Community drug information services by telephone

Counseling patients on the use of their medications is a direction the pharmacy profession has taken in recent years. The location of this interaction generally is assumed to be within the confines of a pharmacy or institutional setting. The concept can be expanded in scope and service to the community by encouraging drug information requests by telephone. A representative reference library and a form to document each call are the essential materials needed to begin. Exercising good judgment and a clinical approach to each call ensures the best possible outcome.