Drug Information Center network: need, effectiveness, and cost justification.

During the past 15 years, the pharmacy profession has experienced much change. Certain pharmacy roles are being challenged and others are coming into existence. Today, health-care practitioners and health-care providers are seeking services not sought before from pharmacists in the area of rational therapeutics. This need for information extends to all pharmacy practice settings: institutional, independent pharmacies, chain stores, governmental agencies, and the pharmaceutical industry. In order to meet this demand for drug and toxicology information, however, the pharmacist must use resources outside the immediate area of his practice. The Drug Information Center (DIC) can be used as such a resource by pharmacists in their daily practice to provide the best possible care with regard to the rational use of drugs for their patients/clients. Specifically, our data indicate that in Tennessee, there is a need for providing drug and toxicology information; pharmacists perceive their role to be providers of drug information as well as drugs; the DIC plays an integral and necessary role as a back-up information resource and in teaching, service, research, and continuing education programs; and the programs provided by the DIC are cost effective and cost justifiable.