Medication Reviews by a Clinical Pharmacist at an Irish University Teaching Hospital

Purpose: Pharmacist-led medication reviews in hospitals have shown improvement in patient outcomes. The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence and nature of pharmacist interventions (PIs) following a medication review in an Irish teaching hospital. Methods: PIs were recorded over a six-month period in 2015. PIs were assessed by a panel of healthcare professionals (n = 5) to estimate the potential of adverse drug events (ADEs). Descriptive statistics were used for the variables and the chi square test for independence was used to analyse for any association between the variables. Results: Of the 1216 patients (55.8% female; median age 68 years (interquartile range 24 years)) who received a medication review, 313 interventions were identified in 213 patients. 412 medicines were associated with PIs, of which drugs for obstructive airway disease (n = 82), analgesics (n = 56), and antibacterial products for systemic use (n = 50) were the most prevalent. A statistically significant association was found between PI and patient’s age ≥65 years (p = 0.000), as well as female gender (p = 0.037). A total of 60.7% of the PIs had a medium or high likelihood of causing an ADE. Conclusion: Pharmacist-led medication review in a hospital setting prevented ADEs. Patients ≥65 years of age and female patients benefited the most from the interventions

A budget impact analysis of a clinical medication review of patients in an Irish university teaching hospital

To measure the net benefit of a pharmacist-led medication review in acute public hospitals. To identify and measure the resources used when completing a pharmacist-led medication review, an observational study was conducted in an acute urban university teaching hospital. Health Information and Quality Authority guidelines were used to value resources used in a pharmacist-led medication review. Model inputs included demographic data, probability of adverse drug events associated with the pharmacist interventions, estimates of future discharges and cost data. The cost of a pharmacist-led medication review and savings generated from avoidance of adverse drug events were estimated and projected over a 5-year period, using hospital discharge rates taken from the hospital inpatient enquiry system and the census of population. Using the per-patient cost of a medication review, the annual cost of delivering a bi-weekly medication review is projected to vary between €6 m and €6.4 m over a 5-year period from 2017 to 2021. The per-patient net benefit of a bi-weekly medication review is €45.88. Therefore, the projected annual net benefit of a bi-weekly medication review is between €29.5 m and €31.2 m over the 5-year period of 2017 to 2021. Introducing a pharmacist-led medication review for each inpatient saves in the short and longer term. The results are consistent with previous findings. Substantial savings were estimated, regardless of variation in model parameters tested in sensitivity analysis

Metabolic Syndrome in Adults Receiving Clozapine; The Need for Pharmacist Support

People who are diagnosed with treatment resistant schizophrenia (TRS) are likely to have clozapine as a therapeutic management option. There is a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients receiving clozapine. To mitigate against this, monitoring of weight, waist circumference, lipid profile, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and blood pressure (BP) is recommended. The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and whether any variables were correlated with its development, and to highlight any opportunities for the pharmacist to offer support. This study was conducted in an urban hospital and its associated Clozapine Clinic in Cork, Ireland. A retrospective audit assessed the prevalence of metabolic syndrome using the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they were aged 18 years or more, registered with the Clozapine Clinic, and had the capacity to provide informed consent. All data were entered into Microsoft® Excel ® (Microsoft Corporation) and further statistical analysis was undertaken using R, t-tests, Fisher’s Exact Test and Mann–Whitney U tests as appropriate, and p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Of 145 patients (32% female; mean age (SD) 45.3 (±11.7) years; 86.2% living independently/in family home), nearly two thirds (n = 86, 59.3%) were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. The mean age of participants with metabolic syndrome was 44.4 years (SD = 10.8), similar to the 46.6 years (SD = 12.8) for those without. Variables that were identified to be statistically significantly associated with metabolic syndrome included waist circumference, weight, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), BP, FBG and HbA1c. The high incidence of metabolic syndrome in this patient population highlights the need for continued physical health monitoring of these patients to ameliorate the risk of developing metabolic syndrome

Metabolic Syndrome in Adults Receiving Clozapine; The Need for Pharmacist Support

People who are diagnosed with treatment resistant schizophrenia (TRS) are likely to have clozapine as a therapeutic management option. There is a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients receiving clozapine. To mitigate against this, monitoring of weight, waist circumference, lipid profile, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and blood pressure (BP) is recommended. The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and whether any variables were correlated with its development, and to highlight any opportunities for the pharmacist to offer support. This study was conducted in an urban hospital and its associated Clozapine Clinic in Cork, Ireland. A retrospective audit assessed the prevalence of metabolic syndrome using the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they were aged 18 years or more, registered with the Clozapine Clinic, and had the capacity to provide informed consent. All data were entered into Microsoft® Excel ® (Microsoft Corporation) and further statistical analysis was undertaken using R, t-tests, Fisher’s Exact Test and Mann–Whitney U tests as appropriate, and p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Of 145 patients (32% female; mean age (SD) 45.3 (±11.7) years; 86.2% living independently/in family home), nearly two thirds (n = 86, 59.3%) were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. The mean age of participants with metabolic syndrome was 44.4 years (SD = 10.8), similar to the 46.6 years (SD = 12.8) for those without. Variables that were identified to be statistically significantly associated with metabolic syndrome included waist circumference, weight, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), BP, FBG and HbA1c. The high incidence of metabolic syndrome in this patient population highlights the need for continued physical health monitoring of these patients to ameliorate the risk of developing metabolic syndrome

The PHARMS (Patient Held Active Record of Medication Status) feasibility study: a research proposal

Abstract Objective Medication errors are a major source of preventable morbidity, mortality and cost and many occur at the times of hospital admission and discharge. Novel interventions (such as new methods of recording medication information and conducting medication reconciliation) are required to facilitate accurate transfer of medication information. With existing evidence supporting the use of information technology and the patient representing the one constant in the care process, an electronic patient held medication record may provide a solution. This study will assess the feasibility of introducing a patient held electronic medication record in primary and secondary care using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).This feasibility study is a mixed method study of community dwelling older adult patients admitted to an urban secondary care facility comprising a non-randomised intervention and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders. Outcomes of interest include clinical outcomes and process evaluation.This study will yield insights pertaining to feasibility, acceptability and participation for a more definitive evaluation of the intervention. The study also has the potential to contribute to knowledge of implementation of technology in a healthcare context and to the broader area of implementation science