Drug Consultation: its Significance to the Discharged Hospital Patient and its Relevance as a Role for the Pharmacist

A Study of 75 hospitalized patients was undertaken to determine whether patients discharged from the hospital with prescriptions self-administer these medications at home as prescribed. The patients were divided into three groups of 25 patients each. To the first group of patients, pharmacist medication consultation was provided at the time of their discharge from the hospital. The second group received no pharmacist medication consultation prior to discharge. The third group received pharmacist medication consultation and were taught how to self-administer medications prior to discharge from the hospital. Seventy-six percent of the 25 patients who revived no consultation prior to discharge deviated significantly from their prescribed drug regimen at home. Of the two groups of patients who received consultation, only 8% of the patients who received OTly pharmacist discharge consultation deviated from their prescribed drug regimens; only 12% of the patients who were also taught to self-administer their medications while in the hospital deviated from their regimen after discharge. Overall, 90% of the patients who had received pharmacist discharge drug consultation showed no deviation from prescribed drug regimens at home; these patients had fewer medication problems than those who were not provided consultation service prior to discharge. Only 24% of the patients who did not receive consultation showed no signs of deviation from their prescribed drug regimens. The study appears to indicate that the most common reason for not following prescribed regimens was forgetfulness; the next most common reason was the appearance of undesirable side effects. Most instances of deviation were found among meAcal patients, particularly among patients for whom antibiotics and tranquilizers had been prescribed.