Capturing Outcomes of Clinical Activities Performed by a Rounding Pharmacist Practicing in a Team Environment

• DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0b013e3181926032
• Publication Date: 2009-05-26T07:19:31Z
• Authors: Mark J. Makowsky; Sheri L. Koshman; William K. Midodzi; Ross T. Tsuyuki
• Keywords: Male; Patient Care Team; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Treatment Outcome; 0302 clinical medicine; Chronic Disease; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Humans; Female; Guideline Adherence; Health Services Research; Family Practice; Hospitals, Teaching; Pharmacy Service, Hospital; Aged; Quality of Health Care

Background: Medical inpatients are at risk for suboptimal health outcomes from adverse drug events and under-use of evidence-based therapies. We sought to determine whether collaborative care including a team-based clinical pharmacist improves the quality prescribed therapy reduces hospital readmission. Methods: Multicenter, quasi-randomized, controlled trial. Consecutive patients admitted 2 internal family medicine teams in 3 teaching hospitals between January 30, 2006 February 2, 2007 were included. Team received proactive services (medication history, patient-care round participation, resolution drug-related issues, discharge counseling). Usual traditional reactive services. The primary outcome was overall score measured retrospectively by blinded chart reviewer using 20 indicators targeting 5 conditions. Secondary included 3- 6-month Results: A total 452 (220 team care, 231 usual mean age: 74 years, 46% male) met eligibility criteria. more likely than receive specified (56.4% vs. 45.3%; adjusted difference: 10.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.9%, 15.7%) each targeted disease state except heart failure. experienced fewer readmissions months (36.2% 45.5%; OR: 0.63; CI: 0.42, 0.94) but not 6 (50.7% 56.3%; OR; 0.78; 0.53, 1.15). Conclusions: In teams, pharmacist, improved medication use reduced rates