Past polls have traditionally held pharmacists in high esteem for such characteristics as trust, ethics, and honesty.1 As healthcare providers, our intention is to always make a significant difference in patient lives, but also serve as role models for our developing pharmacy students and residents. Improving the pharmaceutical care and disease state understanding should never stop at the doors of a hospital or doctor's office, but should extend into the community. However, although distribution of medications to indigent populations is important, we found opportunities expanding beyond this dispensing mechanism. In a continual effort to forward the role of the profession of pharmacy in the public environment, the Medical College of Georgia Health System, in collaboration with the University of Georgia School of Pharmacy, established an outreach pharmacy education program in Augusta, Georgia. This program was intended to improve medication and disease state knowledge among patients within our community. Patient education is critical to improving their compliance with medications, understanding of disease states, and comfort in communicating with health providers. Each community outreach session generally addressed many medically relevant issues including compliance, understanding of indications and importance, side effects, explanation for mechanism of actions of medications, identifying interactions with other substances, recognizing symptoms of disease progression, and improving communication to health providers. These were conducted by invitation only at various sites throughout our local region. All participation was voluntary, either as a guest lecturer or attendee, and only general information was provided, so as not to confuse patients regarding their the medication regimen recommended or diagnosis given by their personal health care provider. The program was also created as an opportunity for final-year doctor of pharmacy students to further develop their public speaking skills and contribute to the education of their community. Pharmacy practice residents served as preceptors for the students. Each outreach session consisted of four 10-minute presentations on health issues that most individuals should be aware of or concerned about. Our audience was predominately elderly citizens, so the topics were a reflection of disease states associated with this patient population. The discussion topics to date have included: warning signs and prevention of stroke, warning signs and treatment of heart failure, the do's and don'ts about anticoagulation therapy, and osteoporosis and making strong bones. Other topics that could be presented include over-the-counter medications; cough and cold remedies and avoiding medication interactions; herbals and vitamins; hypertension; diabetes; metabolic syndrome; pneumococcal and influenza vaccine; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma; constipation; and gastroesophageal reflux disease. All topics focused on patient self-awareness and self-education, being compliant with prescription medications as well as providers' recommendations for exercise and diet, and speaking up about concerns including medication costs. Attendees were divided into 4 groups, and 4 speakers (students) made their presentations to each group on a rotation basis so that each group heard all 4 presenations and the program lasted no longer than 40 minutes. At the conclusion of the 40 minutes, a general question-and-answer session was held for 20 minutes to further address any questions not answered in the group sessions. Clinical pharmacists oversaw the students' presentations and were available to assist in answering attendees' questions. This project was not intended to replace the guidance and information provided by individual health providers, but rather complement and improve the public's knowledge regarding various health topics. To date, we have held 4 outreach sessions, providing information to approximately 360 nonmedical individuals. The majority of the attendees were greater than 65 years of age and probably take more than 1 prescription medication daily.2 Most of the presentations were given during a luncheon at a monthly meeting of a civic organization or community group. Feedback from the attendees has been extremely positive and the attendees have found the topics to be relevant to themselves and their friends. The older population expressed gratitude for the “novel” idea of having the students rotate between the groups and the 10-minute sessions were enough time to “maintain their attention” while delivering important information. All facilities visited have invited us back. Overall, the pharmacy outreach education program has been beneficial within our community. It has supported the reputation and role of pharmacy in Augusta, provided important medical information to our neighbors, and given future pharmacists the experience and desire to be community educators. Christina E. DeRemer, PharmD, BCPS Jason VanLandingham, PharmD Jody Carswell, PharmD, BCPS David Killough, PharmD Medical College of Georgia Augusta, GA
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Jun 1, 2010
S Elina Aaltonen + 10
Open Access
