Community Health Center Patients Research Articles

Eliciting the Patient Experience: Qualitative Interviews with Latina Patients with Chronic Pain to Improve Care

Chronic pain is an increasingly common diagnosis in primary care and social determinants seen in community health center patients, as well as Latina women, strongly influence outcomes. As part of an internal quality improvement project, we interviewed patients with chronic pain (N=17) at an urban community health center. Interview themes point to the prevalence of psychosocial comorbidities and the all-consuming physical and emotional nature of chronic pain. Patients expressed interest in non-pharmacologic, mind-body approaches to pain treatment as well as support groups and health coaching. Based on patients’ experiences and feedback, we are designing a pilot group visit intervention.

Implications of American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Cholesterol Guidelines on Statin Underutilization for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes Mellitus Among Several US Networks of Community Health Centers.

BackgroundLittle is known about statin underutilization among diabetes mellitus patients cared for in community health centers, which tend to serve socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Implications of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines on preexisting gaps in statin treatment in this population are unclear.Methods and ResultsWe included 32 440 adults (45% male, 63% nonwhite, 29% uninsured/Medicaid) aged 40 to 75 years with diabetes mellitus who received care within 16 community health center groups in 11 states in the Community Health Applied Research Network during 2013. Statin prescribing was analyzed as a function of concordance with the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel 2001 and ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines. More patients’ treatments were concordant with the ACC/AHA (52.8%) versus the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (36.2%) guideline. Female sex was associated with lower concordance for both (odds ratio [OR] 0.90, CI 0.85‐0.94; and OR 0.84, CI 0.80‐0.88, respectively). Being insured, an Asian/Pacific Islander, or primarily Spanish speaking were associated with greater concordance for both guidelines: 35.5% (11 526/32 440) were concordant with neither guideline, the majority (79.7%) having no statin prescribed; 28.2% (9168/32 440) were concordant with ACC/AHA but not the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel. 8.7% of these patients had a low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol >160 mg/dL despite having a moderate‐ or high‐intensity statin prescribed. And 11.6% (3772/32 440) were concordant with the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel but not with ACC/AHA. Most of these patients had a low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol between 70 and 99 mg/dL with no or a low‐intensity statin prescribed.ConclusionsOpportunities exist to improve cholesterol management in diabetes mellitus patients in community health centers. Addressing care gaps could improve cardiovascular disease prevention in this high‐risk population.

Medicaid's Impact on Chronic Disease Biomarkers: A Cohort Study of Community Health Center Patients.

Understanding the impact of health insurance is critical, particularly in the era of Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion. The electronic health record (EHR) provides new opportunities to quantify health outcomes. To assess changes in biomarkers of chronic disease among community health center (CHC) patients who gained Medicaid coverage with the Oregon Medicaid expansion (2008-2011). Prospective cohort. Patients were followed for 24months, and rate of mean biomarker change was calculated. Time to a controlled follow-up measurement was compared using Cox regression models. Using EHR data from OCHIN (a non-profit network of CHCs) linked to state Medicaid data, we identified three cohorts of patients with uncontrolled chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia). Within these cohorts, we included patients who gained Medicaid coverage along with a propensity score-matched comparison group who remained uninsured (diabetes n = 608; hypertension n = 1244; hyperlipidemia n = 546). Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) for the diabetes cohort, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively) for the hypertension cohort, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) for the hyperlipidemia cohort. All cohorts improved over time. Compared to matched uninsured patients, adults in the diabetes and hypertension cohorts who gained Medicaid coverage were significantly more likely to have a follow-up controlled measurement (hazard ratio [HR] =1.26, p = 0.020; HR = 1.35, p < 0.001, respectively). No significant difference was observed in the hyperlipidemia cohort (HR = 1.09, p = 0.392). OCHIN patients with uncontrolled chronic conditions experienced objective health improvements over time. In two of three chronic disease cohorts, those who gained Medicaid coverage were more likely to achieve a controlled measurement than those who remained uninsured. These findings demonstrate the effective care provided by CHCs and the importance of health insurance coverage within a usual source of care setting. NCT02355132 [ https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02355132 ].

Abstract P324: Implications of ACC/AHA Cholesterol Guidelines on Statin Underutilization for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes Mellitus among Several U.S. Networks of Community Health Centers

Introduction: Little is known about statin underuse among diabetes (DM) patients cared for in community health centers (CHCs), which tend to serve socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Implications of the recent American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines on preexisting gaps in statin treatment in this population are unclear. Hypothesis: Substantial statin underutilization will exist regardless of differences between guidelines. Methods: We included 32,440 adults (45% male, 63% non-white, 28% uninsured/Medicaid) with DM aged 40 to 75 years who received care within 16 CHC groups in eleven states in the Community Health Applied Research Network (CHARN) during 2013. Statin prescribing was analyzed as a function of concordance with the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (ATPIII) 2001 guideline and ACC/AHA 2013 guideline. Results: More patients were concordant with the ACC/AHA (52.8%) versus ATPIII (36.2%) guideline. Female gender was independently associated with lower concordance for both guidelines [OR 0.90 CI (0.85-0.94) and OR 0.84 CI (0.80-0.88) respectively]. Black race was associated with lower concordance with ATPIII but not ACC/AHA. Being insured, Asian/Pacific Islander or primarily Spanish speaking were associated with greater concordance for both guidelines. 35% (11526/32440) of the cohort were concordant with neither guideline (Figure), the majority (80%) having no statin prescribed. 28% (9168/32440) were concordant with ACC/AHA guidelines but not ATPIII guidelines. 8.5% of these patients had an LDL &gt;160 despite having a medium or high intensity statin prescribed. 12% (3772/32440) were concordant with ATPIII but not ACC/AHA guidelines. Most of these patients had an LDL between 70-99 mg/dl with no or a low intensity statin prescribed. Conclusions: Opportunities exist to improve cholesterol management in DM patients in CHCs. Addressing care gaps could improve cardiovascular disease prevention in this high risk population.

"Salt in the Wound": Safety Net Clinician Perspectives on Performance Feedback Derived From EHR Data.

Electronic health record (EHR) data can be extracted for calculating performance feedback, but users' perceptions of such feedback impact its effectiveness. Through qualitative analyses, we identified perspectives on barriers and facilitators to the perceived legitimacy of EHR-based performance feedback, in 11 community health centers (CHCs). Providers said such measures rarely accounted for CHC patients' complex lives or for providers' decisions as informed by this complexity, which diminished the measures' perceived validity. Suggestions for improving the perceived validity of performance feedback in CHCs are presented. Our findings add to the literature on EHR-based performance feedback by exploring provider perceptions in CHCs.

Mailed outreach and facilitated test ordering to promote cholesterol screening in community health centers: A randomized trial.

Lipid screening is central to cardiovascular risk assessment. We sought to determine whether a simple mailed outreach message and facilitated test ordering increase cholesterol screening among federally qualified community health center patients with no recent cholesterol screening test performed. Using a patient-randomized controlled trial, we examined the effects of delivering a simple mailed outreach intervention promoting cholesterol testing and facilitated test ordering (without requiring an office visit). Participants were adult patients 50 to 75years old, with no diagnosed cardiovascular disease or diabetes, and no cholesterol test within 5years who had received care from community health centers in Illinois and Arizona. The intervention took place in 2014 and was powered to detect a 10% increase in screening due to the intervention. Participants' (n=480) mean age was 57.5years, 51.0% were male, and 43.8% were smokers. There was no significant difference between groups in the primary study outcome-completion of total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol tests or complete lipid panel within 3months; 32 participants (13.3%) in intervention group versus 26 (10.8%) in control group met the primary outcome, with absolute difference of 2.5 percentage points (95% confidence interval -6.6 to 11.6). This outreach intervention promoting cholesterol screening was ineffective. Interventions that attempt to minimize barriers to cholesterol screening on multiple fronts and that are more compelling to patients are needed.

Community health center patients' response to and beliefs about outreach promoting clinical preventive services.

We sought community health center (CHC) patients' feedback regarding an outreach intervention promoting primary prevention of cardiovascular disease to patients at increased risk. We performed a telephone survey that assessed whether patients recalled receiving the intervention, what actions occurred in response to the intervention, and patient attitudes regarding receipt of preventive service messages from their CHC. Participants (n = 80) were 89% male, and 59% were black. Among the 88% of respondents who reported a healthcare visit, 84% reported a discussion about cholesterol or heart disease risk with their provider, of these 44% reported a statin was recommended and 89% reported currently taking it. Participants reported high acceptability of receiving preventive service messages, but were less likely to agree that they wanted to receive preventive service messages via text or email compared to other modes of contact. Our results show that outreach programs to promote indicated preventive services were viewed positively by this patient group. We also identified areas where the CVD prevention program may have lost effectiveness.

Barriers and facilitators to implementing a patient-centered model of contraceptive provision in community health centers.

BackgroundThe Contraceptive CHOICE Project developed a patient-centered model for contraceptive provision including: (1) structured, evidence-based counseling; (2) staff and health care provider education; and (3) removal of barriers such as cost and multiple appointments to initiate contraception. In preparation for conducting a research study of the CHOICE model in three community health settings, we sought to identify potential barriers and facilitators to implementation.MethodsUsing a semi-structured interview guide guided by a framework of implementation research, we conducted 31 qualitative interviews with female patients, staff, and health care providers assessing attitudes, beliefs, and barriers to receiving contraception. We also asked about current contraceptive provision and explored organizational practices relevant to implementing the CHOICE model. We used a grounded theory approach to identify major themes.ResultsMany participants felt that current contraceptive provision could be improved by the CHOICE model. Potential facilitators included agreement about the necessity for improved contraceptive knowledge among patients and staff; importance of patient-centered contraceptive counseling; and benefits to same-day insertion of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). Potential barriers included misconceptions about contraception held by staff and providers; resistance to new practices; costs associated with LARC; and scheduling challenges required for same-day insertion of LARC.ConclusionsIn addition to staff and provider training, implementing a patient-centered model of contraceptive provision needs to be supplemented by strategies to manage patient and system-level barriers. Community health center staff, providers, and patients support patient-centered contraceptive counseling to improve contraception provision if organizations can address these barriers.

Disparities in Diabetes Care Quality by English Language Preference in Community Health Centers.

To conduct a parallel analysis of disparities in diabetes care quality among Latino and Asian community health center (CHC) patients by English language preference. Clinical outcomes (2011) and patient survey data (2012) for Type 2 diabetes adults from 14 CHCs (n=1,053). We estimated separate regression models for Latino and Asian patients by English language preference for Clinician & Group-Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and System, Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care, hemoglobin A1c, and self-reported hypoglycemic events. We used the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method to parse out observed and unobserved differences in outcomes between English versus non-English language groups. After adjusting for socioeconomic and health characteristics, disparities in patient experiences by English language preference were found only among Asian patients. Unobserved factors largely accounted for linguistic disparities for most patient experience measures. There were no significant differences in glycemic control by language for either Latino or Asian patients. Given the importance of patient retention in CHCs, our findings indicate opportunities to improve CHC patients' experiences of care and to reduce disparities in patient experience by English preference for Asian diabetes patients.

Barriers to weight loss among community health center patients: qualitative insights from primary care providers.

BackgroundCommunity Health Centers (CHCs) are important settings for obesity prevention and control. However, few studies have explored the barriers that CHC clinicians perceive their patients face in maintaining a healthy weight.MethodsSemi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with thirty physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners recruited from four Community Health Centers (CHCs), located in a rural, southwestern region of the state of Georgia, US. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed.ResultsClinicians perceived that their patients face numerous individual, interpersonal, and community-level barriers to weight loss. Perceived individual-level barriers included interrelated aspects of poverty and limited motivation to lose weight. Perceived interpersonal barriers included social and cultural norms, such as positive associations with larger body sizes, negative associations with smaller body sizes, lack of awareness of obesity as a problem, and beliefs regarding hereditary or generational body types. Perceived community-level barriers included limited healthy food options and aspects of the local food culture in the Southern US.ConclusionsClinicians perceived that their patients face barriers to weight loss at multiple levels of the social ecology, including individual, social, and environmental factors. Results may partly explain limited provision of weight counseling in CHCs and suggest opportunities for intervention.

Timeliness of Follow-Up to a Positive Fecal Immunochemical Test Result Among Community Health Center Patients

Timeliness of Follow-Up to a Positive Fecal Immunochemical Test Result Among Community Health Center Patients

Types of health care facilities and the quality of primary care: a study of characteristics and experiences of Chinese patients in Guangdong Province, China.

BackgroundIn China, most people tend to use hospitals rather than health centers for their primary care generally due to the perception that quality of care provided in the hospital setting is superior to that provided at the health centers. No studies have been conducted in China to compare the quality of primary care provided at different health care settings. The purpose of this study is to compare the quality of primary care provided in different types of health care facilities in China.MethodsA cross-sectional survey with patients was conducted in Guangdong province of China, using the validated Chinese Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT). ANOVA was performed to compare the overall and 10 domains of primary care quality for patients in tertiary, secondary, and primary health care settings. Multivariate analyses were used to assess the association between types of facility and quality of primary care attributes while controlling for sociodemographic and health care characteristics.ResultsThe final number of respondents was 864 including 161 from county hospitals, 190 from rural community health centers (CHCs), 164 from tertiary hospitals, 80 from secondary hospitals, and 269 from urban CHCs. Type of health care facilities was significantly associated with total PCAT score and domain scores. CHC was associated with higher total PCAT score and scores for first contact-access, ongoing care, comprehensiveness-services available, and community orientation than secondary and/or tertiary hospitals, after controlling for patients’ demographic and health characteristics. Higher PCAT score was associated with greater satisfaction with primary care received. CHC patients were more likely to report satisfactory experiences compared to patients from secondary and tertiary facilities.ConclusionsThe study demonstrated that CHCs provided better quality primary care when compared with secondary and tertiary health care facilities, justifying CHCs as a model of primary care delivery.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1604-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Detecting Dysglycemia Using the 2015 United States Preventive Services Task Force Screening Criteria: A Cohort Analysis of Community Health Center Patients.

BackgroundIn 2015, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended targeted screening for prediabetes and diabetes (dysglycemia) in adults who are aged 40 to 70 y old and overweight or obese. Given increasing prevalence of dysglycemia at younger ages and lower body weight, particularly among racial/ethnic minorities, we sought to determine whether the current screening criteria may fail to identify some high-risk population subgroups.Methods and FindingsWe investigated the performance of the 2015 USPSTF screening recommendation in detecting dysglycemia among US community health center patients. A retrospective analysis of electronic health record (EHR) data from 50,515 adult primary care patients was conducted. Longitudinal EHR data were collected in six health centers in the Midwest and Southwest. Patients with a first office visit between 2008 and 2010 were identified and followed for up to 3 y through 2013. We excluded patients who had dysglycemia at baseline and those with fewer than two office visits during the follow-up period. The exposure of interest was eligibility for screening according to the 2015 USPSTF criteria. The primary outcome was development of dysglycemia during follow-up, determined by: (1) laboratory results (fasting/2-h postload/random glucose ≥ 100/140/200 mg/dL [5.55/7.77/11.10 mmol/L] or hemoglobin A1C ≥ 5.7% [39 mmol/mol]); (2) diagnosis codes for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes; or (3) antidiabetic medication order. At baseline, 18,846 (37.3%) participants were aged ≥40 y, 33,537 (66.4%) were overweight or obese, and 39,061 (77.3%) were racial/ethnic minorities (34.6% Black, 33.9% Hispanic/Latino, and 8.7% Other). Overall, 29,946 (59.3%) patients had a glycemic test within 3 y of follow-up, and 8,478 of them developed dysglycemia. Only 12,679 (25.1%) patients were eligible for screening according to the 2015 USPSTF criteria, which demonstrated the following sensitivity and specificity (95% CI): 45.0% (43.9%–46.1%) and 71.9% (71.3%–72.5%), respectively. Racial/ethnic minorities were significantly less likely to be eligible for screening yet had higher odds of developing dysglycemia than whites (odds ratio [95% CI]: Blacks 1.24 [1.09–1.40]; Hispanics 1.46 [1.30–1.64]; and Other 1.33 [1.16–1.54]). In addition, the screening criteria had lower sensitivity in all racial/ethnic minority groups compared to whites. Limitations of this study include the ascertainment of dysglycemia only among patients with available test results and findings that may not be generalizable at the population level.ConclusionsTargeted diabetes screening based on new USPSTF criteria may detect approximately half of adult community health center patients with undiagnosed dysglycemia and proportionately fewer racial/ethnic minorities than whites. Future research is needed to estimate the performance of these screening criteria in population-based samples.

Mainstreaming Naloxone Through Coprescription to Patients Receiving Long-Term Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain.

Coffin and colleagues evaluated the implementation of overdose education and naloxone rescue kit prescriptions among patients in safety net community health centers treated with opioid therapy for ...

Effect of Gaining Insurance Coverage on Smoking Cessation in Community Health Centers: A Cohort Study.

Community health center (CHC) patients have high rates of smoking. Insurance coverage for smoking cessation assistance, such as that mandated by the Affordable Care Act, may aid in smoking cessation in this vulnerable population. We aimed to determine if uninsured CHC patients who gain Medicaid coverage experience greater primary care utilization, receive more cessation medication orders, and achieve higher quit rates, compared to continuously uninsured smokers. Longitudinal observational cohort study using electronic health record data from a network of Oregon CHCs linked to Oregon Medicaid enrollment data. Cohort of patients who smoke and who gained Medicaid coverage in 2008-2011 after ≥ 6months of being uninsured and with ≥ 1 smoking assessment in the 24-month follow-up period from the baseline smoking status date. This group was propensity score matched to a cohort of continuously uninsured CHC patients who smoke (n = 4140 matched pairs; 8280 patients). Gaining Medicaid after being uninsured for ≥ 6months. 'Quit' smoking status (baseline smoking status was 'current every day' or 'some day' and status change to 'former smoker' at a subsequent visit), smoking cessation medication order, and ≥ 6 documented visits (yes/no variables) at ≥ 1 smoking status assessment within the 24-month follow-up period. The newly insured had 40% increased odds of quitting smoking (aOR = 1.40, 95% CI:1.24, 1.58), nearly triple the odds of having a medication ordered (aOR = 2.94, 95% CI:2.61, 3.32), and over twice the odds of having ≥ 6 follow-up visits (aOR = 2.12, 95% CI:1.94, 2.32) compared to their uninsured counterparts. Newly insured patients had increased odds of quit smoking status over 24 months of follow-up than those who remained uninsured. Providing insurance coverage to vulnerable populations may have a significant impact on smoking cessation.

Use of Traditional and Complementary Medicine as Self-Care Strategies in Community Health Centers: Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Pearl River Delta Region of China.

In China, Community Health Centers (CHCs) are major providers of primary care services, but their potential in empowering patients' self-management capacity has not been assessed. This study aims to describe self-care practice patterns amongst CHC attendees in urban China.In this cross-sectional quantitative study, 3360 CHC patients from 6 cities within the Pearl Delta Region were sampled using multistage cluster sampling.Thirty-seven per cent had used with over-the-counter Chinese herbal medicines (OTC CHMs) in the past year and majority of respondents found OTC CHMs effective. OTC CHMs were more popular amongst those who needed to pay out of pocket for CHC services. Less than 10% used vitamins and minerals, and those with a lower socioeconomic background have a higher propensity to consume. Although doubts on their usefulness are expressed, their use by the vulnerable population may reflect barriers to access to conventional health care, cultural affinity, or a defense against negative consequences of illnesses. About 25% performed physical exercise, but the prevalence is lower amongst women and older people. Taiji seems to be an alternative for these populations with promising effectiveness, but overall only 6% of CHC attendees participated.These results suggest that CHCs should start initiatives in fostering appropriate use of OTC CHM, vitamins, and minerals. Engaging community pharmacists in guiding safe and effective use of OTC CHM amongst the uninsured is essential given their low accessibility to CHC services. Prescription of Taiji instead of physical exercises to women and older people could be more culturally appropriate, and the possibility of including this as part of the CHC services worth further exploration.

Diagnostic colonoscopy following a positive fecal occult blood test in community health center patients

Fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) is a pragmatic screening option for many community health centers (CHCs), but FOBT screening programs will not reduce mortality if patients with positive results do not undergo diagnostic colonoscopy (DC). This study was conducted to investigate DC completion among CHC patients. This retrospective cohort study used data from three CHCs in the Midwest and Southwest. The primary study outcome was DC completion within 6months of positive FOBT among adults age 50-75. Patient data was collected using automated electronic queries. Manual chart reviews were conducted if queries produced no evidence of DC. Poisson regression models described adjusted relative risks (RRs) of DC completion. The study included 308 patients; 63.3% were female, 48.7% were Spanish speakers and 35.7% were uninsured. Based on combined query and chart review findings, 51.5% completed DC. Spanish speakers were more likely than English speakers to complete DC [RR 1.19; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.36; P=0.009], and DC completion was lower among patients with 0 visits than those with 1-2 visits (RR 2.81; 95% CI 1.83-4.33; P<0.001) or ≥3 visits (RR 3.06; 95% CI 1.57-5.95; P=0.001). DC completion was low overall, which raises concerns about whether FOBT can reduce CRC mortality in practice. Further research is needed to understand whether CHC navigator programs can achieve very high DC rates. If organizations use FOBT as their primary CRC screening approach and a substantial number of patients receive positive results, both screening rates and DC rates should be measured.

Beliefs about lung cancer, knowledge, and interest in lung screening among community health center patients.

e13051Background: Lung cancer mortality in high-risk smokers can be decreased by annual computed tomography lung screening. Prior to initiating a lung screening program for community health center (CHC) patients, we surveyed eligible current and former smokers to assess their beliefs about lung cancer and knowledge and interest in screening. Methods: In 2015, we conducted a telephone survey of current and former smokers, aged 50-80, receiving care at five CHCs affiliated with an academic primary care network. We excluded patients who had a history of lung cancer or did not speak English/Spanish. Surveys assessed self-reported risk of developing lung cancer and other smoking related diseases, worry about developing lung cancer, and knowledge about and willingness to have lung screening. We compared responses among former and current smokers using logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, education, and language. Results: Overall, 253 patients completed the survey (68% response rate). Mean age was 62.1 ye...

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) in community health center patients.

To investigate the factor structure of the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). Secondary analysis on an adult primary care sample (N = 2,599). Factor analysis of the tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis items did not yield an acceptable oblique, three-factor solution, due in part to floor effects and limited variability. A short form comprises three items (past-3-month frequency of use, urge to use, and whether others have expressed concern for use), that showed good psychometrics. Supports the need for further investigation of the ASSIST factor structure and a short form. (Am J Addict 2016;25:259-263).

Collaborative care between clinical pharmacists and general practitioners in patients with Alzheimer's disease in Slovenia

BackgroundAlzheimer's disease (AD) patients are often treated with inadequate doses of AD's medications, which can lead to harms and additional costs.ObjectiveIn most European countries, there is no data on inappropriate prescribing (IP) in patients with AD in terms of inadequate doses. In Slovenia, the interest for a collaborative care between clinical pharmacists and physicians is increasing, mainly because of payer's interest to reduce several additional costs.AimThe main aim of this paper was to present the benefits of clinical pharmacist interventions in AD patients in community health centres in Eastern Slovenia.MethodsAll included outpatients with AD in 2013 were included, where clinical pharmacists’ interventions were ordered by the general practitioners (GPs). All study data from the patients’ records were obtained from the clinical pharmacists’ reports and patients’ charts. Main outcome measures were obtained from the summary of the patients’ treatments and the questionnaires.ResultsSix hundred and twenty-nine patients were included. Before the clinical pharmacist medications review, 39 patients were treated with AD medications (10 without established AD). In 51.0% of these cases, the suggestions to GPs were provided (mainly dose adjustment). In 70.0% of all cases, the recommendations were accepted by GPs, which led to a total reduction in the number of patients with IP (before 20 and after 6).ConclusionsA clinical pharmacist could help GPs in recognizing IP in patients with AD. These data will guide health system directors and clinical coordinators in allocating resources to establish this cooperation in more European countries.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.