Assessing whether a clinical pharmacy program is meeting its goals

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Pharmacy Practice
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Memorial Hospital Medical Center (MHMC) established a clinical pharmacy program in 1967.
• The program aimed to standardize clinical services, integrate pharmacists with physicians and nurses, and ensure high-quality patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness and goal attainment of MHMC's clinical pharmacy program.
• To evaluate the impact of clinical pharmacists on patient care quality and interprofessional collaboration.

Main Methods:

• Data collection over six weeks via surveys (pharmacists, physicians, nurses), service reports, medical record audits, guideline compliance checks, interviews, and encounter logs.
• Quantitative analysis of drug monitoring, audits, and pharmacist-provider interactions.

Main Results:

• The clinical pharmacy program generally met its objectives.
• Pharmacist-initiated drug monitoring led to therapy changes in 20% of cases.
• High satisfaction (99-100%) reported for drug information services.
• Physicians (96%) and nurses (97%) perceived improved patient care due to pharmacist involvement.

Conclusions:

• MHMC's clinical pharmacy program is effectively meeting its goals.
• Clinical pharmacists play a vital role in improving patient care quality and collaborating with healthcare providers.
• The program demonstrates successful integration and positive impact within a large teaching hospital setting.