Pharmacist-led Intervention Research Articles

Peripheral Arterial Disease and the Pharmacist’s Role in Management

Purpose. Atherosclerosis of arteries in the legs leads to peripheral arterial disease (PAD), increasing the risk of future cardiovascular events. Worldwide prevalence estimates indicate >200 million people have PAD, but this is likely underestimated given the variability in symptoms and lack of awareness by patients and clinicians. Antiplatelet therapy is recommended to reduce cardiovascular risk, but anticoagulation therapy may also be beneficial. This narrative review examined scientific literature for the burden and medical management of PAD, including use of anticoagulants in this population, and provides perspectives on the role of pharmacists to improve outcomes of PAD. Summary. A variety of antiplatelet therapies has been studied in patients with PAD, and treatment is recommended for those with symptomatic disease. The use of dual antiplatelet therapy is limited to patients with symptomatic PAD after revascularization. Anticoagulation with warfarin in combination with antiplatelet therapy did not improve efficacy over antiplatelet therapy alone and increased bleeding. In contrast, the direct factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban, when used in combination with low-dose aspirin, has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke by 28% in patients with PAD compared with aspirin alone. Similarly, in patients with PAD who have undergone revascularization, rivaroxaban plus aspirin reduced the risk of acute limb ischemia, major amputation, MI, stroke, or cardiovascular death by 15% versus aspirin alone. Major bleeding was significantly increased with rivaroxaban plus aspirin, but with no differences in fatal bleeding, nonfatal intracranial hemorrhage, or symptomatic bleeding into a critical organ between groups. Pharmacist-led interventions for patients with PAD include identifying at-risk patients through medication reviews and clinical assessments, education and monitoring use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, and appropriate counseling on lifestyle modifications. Conclusion. Rivaroxaban plus aspirin reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events, including major adverse limb events and amputation, in patients with PAD. Pharmacists can play an integral role in identifying, screening, and managing patients with PAD to achieve favorable outcomes.

Results of a multicenter cluster-randomized controlled clinical trial testing the effectiveness of a bioinformatics-enabled pharmacist intervention in transplant recipients

An ambulatory medication safety dashboard was developed to identify missing labs, concerning labs, drug interactions, nonadherence, and transitions in care. This system was tested in a 2-year, prospective, cluster-randomized, controlled multicenter study. Pharmacists at 5 intervention sites used the dashboard to address medication safety issues, compared with usual care provided at 5 control sites. A total of 2196 transplant events were included (1300 intervention vs 896 control). During the 2-year study, the intervention arm had a 11.3% (95% confidence interval, 7.1%-15.5%) absolute risk reduction of having ≥1 emergency department (ED) visit (44.2% vs 55.5%, respectively; P < .001, respectively) and a 12.3% (95% confidence interval, 8.2%-16.4%) absolute risk reduction of having ≥1 hospitalization (30.1% vs 42.4%, respectively; P < .001). In those with ≥1 event, the median ED visit rate (2 [interquartile range (IQR) 1, 5] vs 2 [IQR 1, 4]; P = .510) and hospitalization rate (2 [IQR 1, 3] vs 2 [IQR 1, 3]; P = .380) were similar. Treatment effect varied by comorbidity burden, previous ED visits or hospitalizations, and heart or lung recipients. A bioinformatics dashboard-enabled, pharmacist-led intervention reduced the risk of having at least one ED visit or hospitalization, predominantly demonstrated in lower risk patients.

The Pharmacist's role in dermatology: Patient medication adherence.

Medication non-adherence is currently estimated to have caused at least 100 000 preventable deaths and over $100 billion in preventable medical costs. Adherence is particularly poor in dermatological conditions, with more than 50% of patients discontinuing topical treatments within the first year. Pharmacists are among the most accessible health-care professionals with the potential to greatly impact medication non-adherence through patient education, medication therapy management, and improved access to care. This review aimed to determine how pharmacists have improved medication adherence in dermatology and discuss strategies for further involvement. An extensive medical literature search using the PubMed database was conducted to evaluate clinical studies, published in the last 20 years, that have evaluated the pharmacist's role and impact on adherence of to dermatological products. PubMed search terms include: "pharmacists' role in dermatologic medication adherence", "pharmacist-led interventions in dermatology", "pharmacist medication adherence dermatology" and "pharmacist intervention dermatology". A total of 18 relevant studies were identified. Pharmacists improved dermatological medication adherence by increasing access to medications, providing medication counseling programs, and performing treatment monitoring services. However, corticophobia may contribute to pharmacists' hesitancy in making corticosteroid over-the-counter recommendations. Pharmacists are accessible health-care providers with the potential to improve dermatological medication adherence. Future advanced training in dermatology medications may refine pharmacists' knowledge of dermatological products.

The impact of a pharmacist intervention on post-discharge hypnotic drug discontinuation in geriatric inpatients: a before-after study

BackgroundChronic use of hypnotic agents is prevalent in older adults, who as a result are at increased risk for certain adverse events, such as day-time drowsiness and falls. Multiple strategies to discontinue hypnotics have been tested in geriatric patients, but evidence remains scarce. Hence, we aimed to investigate a multicomponent intervention to reduce hypnotic drug use in geriatric inpatients.MethodsA before-after study was performed on the acute geriatric wards of a teaching hospital. The before group (= control group) received usual care, while intervention patients (= intervention group) were exposed to a pharmacist-led deprescribing intervention, comprising education of health care personnel, access to standardized discontinuation regimens, patient education and support of transitional care. The primary outcome was hypnotic drug discontinuation at one month after discharge. Secondary outcomes among others were sleep quality and hypnotic use at one and two weeks after enrolment and at discharge. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) upon inclusion, two weeks after enrolment and one month after discharge. Determinants for the primary outcome were identified using regression analysis.ResultsA total of 173 patients were enrolled, with 70.5% of patients taking benzodiazepines. Average age was 85 years (interquartile range 81–88.5) and 28.3% were male. A higher discontinuation rate at one month after discharge was observed in favour of the intervention (37.7% vs. 21.9%, p = 0.02281). No difference in sleep quality was found between both groups (p = 0.719). The average sleep quality was 8.74 (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.98–9.49) and 8.57 (95% CI: 7.75–9.39) in the control and intervention groups respectively. Determinants for discontinuation at one month were: the intervention (odds ratio (OR) 2.36, 95% CI: 1.14–4.99), fall on admission (OR 2.05; 95% CI: 0.95–4.43), use of a z-drug (OR 0.54, 95% CI: 0.23–1.22), PSQI score on admission (OR 1.08, 95% CI: 0.97–1.19) and discontinuation prior to discharge (OR 4.71, 95% CI: 2.26–10.17).ConclusionsA pharmacist-led intervention in geriatric inpatients was associated with a reduction of hypnotic drug use one month after discharge, without any loss in sleep quality.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05521971 (retrospectively registered on 29th of August 2022).

Effect of Pharmacist-Led Interventions on Medication Adherence among Vietnamese Patients with Asthma: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Medication adherence in asthmatic patients enhances the effectiveness of treatments, but some studies in low and middle-income countries still show some limitations. Our study aimed to determine if pharmacist-led interventions could increase medication adherence, improve treatment effectiveness, and relieve symptom severity in outpatients with asthma. We conducted a randomized, controlled trial on 247 asthmatic outpatients (aged ≥ 16) with a 1:1 ratio randomization at the hospitalization time and repeated after 1-month discharge. The primary outcome was to detect the difference in medication adherence between groups. Adherence was assessed by the general medication adherence scale (GMAS). Data collected by questionnaire was coded and entered into SPSS_20 for statistical analysis; Results: 247 patients (123 intervention, 124 control) were enrolled (61.1% male). After intervention, the adherence rate was higher among the intervention group than the control group (94.3% vs. 82.8%, p = 0.001). Patient behavior and knowledge were enhanced in the intervention group (p < 0.05). Asthma symptoms were relieved in the intervention group (p = 0.014). Pharmacist-led interventions on adherence rate were higher with OR: 3.550, 95% CI: 1.378-9.143, p = 0.009. pharmaceutical intervention could improve medication adherence, treatment efficacy, and the outcome should not be taken for granted; further research should be carried out in this regard.

EPH235 Impact of Pharmacist-Led Interventions on Medication-Related Outcomes Among Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review

EPH235 Impact of Pharmacist-Led Interventions on Medication-Related Outcomes Among Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review

EE518 Characteristics of the Clinical Pharmacist Interventions at a Tertiary Cancer Care Hospital in Qatar

Drug-related problems (DRPs) affect the health outcomes of patients during the hospital stay. Clinical pharmacist-led interventions have a profound impact on medication safety and improving patient outcomes since their role is evolving. In Qatar, there is an opportunity for pharmacists to expand their role as patient safety leaders to prevent medication errors. This study aims to describe and classifythepharmacist-documented interventions among hospitalized patients in a cancer hospital in Qatar.

A randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led clinical interventions on the health-related quality of life among TB patients.

Background: The study was designed to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led clinical interventions on the health-related quality of life among tuberculosis patients in Pakistan. Methods: A randomized, controlled prospective study was carried out in a Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital tuberculosis (TB) control center. Participants who visited the TB center between September 2020 and December 2021 were randomly assigned to two clusters, the usual care group (UC group) vs. the intervention group (pharmaceutical care group), in a 1:1 ratio by a simple envelope technique. In the intervention group, a patient received centered care that encompassed informed decision-making, which can increase the quality of care and monitoring of adverse drug events. However, the control group received routine TB treatment at the hospital. The EuroQol-5D-3L instrument was used to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at the baseline and in the third and sixth months of the treatment time period. Results: A total of 503 patients were eligible, of which only 426 patients were included in this study. At the end of the study, n = 205 of the patients in the intervention group and n = 185 of those in the control group were analyzed. In the intervention group, the EQ-5D-3L health utility score improved significantly (p < 0.001) (from the baseline mean ± SD, 0.40 ± 0.36, to 6months of treatment, 0.89 ± 0.09, while in the control group from 0.42 ± 0.35 to 0.78 ± 0.27). In multivariate regression analysis, the variables that remained statistically associated (p < 0.001) with the HRQoL (unstandardized β [95% confidence interval]) of the control group were as follows: gender, female vs. male (-0.039 [-0.076 to -0.003]); body weight, less than 40kg vs. more than 40kg (-0.109 [-0.195 to -0.024]); patients with any comorbidity vs. without comorbidity (-0.136 [-0.252 to -0.020]); and smokers vs. non-smokers (-0.204 [-0.291 to -0.118]). The study did not find any statistically significant associations between the intervention group's variables and the HRQoL. Conclusion: Patient-centered care interventions led by pharmacists as part of care coordination enhanced the HRQoL for TB patients significantly. According to this study, clinical pharmacists should be included in the interdisciplinary clinical staff for TB patient management.

The relationship between the pharmacist's role, patient understanding and satisfaction during the provision of a cost-effective pharmacist-led intervention.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the pharmacist's role, patient understanding and satisfaction during the provision of a cost-effective pharmacist-led intervention using structural equation modelling (SEM). SEM is a group of statistical techniques used in different disciplines to model latent variables and evaluate theories. A validated questionnaire was used to gather patient views on a pharmacist-led intervention. A conceptual model was developed to test the statistical significance of the relationship between patient understanding and satisfaction, the pharmacist's role and patient understanding, the pharmacist's role and patient satisfaction. In addition, the study evaluated the model's in-sample and out-of-sample predictive power. The analysis tested fours hypotheses (H): 1) There was no significant relationship between patient understanding and patient satisfaction; 2) There was no significant relationship between the pharmacist's role and patient understanding; 3) There was no significant relationship between the pharmacist's role and patient satisfaction; 4) The in-sample and out-of-sample predictive power of the model. Data were analysed using Smart-PLS software version 3.2.8. Two hundred and forty-six patients returned the questionnaire. Construct reliability, validity (Cronbach's alpha〉0.70, ⍴A>0.70, ⍴C>0.70), average extracted variance (AVE〉0.50) and discriminant validity (HTMT<0.85) were confirmed. The structural model and hypothesis testing results showed that all hypotheses were supported in this study. Path coefficients and effect sizes suggested that the pharmacist's role played a significant part in patient understanding (H2, β=0.650, f2 =0.730, p<0.001), which then influenced patient satisfaction (H1, β=0.474, f2 =0.222, p<0.001). The in-sample and out-of-sample predictive powers were moderate. Patient satisfaction is becoming an integral component in healthcare provision and evaluation of healthcare quality. The results support using structural equation modelling to assess the link between the pharmacist's role and patient understanding and satisfaction when delivering cost-effective pharmacist-led interventions.

Clinical Pharmacist Transition of Care Model Improves Hospital System Practice by Reducing Readmissions.

A primary cause of hospital readmission is medication-related problems (MRPs). Polypharmacy patients taking multiple medications concurrently experience an increased likelihood of MRPs and high occurrence of readmissions to the hospital within 30 days. This study assessed the ability of a pharmacist-led transition of care program to decrease readmissions in polypharmacy patients by evaluating and rectifying MRPs. Over 16 months, patients admitted onto the medicine ward service with ≥10 home medications ( n = 536) received medication management interventions from a clinical pharmacist including admission interview, medication reconciliation and consultation, and postdischarge phone follow-up. Admitted patients taking fewer than 10 home medications during the same time served as the control group and received routine standard of care ( n = 2317). The polypharmacy group who received the pharmacist-led intervention had a statistically significantly lower 30-day readmission rate (8.8%) compared with patients in the control group (12.4%; X 2 = 5.63, p = .01). Patients receiving pharmacist intervention were 33% less likely to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge compared with the control group (odds ratio = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.49-0.94). All patients had at least one medication-related discrepancy. This pharmacy-led transition of care program can effectively reduce readmission rates through resolution of medication-related problems.

Outcomes of Pharmacist-Led Pharmaceutical Care Interventions Within Community Pharmacies: Narrative Review.

Pharmaceutical care (PhC) services interventions led by pharmacists within community pharmacies (CPs) are essential in achieving optimal medication use outcomes. PhC is a concept related to medication use goals optimization through the reduction and prevention of drug-related problems (DRPs). This review paper summarized the literature on pharmacist-led PhC interventions within CPs. PubMed and Google Scholar publications were searched, identified, and summarized. Results showed that some studies handled community pharmacists' roles, and some talked about PhC interventions. However, some studies reviewed the use of medicines, adherence, and follow-up, while other groups were on counseling, patient education, and health promotion. Pharmacists integrated some studies concerning diagnosis and disease screening into community pharmacy services. Besides these studies, there were studies on system design and installation of PhC service models. Most of the identified research results showed pharmacist-led intervention benefits for patients. These benefits include reduced DRPs, clinical, economical, humane, education and knowledge, disease prevention and immunization, identification of practice process problems, and the need for current practice redesigning. In conclusion, pharmacists can help patients achieve optimal outcomes through pharmacist-led interventions. Despite mentioned results, We recommend researching comprehensively applied PhC services provision models within CPs for more pharmacists-led interventions and role activation.

Pharmacist-Led Interventions to Reduce Drug-Related Problems in Prescribing for Pediatric Outpatients in a Developing Country: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

To evaluate a pharmacist-led intervention's effectiveness in reducing drug-related problems (DRPs ( related to prescriptions for pediatric outpatients. We conducted a randomized controlled trial. We recruited and randomly assigned 31 physicians to control or intervention groups. We collected 775 prescriptions (375 from the control group and 400 from the intervention group) at the start. For 3 weeks, intervention physicians received additional information and meetings with pharmacists in addition to the usual practices of the hospital. We then collected prescriptions at the end of the study. We classified DRPs, based on reliable references (Supplemental Table S1) at baseline and endpoint (a week after the intervention). The primary outcome was the proportion of prescriptions with DRPs, and secondary outcomes were the proportions of prescriptions with specific DRP types. The influence of the intervention on general DRPs and specific DRPs was the study's main finding. The pharmacist-led intervention helped reduce the prescriptions with DRPs proportion in the intervention group to 41.0%, compared with 49.3% in the control group (p < 0.05). The DRPs proportion related to the timing of administration relative to meals, unlike the other DRP types, increased in the control group (from 31.7% to 34.9%) and decreased in the intervention group (from 31.3% to 25.3%), with a significant difference between the 2 groups at endpoint (p < 0.01). Patients aged >2 to ≤6 years (OR, 1.871; 95% CI, 1.340-2.613) and receiving ≥5 drugs (OR, 5.037; 95% CI, 2.472-10.261) were at greater risk of experiencing DRPs related to prescribing. A pharmacist-led intervention improved DRP occurrence related to physicians' prescribing. Pharmacists could be involved in in-depth research with physicians in the prescribing process to provide tailored interventions.

Pharmacist-led intervention aimed at deprescribing and appropriate use of cardiometabolic medication among people with type 2 diabetes.

Potential overtreatment with cardiometabolic medication (i.e., glucose lowering medication, antihypertensives and statins) has been observed in 10-40% of older people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The potential effects of a pharmacist-led clinical medication review targeted at T2D patients who were at high risk of hypoglycaemia will be investigated. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in 14 Dutch community pharmacies. Patients with a high risk of hypoglycaemia were identified using a previously developed algorithm. Pharmacists confirmed eligibility and selected patients for the intervention. Remaining eligible patients were included as controls receiving usual care. The primary outcome was the proportion of intervention patients for whom an action on deprescribing or appropriate use of cardiometabolic medication was implemented. After three months, changes in cardiometabolic medication were compared between the intervention and control group using a Fischer exact test. In total 90 intervention patients and 107 control patients were included. Intervention patients had an average age of 70, used on average 10 medications, five of which were cardiometabolic medication. For half of the intervention patients an action on deprescribing cardiometabolic medication was implemented (n=25) and/or an advice about appropriate use of cardiometabolic medication was given (n=22). In 48% of intervention patients at least one cardiometabolic medication (e.g. insulin, sulfonylurea, diuretic, beta-blocker, statin) was either stopped or reduced in dose compared to 31% of control patients (p=0.018). A pharmacist-led tailored clinical medication review has the potential to increase deprescribing and improve appropriate use of cardiometabolic medication in half of T2D patients at high risk of hypoglycaemia.

Pharmacist-led multi-faceted intervention in an antimicrobial stewardship programme at a dental university hospital in Japan

Antimicrobials are commonly prescribed in dentistry. However, inappropriate antimicrobial prescriptions are common in this field. Optimizing antimicrobial prescriptions in dentistry requires an effective strategy for modifying prescribing behaviour. To assess the efficacy of pharmacist-led multi-faceted intervention for the proportion of monthly antimicrobial prescriptions in each drug group per 100 oral antimicrobial prescriptions. A before-after trial was performed at a university hospital outpatient dental clinic. A pharmacist-led, multi-faceted intervention, including immediate and direct feedback to the prescribers, an explanation of the rules of antimicrobial prescriptions for patients with penicillin allergy, tutorials for dentistry students, and a review of hospital-approved antimicrobials, was implemented from April 2017 to March 2022. Antimicrobials were classified into eight groups, namely, penicillins, first- and second-generation cephalosporins, third-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, clindamycin, carbapenem, and others. In total, there were 2,643,988 visits to the outpatient dental clinic during the study period. The monthly mean proportion of prescriptions for penicillins increased from 45.6 to 84.1 per 100 oral antimicrobial prescriptions (P<0.001) while that of third-generation cephalosporins decreased from 43.0 to 7.3 (P<0.001) from the pre-intervention to the intervention period. Moreover, the monthly mean proportion of fluoroquinolones, macrolides, and carbapenems decreased from 11.2 to 7.44 (P<0.001). The intervention modified dentists' antimicrobial prescribing behaviours, leading to an immediate increase in the number of monthly prescriptions for penicillins and a simultaneous decrease in the number of monthly prescriptions for third-generation cephalosporins and other broad-spectrum, oral antimicrobials.

Multidimensional Interventions on Supporting Disease Management for Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure: The Role of Clinical and Community Pharmacists.

existing trials on the role of clinical pharmacists in managing chronic disease patients have focused on variety of interventions, including preparing patients for the transition from hospital to home. However, little quantitative evidence is available regarding the effect of multidimensional interventions on supporting disease management for hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF). The present paper reviews the effects of inpatient, discharge and/or after-discharge interventions performed on hospitalized HF patients by multidisciplinary teams, including pharmacists. articles were identified through search engines in three electronic databases following the PRISMA Protocol. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or non-randomized intervention studies conducted in the period 1992-2022 were included. In all studies, baseline characteristics of patients as well as study end-points were described in relation to a control group i.e., usual care and a group of subjects that received care from a clinical and/or community pharmacist, as well as other health professionals (Intervention). Study outcomes included all-cause hospital 30-day re-admission or emergency room (ER) visits, all-cause hospitalization within >30 days after discharge, specific-cause hospitalization rates, medication adherence and mortality. The secondary outcomes included adverse events and quality of life. Quality assessment was carried out using RoB 2 Risk of Bias Tool. Publication bias across studies was determined using the funnel plot and Egger's regression test. a total of 34 protocols were included in the review, while the data from 33 trials were included in further quantitative analyses. The heterogeneity between studies was high. Pharmacist-led interventions, usually performed within interprofessional care teams, reduced the rates of 30-day all-cause hospital re-admission (odds ratio, OR = 0.78; 95% CI 0.62-0.98; p = 0.03) and all-cause hospitalization >30 days after discharge (OR = 0.73; 95% CI 0.63-0.86; p = 0.0001). Subjects hospitalized primarily due to heart failure demonstrated reduced risk of hospital admission within longer periods, i.e., from 60 to 365 days after discharge (OR = 0.64; 95% CI 0.51-0.81; p = 0.0002). The rate of all-cause hospitalization was reduced by multidimensional interventions taken by pharmacists: reviews of medicine lists and/or their reconciliation at discharge (OR = 0.63; 95% CI 0.43-0.91; p = 0.014), as well as interventions that were based mainly on patient education and counseling (OR = 0.65; 95% CI 0.49-0.88; p = 0.0047). In conclusion, given that HF patients often have complex treatment regimens and multiple comorbid conditions, our findings highlight the need for greater involvement from skilled clinical and community pharmacists in disease management.

470 Evaluation of cardiovascular risk factor control among people with diabetes in the community pharmacy setting – a cross sectional study

Abstract Introduction Diabetes affects almost 140,000 Irish people and the prevalence is increasing.(1) In Ireland there is no structured programme in place for community pharmacists to provide care to people with diabetes, outside of dispensing medications and supplying medical devices. Research shows that community pharmacists can provide advanced services to people with diabetes that improve glycaemic control, cardiovascular risk, and medication profile.(2) A pharmacist-led intervention among people with diabetes in the Irish community pharmacy setting may be beneficial in addressing these treatment goals. However, baseline data to support this is not available. Aim To assess the cardiovascular risk profile of people with diabetes attending community pharmacy in Ireland. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Data collection took place in 10 pharmacies, identified by purposeful sampling, in four Irish counties, and was conducted by five pharmacy students. Data collection in each pharmacy lasted between five and six weeks and took place between July 2018 and October 2019. A target sample size was not set. Study participants were aged 18 years and older, with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, attending a participating pharmacy and to whom oral diabetes medicines, insulin or devices for monitoring glycaemic control were dispensed. A data collection form was designed for the study, based on the RxEACH study.(2) Participants were asked their demographics, medical history, and cardiovascular risk factors. Current medications were identified using dispensing software. Data were presented as mean±standard deviation or number (%). Data were analysed in SPSS v28. Results Data were available for 106 participants, 70 (66.0%) male, mean age 63.5±13.7 years. Of these, 90 (84.9%) had type 2 diabetes and 16 (15.1%) had type 1 diabetes. Hypertension and dyslipidaemia were reported by 60 (56.6%) and 59 (55.7%) participants, respectively. This was followed by family history of premature heart disease (N=40, 37.7%), coronary artery disease (N=10, 9.4%), and atrial fibrillation (N=9, 8.5%). Twenty-one participants (19.8%) were current smokers, 31 (29.2%) followed no specific diet, and 44 (41.5%) did not undertake exercise. Oral diabetes medication was prescribed to 85 (80.2%) participants and insulin to 29 (27.4%) participants. Antihypertensive medication was prescribed to 67 (63.2%), lipid-lowering therapy to 53 (50.0%) and an antiplatelet agent to 51 (48.1%) participants. Participants reported that they received education about diabetes medicines from their general practitioner (N=49, 46.2%), endocrinologist (N=21, 19.8%), diabetes nurse (N=28, 26.4%), dietician (N=3, 2.8%), pharmacist (N=17, 16.0%), other source (N=17, 16.0%). Twelve (11.3%) participants reported never receiving medication education. Conclusion Study limitations include being confined to a small number of pharmacies in a geographically limited area and that medical history was based on self-report. Strengths include the use of a robust method of collecting medication data. People with diabetes attending study pharmacies had high rates of behaviours associated with cardiovascular risk including smoking and lack of exercise. Fewer than one-in-six participants reported receiving diabetes medication education from their pharmacist. Pharmacist-led interventions to engage people with diabetes in discussing health behaviours and medication education should be developed and explored as potential future professional services delivered by Irish pharmacists.

Impact of pharmacist-led interventions on heart failure medication adherence: a prospective cohort study

Abstract Objectives Clinical pharmacists play an important role in the optimization and individualization of treatment for heart failure patients in the multidisciplinary team. This study aims to demonstrate the impact of pharmacists’ interventions on medication adherence and adverse outcomes among heart failure patients. Methods This is a prospective cohort study on 95 chronic heart failure patients in a national hospital of Vietnam. Participants in the intervention group received two consultations with a pharmacist on the third day of admission and one week after discharge while patients in the control group received standard care. The Vietnamese version of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 was applied to measure the medication adherence at the start of the study, at 2 months and 4 months post-discharge. Adverse outcomes including death and hospital readmissions were also collected during the follow-up period. Key findings Baseline adherence was 53.3% for the intervention group and 58.3% for the control group. After 2 months, 97.7% of the patients in the intervention group were adherent compared to 80.4% in the control group (P &amp;lt; 0.01). The adherent rates in these groups were 90.2% and 71.1% after 4 months, respectively. The intervention group had fewer combined adverse outcomes than their control counterpart, although the difference was not significant (24.4% versus 35.4%, P = 0.249). Conclusions Pharmacist-led interventions improved self-reported medication adherence and might have a positive impact on outcomes among heart failure patients. Patient education and consultations should be a standard of practice to optimize treatment plans among heart failure patients.

"Positive Kidney Health": Implementation and design of a pharmacist-led intervention for patients at risk for development or progression of chronic kidney disease.

Patients with early chronic kidney disease (CKD) or underlying risk factors are often unaware of their kidney test results, common causes of CKD, and ways to lower risk of disease onset/progression. To test feasibility of a pharmacist-led intervention targeting patient education and risk factors in patients with early CKD and those at risk for CKD. Ambulatory care pharmacists in community-based primary care clinics delivered kidney health education, ordered labs, and recommended medication adjustments. We identified patients with a moderate rate of decline (≥2 mL/min/1.73 m2 per year) in estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) at-risk for CKD or early stage CKD. An interactive workbook was designed to teach patients about kidney test results and self-management of risk factors including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cigarette smoking, and chronic oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. Outcomes included visit uptake, completion of annual albuminuria screening, and initiation of guideline-directed medications for CKD. Patients were surveyed pre- and post-intervention for kidney health knowledge and perceptions regarding pharmacist-provided information. Our sample of 20 participants had a mean eGFR of 59 mL/min/1.73 m2 and the meaneGFR decline was-4.6 mL/min/1.73 m2 per year. There were 47 visits during the pilot period from February 2021 to October 2021. Thirteen patients were missing albuminuria screening within 12 months; 2 of 9 patients with resulting labs had new microalbuminuria and were started on renoprotective medications. Patients had improved understanding of their kidney function test results and most did not consider the information scary or confusing. Barriers to enrollment included fewer participants with multiple risk factors for CKD. The pharmacists were able to engage patients in learning the importance of monitoring and self-management of kidney health. A collaborative practice agreement may enhance a similar intervention that includes initiation of renoprotective medications.

Effect of the population health inpatient Medicare Advantage pharmacist intervention on hospital readmissions: A quasi-experimental controlled study

BACKGROUND: The population health inpatient Medicare Advantage pharmacist (PHIMAP) intervention is a pharmacist-led, transitions-of-care intervention that aims to reduce hospital readmissions among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. PHIMAP includes inpatient pharmacist participation in interdisciplinary rounds, admission and discharge medication reconciliation, pharmacy staff delivery of discharge medications to the bedside, personalized discharge medication lists and counseling, and communication with outpatient pharmacists through an electronic health record. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the PHIMAP intervention on unplanned 30-day same-hospital readmissions among Medicare Advantage patients. METHODS: Those included were patients admitted to a large urban academic medical center between May 2018 and March 2020 who had a Medicare Advantage plan and were aged at least 18 years. A 2-group, quasi-experimental design was utilized. Control patients received the usual care, which included a best possible medication history and a postdischarge phone call. A multivariable logistic regression model was estimated to predict unplanned 30-day same-hospital readmissions. This study was a Hypothesis Evaluating Treatment Effectiveness study. RESULTS: In total, 884 patients were included. The majority were White (59.0%), non-Hispanic (87.7%), English speaking (90.5%), and older adults (median age, 75 years; interquartile range, 70-83 years). We detected no statistically significant association between the PHIMAP intervention and unplanned 30-day same-hospital readmissions (odds ratio [OR] = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.56-1.52). After adjusting for patient demographics and clinical covariates, significant predictors of 30-day readmissions included the number of emergency department/inpatient visits within 180 days prior to index admission (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.11-1.77); discharge to a post-acute care facility, such as an inpatient rehabilitation facility, long-term acute care facility, or skilled nursing facility (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.06-2.66); hospital length of stay in days (OR = 1.04, 95% CI=1.01-1.07); and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Elixhauser Comorbidity Index score (OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 1.01-1.02). CONCLUSIONS: Significant predictors of readmissions among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries were consistent with greater illness severity, including a recent history of prior hospital utilization, a discharge to post-acute care facility (vs home), a longer length of hospital stay, and a higher comorbidity burden. Although we detected no statistically significant association between PHIMAP and unplanned 30-day same-hospital readmissions, differences in study group assignment based on the day of hospital discharge (weekend vs weekday) was a noted limitation of this study. Future studies of inpatient pharmacist-led interventions should plan to minimize the risk of selection bias due to differences in the time of patient discharge. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported in part by the National Institute on Aging under award number R01AG058911 (to Pevnick) and the UCLA Clinical Translational Science Institute (UL1 TR001881). The sponsor had no role in the design and conduct of the study, nor the writing of this report.

BreatheOut: Development and implementation of a pharmacist-led, culturally tailored smoking cessation program for transgender and gender diverse patients

BackgroundThe transgender population has disparities and predictors of smoking unique from the general population. Although culturally tailored smoking cessation programs have been created for minority populations with increased burden of tobacco use, there are no such pharmacist-led smoking cessation interventions for transgender patients. ObjectivesThe objective is to describe the development and implementation of a culturally tailored smoking cessation program for transgender and gender diverse patients and highlight an opportunity for pharmacist involvement in the interdisciplinary health care team for trans patients. MethodsThe BreatheOut program was devised as a pharmacist-led smoking cessation program for transgender and gender diverse patients. The program was designed based on the PEN-3 model for centering cultural identity in behavior change and was administered in an ambulatory care setting at a community health center with integrated clinical pharmacists. Patients are offered pharmacotherapy for treatment of smoking cessation in accordance with guideline-directed therapy. ResultsPreliminary evaluation of this program was conducted through a prospective, observational study. To assess long-term feasibility of the program, time spent at each visit was tracked to calculate cost using a pharmacy resident versus a clinical pharmacist to provide the service. The program was financially feasible when the cost of personnel time was compared with medical billing and pharmacy revenue. ConclusionThis culturally tailored smoking cessation program for a population with a high burden of smoking was found to be feasible when administered by a pharmacy resident or clinical pharmacist. Preliminary data support expansion of this program and the use of a culturally tailored approach to smoking cessation in this population.