Pharmacists' and pharmacy students' ability to identify drug-related problems using TIMER (Tool to Improve Medications in the Elderly via Review).
OBJECTIVE
Determine the effectiveness of TIMER (Tool to Improve Medications in the Elderly via Review) in helping pharmacists and pharmacy students identify drug-related problems during patient medication reviews.


METHODS
In a randomized, controlled study design, geriatric patient cases were sent to 136 pharmacists and 108 third-year pharmacy students who were asked to identify drug related-problems (DRPs) with and without using TIMER.


RESULTS
Pharmacists identified more tool-related DRPs using TIMER (p = 0.027). Pharmacy students identified more tool-related DRPs using TIMER in the first case (p = 0.02), but not in the second.


CONCLUSIONS
TIMER increased the number of DRPs identified by practicing pharmacists and pharmacy students during medication reviews of hypothetical patient cases.
Lee
Sarah Snyder
SS
Kansas University Medical Center, KS, USA.
Schwemm
Ann K
AK
Reist
Jeffrey
J
Cantrell
Matthew
M
Andreski
Michael
M
Doucette
William R
WR
Chrischilles
Elizabeth A
EA
Farris
Karen B
KB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged / Q000502:physiology*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010594:Pharmacies; D010595:Pharmacists; D013339:Students, Pharmacy; D055815:Young Adult