Role of the Clinical Pharmacist in Improving Drug Therapy

Abstract

We analyzed the effectiveness of clinical pharmacists in improving medical records and patient compliance with outpatient drug regimens. Records of patients followed up in a rheumatology and renal clinic were reviewed and compared with their pharmacy files. Records were evaluated for completeness and accuracy of drugs ordered by the clinic physician. Compliance was estimated by examining drug refills. This review was performed before (control group) and nine months after (study group) the introduction of a clinical pharmacist into the clinics. A six-month analysis demonstrates that the pharmacist significantly improved drug documentation, decreased the duplication of prescriptions, and improved compliance of prescribed drugs. The study suggests that the pharmacist improves documentation of drug therapy and estimated patient compliance; the decrease in duplicate prescriptions could prevent the risk of overdose and does reduce drug costs. (Arch Intern Med 1981;141:1441-1444)