Home health care: drug-related problems detected by consultant pharmacist participation.
Consultant pharmacists conducted a drug history and regimen review on one-fourth of the patient population served by a community hospital-based home health department. About one-third of study patients had inappropriately stopped taking their medications; over one-fourth of the study patients had changed their schedule or dose without health professional consultation. Fifteen percent of all medications were duplications, and only 8% of prescription medications were correctly identified by name. Consultant pharmacist activities that could reduce drug-related problems were identified as drug therapy consultation with patients and staff, drug regimen review, drug information, and patient medication education.
D003253:Consultants; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005845:Georgia; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010595:Pharmacists