AIM: To measure the outcomes of a harmonized, structured pharmaceutical care programme provided to elderly patients by community pharmacists. METHOD: A randomised, controlled, longitudinal, clinical trial with repeated measures was performed over an 18-month period, involving community pharmacies (5 intervention and 5 control) in Northern Ireland. Elderly, ambulatory patients (> or = 65 years), taking 4 or more prescribed medications were eligible for participation. Patients attending anintervention pharmacy received education on medical conditions, implementation of compliance strategies, rationalizing of drug regimens and appropriate monitoring; patients attending control sites received normal services. A battery of clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: A significantly higher proportion of intervention patients were compliant at the end of the 18-month study and experienced fewer problems with medication compared to control patients (P < 0.05). There was little impact on quality of life and health care utilisation. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmaceutical care provision to community-dwelling patients resulted in an improvement in medication compliance and evidence of cost-savings. Future pharmaceutical care studies may benefit from a more focussed selective approach to data collection and outcomes measurement.
RCT Entities:
AIM: To measure the outcomes of a harmonized, structured pharmaceutical care programme provided to elderly patients by community pharmacists. METHOD: A randomised, controlled, longitudinal, clinical trial with repeated measures was performed over an 18-month period, involving community pharmacies (5 intervention and 5 control) in Northern Ireland. Elderly, ambulatory patients (> or = 65 years), taking 4 or more prescribed medications were eligible for participation. Patients attending an intervention pharmacy received education on medical conditions, implementation of compliance strategies, rationalizing of drug regimens and appropriate monitoring; patients attending control sites received normal services. A battery of clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: A significantly higher proportion of intervention patients were compliant at the end of the 18-month study and experienced fewer problems with medication compared to control patients (P < 0.05). There was little impact on quality of life and health care utilisation. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmaceutical care provision to community-dwelling patients resulted in an improvement in medication compliance and evidence of cost-savings. Future pharmaceutical care studies may benefit from a more focussed selective approach to data collection and outcomes measurement.
Authors: D C Malone; B L Carter; S J Billups; R J Valuck; D J Barnette; C D Sintek; G J Okano; S Ellis; D Covey; B Mason; S Jue; J Carmichael; K Guthrie; L Sloboda; R Dombrowski; D R Geraets; M G Amato Journal: Med Care Date: 2001-02 Impact factor: 2.983
Authors: J T Hanlon; M Weinberger; G P Samsa; K E Schmader; K M Uttech; I K Lewis; P A Cowper; P B Landsman; H J Cohen; J R Feussner Journal: Am J Med Date: 1996-04 Impact factor: 4.965
Authors: Tim Johansson; Muna E Abuzahra; Sophie Keller; Eva Mann; Barbara Faller; Christina Sommerauer; Jennifer Höck; Christin Löffler; Anna Köchling; Jochen Schuler; Maria Flamm; Andreas Sönnichsen Journal: Br J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2016-05-07 Impact factor: 4.335