In addition, pharmacists have a significant role in identifying and preventing medication errors. They can ensure medication safety by counseling patients and caregivers about indications for use, therapy goals, treatment expectations, dosage, administration, storage, monitoring parameters, and identifying and addressing potential adverse effects.
Various studies have documented the essential roles of pharmacists in medication safety. For example, a cluster-randomized trial examining the impact of pharmacist involvement in medication therapy for patients with complex medication regimens who were admitted to the hospital demonstrated a tremendous decrease in medication errors within the first 24 hours of hospitalization.
Another clinical study revealed that pharmacists are specially trained to implement measures that promote medication safety. They are able to identify and address issues that may contribute to medication errors in the storage, prescribing, transcription, preparation, dispensing, administration, and monitoring of medications.
A meta-analysis exploring the impact of pharmacist interventions during transitions of care estimated a 37% decrease in medication errors and a reduction in emergency department visits after hospital discharge.
According to a publication by the American Pharmacists Association titled Pharmacists’ Impact on Patient Safety, pharmacists have essential medication-related responsibilities across all areas of pharmacy practice to enhance patient safety and medication adherence, including:
• Providing patients with information to improve medication access, such as working with insurers and informing eligible patients about patient assistance cost-saving programs
• Counseling patients and caregivers about the safe and proper use of medications
• Reviewing dosing of medications to identify and prevent medication-related errors
• Evaluating the appropriateness of medication based on individual patient factors, including the patient’s medical and medication history
• Monitoring patient adherence and recommending measures to improve adherence when warranted, such as identifying reasons for nonadherence, setting up medication refill reminders, and recommending once-a-day dosing formulations when available to improve adherence
• Identifying patients with risk factors or exhibiting clinical presentation associated with diseases such as diabetes or heart disease and encouraging patients to seek further medical evaluation to confirm the diagnosis
• Providing patients with information about managing chronic medical conditions and preventive health, such as the availability of vaccines, directing them to patient education resources, and encouraging them to discuss risk factors with their primary healthcare providers
• Conducting medication therapy management to identify polypharmacy or if any medication could be contributing to an adverse effect and make recommendations to simplify a patient’s medication regimen when warranted
• Working with prescribers and other clinicians to improve patient clinical outcomes through routine medication monitoring, assessing patients’ response to therapy, and making adjustments when warranted.
A valuable resource on medication safety can be found on the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists website.
The content contained in this article is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Reliance on any information provided in this article is solely at your own risk.
