Pharmacist's role in a Parkinson's disease and movement disorders clinic

The expanding role of a clinical pharmacist at a Veterans Affairs (VA) out-patient clinic for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and movement disorders is described.

San Francisco VA Medical Center added a clinical pharmacist to the multi-disciplinary team serving patients at an outpatient clinic operated by its Parkinson's Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center (PADRECC). During the first six months after joining the clinic team, the pharmacist met with 131 patients and made a total of 69 drug therapy recommendations that were implemented by neurologists, clinical nurse specialists, and other PADRECC providers. The results of a retrospective chart review suggested that in about 21% of the cases evaluated, the pharmacist's recommendations contributed to an improved medical outcome or the resolution of a medical problem. Anonymous surveys indicated that clinic providers (n = 33) and patients (n = 20) were satisfied with the pharmacist's services. Using a five-point Likert scale (scores ranged from 1 for "strongly disagree" to 5 for "strongly agree") that they had more time to devote to other clinic responsibilities with the pharmacist present in the clinic (mean score, 4.79); patients indicated that they had an improved understanding of their medications after speaking with the pharmacist (mean score, 4.88).

A clinical pharmacist's regular involvement in an outpatient PD and movement disorders clinic has been well received by patients and clinic providers. The study results suggest that the pharmacist has made important contributions in areas such as therapeutic problem solving and medication education while freeing up providers for other responsibilities.