Implementing Pharmaceutical Care in an Inner City Pharmacy

Abstract

The development of advanced pharmacy services in ethnic and racially diverse communities is important. The diversity in culture of patients served by pharmacists requires that pharmaceutical care programs are equally acceptable and effective among all patients. The practical question, how do pharmacists design and implement pharmaceutical care programs which are effective in various ethnic communities, has yet to be answered. There are several studies published on the implementation of pharmaceutical care; however, there is a paucity of research on the implementation of pharmaceutical care programs in pharmacies which primarily serve minority communities. According to Brown and Nichols-English, pharmacists must strive to become more culturally competent and develop culturally consistent pharmaceutical care programs. The goal of such programs is to promote communication among patients and pharmacists, which will ensure that patients understand their illness and treatment.The primary objective of this research project was to explore the feasibility of implementing pharmaceutical care services in an inner city pharmacy. The specific aims were to determine the impact of a culturally competent pharmaceutical care intervention on medication compliance with prescribed antihypertensive drug therapy and blood pressure control of elderly African American patients with hypertension. A secondary aim was to assess patients' satisfaction with the care provided by the pharmacist.Eight older African American patients with uncontrolled hypertension were selected for participation in the pilot study. An intervention using the concepts of pharmaceutical care was implemented over a 6-month period in a community pharmacy in Detroit, Michigan. Medication compliance and blood pressure control were evaluated at pre-intervention and post-intervention phases of the project. Patient satisfaction was evaluated post-intervention.The intervention was successful in assisting patients in the management of their blood pressure. All patients experienced a reduction in blood pressure and an improvement in medication compliance. Patients indicated that they were satisfied with the program and would participate in other such programs if offered.The report reviews the implementation of a pharmaceutical care service in an inner city pharmacy and the outcomes of a hypertension intervention on medication compliance and blood pressure control targeted to older African Americans with uncontrolled hypertension. Overall, the implementation of culturally competent pharmaceutical care was useful in improving health outcomes for older African American adults.