Results of the 2000 ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in acute care settings that pertain to patient medication monitoring, education, and wellness are presented. Pharmacy directors at 1063 general and children's medical-surgical hospitals in the United States were surveyed by mail. The response rate was 50.2%. Although the respondents indicated that most pharmacists spent less than 20% of their time on medication-monitoring activities, the amount of time devoted to such activities was increasing. Pharmacists were selective about which patients they chose to monitor for medication-related problems. Patients were frequently chosen on the basis of service or medication. Pharmacists used a number of mechanisms to monitor patients for adverse drug events (ADEs). Although internal ADE reporting had generally increased within the preceding three years, 81% of the Institutions had implemented strategies to improve reporting. When ADEs were reported externally (59% of the respondents), FDA was most commonly alerted. About 92% of the respondents indicated that nursing had primary responsibility for counseling patients about medications. Pharmacists were infrequently involved in medication education during the hospital stay; however, 48% of the institutions used some method to identify patients needing counseling by pharmacists. Slightly more than half of the respondents reported having wellness programs. Pharmacists were most commonly involved in disease-based wellness programs. Pharmacists in acute care settings appear to be well positioned to improve the patient-monitoring, education, and wellness components of the medication-use process.

 

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