1. Pharmacist-led medication reviews in primary healthcare for adult community-dwelling patients - a descriptive study charting a new target group
- Author
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Katarina Wickman, Annika Dobszai, Sara Modig, Beata Borgström Bolmsjö, Gabriella Caleres, and Cecilia Lenander
- Subjects
Adult ,Primary Health Care ,General Practitioners ,Medication Review ,Humans ,Independent Living ,Family Practice ,Pharmacists - Abstract
Background Medication treatment can reduce morbidity but can also cause drug-related problems (DRPs). One method to identify and solve DRPs is medication reviews (MRs) that are aimed at increased patient safety and quality in drug treatment. In Skåne county, Sweden, a well-established multi-professional model for MRs in nursing homes is practiced. However, a demand for MRs regarding community-dwelling patients has emerged. These patients may be extra vulnerable since they have less supervision from healthcare personnel. AIM: To describe the community-dwelling patients in primary healthcare considered in need of an MR, as well as the outcomes of these pharmacist-led MRs. Methods Personnel from 14 primary healthcare centers selected patients for the MRs. Based on electronic medical records, the symptom assessment tool PHASE-20 (PHArmacotherapeutical Symptom Evaluation 20 questions) and medication lists, pharmacists conducted MRs and communicated adjustment suggestions via the medical record to the general practitioners (GPs). Results A total of 109 patients were included in the study and 90.8% (n = 99) of the patients were exposed to at least one DRP, with an average of 3.9 DRPs per patient. Patients with impaired renal function (glomerular filtration rate, GFR Unnecessary drug therapy and Adverse drug reaction, which represented 23.0% respectively 22.9% of the total amount of DRPs. Conclusions Our results indicate a prioritized need for MRs for community-dwelling patients, specifically with impaired renal function or polypharmacy.
- Published
- 2022