A Novel Screening Method to Prioritise Cardiovascular Patients Receiving a Pharmaceutical Care Intervention and the...

Hospitalisation is usually accompanied by changes in patients' drug regimen followed by increased information need. To identify inpatients most suitable for pharmaceutical care interventions addressing these information needs, different prioritisation strategies exist. Here, we present a novel screening method taking particularly patient-reported needs into account. We aimed to test (i) whether the screening method is able to identify patients who benefit most from an intervention, and (ii) whether the intervention can actually reduce patients' difficulties with managing their drug treatment.

This study comprised of an admission screening, a pharmaceutical care intervention during the inpatient stay, and a follow-up phone call after discharge. During screening, patients answered questionnaires regarding e. g., their beliefs about medicine, adherence, and complexity of drug treatment. According to predefined criteria, patients were selected for the intervention. During intervention, patients received counselling and information leaflets according to their needs. After the inpatient visit, all screened patients were contacted for a follow-up call. During intervention and follow-up, patients were asked applicable key questions on factors potentially increasing complexity of drug treatment to identify difficulties with managing their drug treatment.

Among 128 screened patients, 105 were deemed suitable for the intervention. Patients receiving the intervention showed less difficulties with managing their drug treatment after discharge (mean difficulties during intervention = 1.3 vs mean difficulties during follow-up = 0.9, p = 0.040). However, at follow-up, the number of patients' difficulties did not differ between patients suitable or unsuitable for the intervention and between suitable patients receiving or not receiving the intervention (p = 0.434).

The novel screening method identified many patients with high information needs, but its effectiveness for prioritisation is limited. While the intervention reduced patients' difficulties with managing drug treatment over time, no significant differences were observed between intervention groups.