomes related to drug therapy
educates patients on optimal medication use
instructs patients on how to monitor their drug therapies
performs follow-up activities to Address any concerns patients may have with respect to their drug therapy
reviews medication profiles in conjunction with patient-specific information to try and minimize the occurrence of problems related to drug therapies
monitors medication use to assess if patients are complying to their drug therapies
provides information on how to comply with drug therapies to facilitate the appropriate use of medication
provides additional education tools (videotapes, information sheets) to help patients understand specific medications and diseases
provides specialized services for specific patient groups (i.e., high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes)
facilitates communication to physicians and other members of the healthcare team on patient concerns related to drug therapy

By performing the above functions, the pharmacist works with the patient to achieve desired outcomes related to drug therapy. In addition, by providing more comprehensive patient care, the pharmacist works with the patient to minimize or avoid outcomes related to: adverse effects, doses that are not therapeutic (too high or too low) and/or drug interactions.

How do pharmacists help the physician and the other members of the healthcare team ?

The pharmacist:

provides information pertaining to medication use to assist in decisions related to drug therapy
notifies physicians about relative or absolute contraindications, drug interactions and/or intolerances to drug therapy
notifies other members of the healthcare team of potential risks associated with drug therapies which may interfere with their activities (e.g. risk of postural
hypotension associated with certain drug therapies)
assists with monitoring drug therapy and medication use to facilitate the achievement of patient specific goals
serves as a resource for up-to-date drug information
assists in decisions related to drug therapy after evaluating patient-specific factors from medication and medical history
implements programs to enhance communication betwen community and hospital settings, resulting in better patient-care through collaborative treatment schemes and follow-up monitoring

By performing the above functions, a pharmacist positively impacts a physician's practice as well as that of the other members of the healthcare team through the provision of valuable patient-specific information related to drug therapy. This information facilitates the decision-making process which will ultimately influence patient-specific outcomes. In addition, active participation of a pharmacist complements the care by ensuring patients are working toward desired goals and avoiding problems related to drug therapies.

References

Coambs RB et al. Health Promotion Research. Review of the Scientific Literature on the Prevalence, Consequences, and Health Costs of Noncompliance & Inappropriate Use of Prescription Medication in Canada. University of Toronto Press, 1995
Manasse HR Jr. Medication use in an imperfect world: drug misadventuring as an issue of public policy. Part 1. Am J Hosp Pharm 1989; 46: 928-44
Lazarou J, Pomeranz B, Corey P. Incidence of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients. JAMA 1998; 279(15): 1200-5
McLean WM. Pharmaceutical Care Evaluated: The Value of Your Services. CPJ 1998; 131(4): 34-40