Pharmacy-led medicines information services improve patient care and clinical outcomes, results of a UK-wide study confirm[1]
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Researchers analysed enquiries made by 647 pharmacists, doctors and nurses to 62 medicines information services.
Based questionnaires, 81% of respondents sought advice from the service before proceeding with their patient’s treatment. Some 85% of respondents said the advice had helped their patients or improved clinical outcome.
Medicines safety was also improved in 77% of cases and 15% of patients avoided a major risk. In 22% of cases, medicines information pharmacists raised clinical issues not previously considered by the health professionals, the research reveals.
A multidisciplinary panel of healthcare professionals independently assessed the impact of advice for a sample of enquiries.
References
[1] Innes A, Bramley DM & Wills S. The European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy Online, 9 June 2014;
doi:10.1136/ejhpharm-2014-000462.
