Documentation of clinical interventions by pharmacy faculty, residents, and students.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the influence of pharmacy faculty, residents, and students at a community hospital by documenting the number and types of interventions attributable to their involvement in patient-care activities.


METHODS
Between September 1, 1997, and May 31, 1999, data were collected using a computerized documentation system to characterize the intervention type, significance, and value of services rendered by an education group composed of pharmacy faculty (n = 2), residents (n = 4), and students (n = 22).


RESULTS
The number, nature, and outcome category for all interventions were documented using an existing computerized documentation system. The education group accounted for 13% (n = 2,873) of total clinical activities documented (n = 21,817). The most common activities reported were discharge counseling/education (31%), consultation by physicians and therapeutic recommendations (15%), and route conversion (6%). Interventions documented by the education group were classified as medium or high significance 50% of the time. Sixteen percent ($172,655) of the estimated cost avoidance documented by the pharmacy department was attributed to the education group.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that educational activities by pharmacy faculty, residents, and students have a positive influence on patient care in a community hospital.
Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, AL, USA. ctaylor@cchs.ua.edu
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D000407:Alabama; D017046:Cost Savings; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004282:Documentation; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D004514:Education, Pharmacy, Graduate; D005178:Faculty; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D007397:Internship, Nonmedical; D008499:Medical Records; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013334:Students