title: Acceptance and importance of clinical pharmacists' LIMM-based recommendations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of the clinical pharmacy service in a Swedish hospital according to the Lund Integrated Medicine Management (LIMM) model, in terms of the acceptance and clinical significance of the recommendations made by clinical pharmacists.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical significance of the recommendations made by clinical pharmacists was assessed for a random sample of inpatients receiving the clinical pharmacy service in 2007. Two independent physicians retrospectively ranked the recommendations emerging from errors in the patients' current medication list and actual drug-related problems according to Hatoum, with rankings ranging between 1 (adverse significance) and 6 (extremely significant).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The random sample comprised 132 patients (out of 800 receiving the service). The clinical significance of 197 recommendations was assessed. The physicians accepted and implemented 178 (90%) of the clinical pharmacists' recommendations. Most of these recommendations, 170 (83%), were ranked 3 (somewhat significant) or higher.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides further evidence of the quality of the LIMM model and confirms that the inclusion of clinical pharmacists in a multi-professional team can improve drug therapy for inpatients. The very high level of acceptance by the physicians of the pharmacists' recommendations further demonstrates the effectiveness of the process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. asa.c.bondesson@skane.se
authors.forename: Asa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bondesson
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holmdahl
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Midlöv
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Höglund
authors.forename: Emmy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Tommy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D059065:Medication Reconciliation / Q000458:organization & administration; D054539:Medication Therapy Management / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013548:Sweden