C Tanguay1, A Guérin1, J-F Bussières2. 1. Unité de recherche en pratique pharmaceutique et département de pharmacie, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte-Sainte-Catherine, H3T 1C5 Montréal (QC), Canada. 2. Unité de recherche en pratique pharmaceutique et département de pharmacie, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte-Sainte-Catherine, H3T 1C5 Montréal (QC), Canada; Faculté de pharmacie, université de Montréal, 6128 succursale Centre-ville H3C 3J7 Montréal (QC), Canada. Electronic address: jf.bussieres@ssss.gouv.qc.ca.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The pharmacists' role is varied and numerous articles evaluate the outcomes of pharmaceutical interventions. The main objectives of this study were to establish the characteristics of systematic reviews about pharmacists' interventions that were published in the last five years. METHODS: A literature search was performed on Pubmed for French and English articles published between 01-01-2008 and 31-05-2013. Systematic reviews that presented the role, the interventions and the impact of pharmacists were selected by two research assistants. RESULTS: A total of 46 systematic reviews was identified, amongst which one third (n=15/46, 33 %) were meta-analyses. A quarter of systematic reviews did not evaluate the quality of included articles (n=13/46, 28 %). Twelve themes were identified. A median [min-max] of 16 [2-298] articles was included per systematic review. The most frequent pharmaceutical activities were patient counseling (n=41 systematic reviews), patient chart review (n=29), pharmacotherapy evaluation (n=27) and recommendations (n=26). The least frequent activities were teaching others than patients (n=12) and medical rounds participation (n=7). DISCUSSION: Many elements can influence the completion of pharmacy practice research projects; however, there exists no link between the presence of systematic reviews and the importance of pharmacists in a given healthcare program. CONCLUSION: This study presents the characteristics of 46 systematic reviews about pharmacists interventions published since 2008.
INTRODUCTION: The pharmacists' role is varied and numerous articles evaluate the outcomes of pharmaceutical interventions. The main objectives of this study were to establish the characteristics of systematic reviews about pharmacists' interventions that were published in the last five years. METHODS: A literature search was performed on Pubmed for French and English articles published between 01-01-2008 and 31-05-2013. Systematic reviews that presented the role, the interventions and the impact of pharmacists were selected by two research assistants. RESULTS: A total of 46 systematic reviews was identified, amongst which one third (n=15/46, 33 %) were meta-analyses. A quarter of systematic reviews did not evaluate the quality of included articles (n=13/46, 28 %). Twelve themes were identified. A median [min-max] of 16 [2-298] articles was included per systematic review. The most frequent pharmaceutical activities were patient counseling (n=41 systematic reviews), patient chart review (n=29), pharmacotherapy evaluation (n=27) and recommendations (n=26). The least frequent activities were teaching others than patients (n=12) and medical rounds participation (n=7). DISCUSSION: Many elements can influence the completion of pharmacy practice research projects; however, there exists no link between the presence of systematic reviews and the importance of pharmacists in a given healthcare program. CONCLUSION: This study presents the characteristics of 46 systematic reviews about pharmacists interventions published since 2008.