OBJECTIVE: To review and discuss the importance of pharmacists having access to patient-specific health care information in order to provide pharmaceutical care. DATA SOURCES: Articles identified through searches of MEDLINE and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts using the following key words: information, decision making, and pharmacist. STUDY SELECTION: English-language articles were evaluated for inclusion. DATA SYNTHESIS: Pharmacists have demonstrated their ability to positively affect patient outcomes related to medication use, including reducing patients' risk for medication-related adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists, with proper access to patient-specific health care information, can reduce patients' risk for medication-related problems and improve the quality of their health care.
OBJECTIVE: To review and discuss the importance of pharmacists having access to patient-specific health care information in order to provide pharmaceutical care. DATA SOURCES: Articles identified through searches of MEDLINE and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts using the following key words: information, decision making, and pharmacist. STUDY SELECTION: English-language articles were evaluated for inclusion. DATA SYNTHESIS: Pharmacists have demonstrated their ability to positively affect patient outcomes related to medication use, including reducing patients' risk for medication-related adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists, with proper access to patient-specific health care information, can reduce patients' risk for medication-related problems and improve the quality of their health care.