CP-108 Evaluation of clinical pharmacist interventions in a university hospital located in a rural area in Lebanon

Background The clinical pharmacist’s role has grown considerably in recent years due to its prominence in coordinating with healthcare professionals to achieve optimal health outcomes. Few studies have been published regarding clinical pharmacist interventions in Lebanese hospitals, and none have been done concerning remote hospitals. Purpose To evaluate the impact of a clinical pharmacist as a member of the healthcare team and as a drug information source, and to evaluate the acceptance rate of clinical pharmacist interventions at the Centre Hospitalier du Nord (CHN) University Hospital located in a rural region of Lebanon. Materials and methods A 12-month prospective analysis was conducted in the Internal Medicine department of CHN where a clinical pharmacist attended daily rounds for 3–4 h and spent the rest of the working hours checking prescriptions and answering drug information questions. All interventions performed were documented on a ‘Pharmacist Intervention Form’. After data entry, the statistics were analysed by the clinical pharmacist, reported and discussed every 2 months at the Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee. Results 1631 interventions were performed by the clinical pharmacist; 91% were accepted and 9% were rejected. The types of interventions made were as follows: order clarification (26%), alternate route (19%), therapeutic consultation (14%), drug information (11%), dose adjustment in renal impairment (8%), followed by the other 7 categories. These results expose both a high acceptance rate and versatility in intervention types not shown in previously published studies concerning this topic. Conclusions This study shows the effect of including a clinical pharmacist in the healthcare team for all the added value that he/ she offers in the different areas of interventions while achieving a high approval rate. The significance of the results is more pronounced because it took place in a remote hospital where the clinical pharmacist has scarce human, financial and logistical resources. No conflict of interest.