Implementation of a journal surveillance program

Abstract

The scope of pharmacy practice continues to evolve toward high-level medication therapy management and disease prevention services.1 The expansion of pharmacists’ clinical responsibilities has created new opportunities for pharmacists to play integral roles in patient care. In order to succeed in these evolving roles, pharmacists need to continuously improve as clinicians and as leaders and educators in the field of drug therapy management. In 2008 the American College of Clinical Pharmacy published a white paper on clinical pharmacy competencies that addressed the importance of keeping abreast of the current biomedical literature and incorporating this information into clinical decision-making.2 Staying current with new research and reviewing existing drug therapies allow pharmacists to improve their knowledge of drug therapy and patient care. The recent Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative Summit outlined the importance of competencies and education programs to optimal pharmacy practice models.3 With over 30,000 new articles added to the MEDLINE database each month, clinicians need help to remain up-to-date in their knowledge of new and innovative interventions described in the literature.4,5 Scanning the contents of the numerous publications related to clinical pharmacy practice is a daunting task for the individual clinician. There are commercially available journal surveillance publications; however, they may not cover the journals and information desired by representatives of the many subspecialties of clinical pharmacy practice. A journal surveillance program whereby pharmacists share the work of keeping abreast of new additions to the primary literature can make that task more manageable, increase staff exposure to the contents of a variety of journals, and promote continuous professional development.