Evaluation of the role of the pharmacist in issues of drug related problems - experiences from medical records review
Abstract
The incidence of drug-related problems (DRPs) is closely associated with decrease in quality of health care and increase in health costs. The aim of the study was to analyze the role of pharmacist in the identification of DRPs in form of medication record review.
Two pairs of pharmacists conducted a pilot medication record review of randomly selected inpatients from the rehabilitation centre in the Czech Republic. Using forms the following data were collected: identification number of medication record, patient's characteristics (age, gender, diagnoses or morbidities in anamnesis, drugs used in the day of collection, including doses and dosage regime) and description of DRPs.
All DRPs were classified according to the modified Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe Classification V5.01. Data were processed using frequency analysis.
We revised 70 medication records (42 men, median age 59 years) and identified 141 potential DRPs. Almost 80% of patients had at least 1 DRP.
Most DRPs were classified as "Drug choice problem" (47.5%) of which almost one half of the cases involved non-prescription of drug even if there was a clear indication, and "Dosing problems" (34.0%) where more than one half of the cases were related to too low dose. We identified 10.6% drug interactions.
Our study pointed out that pharmacist may identify and evaluate relevant DRPs using the medication record review. Pharmacist should play a key role in the implementation of safe medication practices.