Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA·2025
Drug information services (DIS) are crucial in hospital settings.
Evaluating the scope and impact of a university hospital-based DIS is essential for optimizing patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
To analyze the types and frequency of drug-related inquiries received by a hospital-based drug information service.
To assess the role of a comprehensive DIS in improving drug therapy quality and safety.
Main Methods:
Prospective analysis of 501 drug-related questions over two evaluation periods.
Categorization of inquiries based on content: practical drug treatment, safety in pregnancy/lactation, and pharmaceutical properties.
Main Results:
Physicians and pharmacists primarily sought information on practical patient care aspects (77%), including drug choice, dosage, side effects, and interactions.
Inquiries regarding drug safety in pregnancy/lactation (8.8%) and pharmaceutical properties (14.2%) were also significant.
Electronic media use was found to facilitate information management.
Conclusions:
A problem-oriented, comprehensive drug information service requires close collaboration between clinical pharmacologists and pharmacists.
Drug information services demonstrably enhance the quality and safety of drug therapy.
Effective use of electronic resources is key to efficient DIS operations.