title: A review of pharmacist recommendations in an aged care facility.
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyse the types of and rationale for the clinical recommendations made by the pharmacist in a rural aged care facility to improve patient safety. The classes of drugs associated with the pharmacist's recommendations were also identified. A related aim was to determine their degree of acceptance by medical practitioners. A retrospective, cross-sectional study design was used to review 56 aged care residents' case notes over a 12-month period. The main outcome measures included: the types of and reasons for recommendations made by the pharmacist; classes of drugs associated with the pharmacist's recommendations; and the implementation rate of the pharmacist's recommendations by the medical practitioner. A total of 196 recommendations were made by the pharmacist to the residents' existing medications. The main types of recommendations were alteration to residents' monitoring (49%), discontinuation of drug treatment (19%) followed by initiation of drug treatment (17%). The main reasons for the recommendations were to reduce potential side-effects (45%), symptom control (32%) and to increase drug efficacy (19%). Analysis of medical practitioners' case notes estimated that 70% of the pharmacist's recommendations were being implemented by the residents' medical practitioner. This case notes analysis reinforces the importance of doctor-pharmacist collaboration in the management of residents' medications in aged care facilities.
authors: Department of Rural and indigenous Health, School of rural Health, Faculty of Medicine, nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Vic, Australia. hanan.khalil@monash.edu
authors: Hanan
authors: H
authors: Khalil