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Clinical pharmacists’ interventions in a German University Hospital

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Abstract

Objective To evaluate pharmaceutical interventions by ward-based clinical pharmacists in Germany. Setting Two ward-based clinical pharmacists working at the Departments of Stem Cell Transplantation and Intensive Care Medicine. Methods Pharmaceutical interventions during ward rounds from December 1st 2006 to November 30th 2008 were recorded and classified according to our own system that was adopted from established classification systems. Main outcome measure Classification of (1) cause of intervention, (2) intervention, (3) outcome of intervention and (4) initiator of intervention. Results Altogether 2,312 interventions were documented. Besides 520 cases of information about drugs (rational selection, occurrence of infrequent adverse events or interactions), the main interventions were recommendations for the addition, the withdrawal or the replacement of a drug (n = 907, 50.6%) and advices for the change of dosage, dosing intervals or dose adjustment according to impaired renal or liver function (n = 584, 32.6%). The vast majority of the suggested interventions (92.8%) have been accepted. Conclusion The participation of a clinical pharmacist during ward rounds contributes to the optimisation of pharmacotherapy, in terms of choosing the most appropriate drug and/or the suitable dosage and may improve patient care.

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Acknowledgments

We want to thank Prof. Dr. med. Georg Kreymann, Prof. Dr. med. Axel R. Zander and Dr. Michael Baehr, who initiated the project “Clinical Pharmacists” at our hospital for the fruitful cooperation at all times.

Funding

There was no external funding obtained for this work.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest to be stated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Pharmacy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Claudia Langebrake

  2. Department of Intensive Care Medicine and Pharmacy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Heike Hilgarth

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  1. Claudia Langebrake
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  2. Heike Hilgarth
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Correspondence to Claudia Langebrake.

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Langebrake, C., Hilgarth, H. Clinical pharmacists’ interventions in a German University Hospital. Pharm World Sci 32, 194–199 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-010-9367-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-010-9367-z

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