HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kopp, B. J. Articles by Duby, J. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kopp, B. J. Articles by Duby, J. J.

BRIAN J. KOPP, PHARM.D., BCPS, is Clinical Specialist—Adult Critical Care, University Medical Center, Tucson, AZ. MELINDA MRSAN, PHARM.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Generalist, Christus Santa Rosa, San Antonio, TX. BRIAN L. ERSTAD, PHARM.D., FASHP, is Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson. JEREMIAH J. DUBY, PHARM.D., BCPS, is Critical Care Pharmacist, Kaiser Permanente, Vallejo, CA.

Address correspondence to Dr. Erstad at the College of Pharmacy, Pulido Center, The University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210202, Tucson, AZ 85721-0202 (erstad{at}pharmacy.arizona.edu).

Purpose. The cost implications of and potential adverse events prevented by the interventions of a critical care pharmacist were studied. Methods. A decentralized clinical pharmacist assigned to a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) documented all interventions made from mid-October 2003 through February 2004 using a standardized written form. The data were retrospectively evaluated and the following information was extracted: amount of time spent performing various clinical activities, how drug-related problems were identified (e.g., order entry versus chart review), and a general description of the interventions. The interventions were independently reviewed by two other clinical pharmacists to determine whether an actual or potential adverse drug event (ADE) would have occurred without the intervention, the probability that an ADE would have occurred without the intervention, the type of intervention, and potential cost avoidance of the intervention. Once the evaluations were completed, the data obtained from order entry and verification activities were compared with the data obtained during other clinical functions. Results. A total of 129 interventions were documented over 4.5 months. The majority of interventions were identified during chart review (40%) and patient care rounds (39%). The potential cost avoidance of the documented interventions was $205,919–$280,421. Interventions identified during patient care rounds and chart review were most likely to achieve the greatest impact on cost avoidance. Conclusion. Among the interventions performed and documented by a clinical pharmacist in an ICU, patient care rounds and chart-review activities were associated with the greatest number of interventions and the greatest potential cost avoidance. Index terms: Clinical pharmacists; Clinical pharmacy; Critical care; Economics; Hospitals; Interventions; Pharmaceutical services; Toxicity

 

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. M. Setter, C. F. Corbett, J. J. Neumiller, B. J. Gates, D. A. Sclar, and T. E. Sonnett Effectiveness of a pharmacist-nurse intervention on resolving medication discrepancies for patients transitioning from hospital to home health care Am. J. Health Syst. Pharm., November 15, 2009; 66(22): 2027 - 2031. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. LaFleur, B. S Larson, K. M Gunning, G. J Stoddard, C. Madden, L. Oderda, C. Steinvoort, and G. M Oderda Agreement Between Pharmacists for Problem Identification: An Initial Quality Measurement of Cognitive Services Ann. Pharmacother., July 1, 2009; 43(7): 1173 - 1180. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Karapinar-Carkit, S. D Borgsteede, J. Zoer, H. J Smit, A. C. Egberts, and P. M. van den Bemt Effect of Medication Reconciliation With and Without Patient Counseling on the Number of Pharmaceutical Interventions Among Patients Discharged from the Hospital Ann. Pharmacother., June 1, 2009; 43(6): 1001 - 1010. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. L Erstad A Primer on Critical Care Pharmacy Services Ann. Pharmacother., December 1, 2008; 42(12): 1871 - 1881. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. De Rijdt, L. Willems, and S. Simoens Economic effects of clinical pharmacy interventions: A literature review Am. J. Health Syst. Pharm., June 15, 2008; 65(12): 1161 - 1172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]