Improving medication use through pharmacists' access to patient-specific health care information.
OBJECTIVE
To review and discuss the importance of pharmacists having access to patient-specific health care information in order to provide pharmaceutical care.


METHODS
Articles identified through searches of MEDLINE and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts using the following key words: information, decision making, and pharmacist.


METHODS
English-language articles were evaluated for inclusion.


RESULTS
Pharmacists have demonstrated their ability to positively affect patient outcomes related to medication use, including reducing patients' risk for medication-related adverse effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Pharmacists, with proper access to patient-specific health care information, can reduce patients' risk for medication-related problems and improve the quality of their health care.
Millonig
Marsha K
MK
Healthcare Distribution Management Association Healthcare Foundation, Reston, VA., USA.
Jackson
Terri L
TL
Ellis
William M
WM
D016494:Computer Security; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D010595:Pharmacists