| Sub-title | |
| Authors | L M Azzopardi A Serracino Inglott M Zarb Adami Mizzi Rachel |
| Abstract | Patients who are discharged after hospitalisation may have difficulty in understanding the correct use of medications. The aim of this study was to evaluate pharmacist intervention in counselling elderly patients upon discharge from an acute hospital. A prospective, comparative study was undertaken at Zammit Clapp Hospital, an acute geriatric hospital. The pharmacists prepared four-day medicines supply and a discharge medication leaflet for patients discharged during a four month period. The information leaflet presented written information on the drugs prescribed and on how to take the medications. In addition, the pharmacists discussed the patients medication during a counselling session. Patients knowledge on medications and compliance with therapy were assessed after the pharmacist counselling session and again after two weeks. Forty patients (mean age: 79.2 years, range: 66-91 years, 13 females, 27 males) participated in the study. The average duration of the pharmacist counselling session was 6 minutes (2-5 minutes). Patients knowledge on the indications, dosage regimen, and directions for use of the medications recorded after counselling during discharge, decreased significantly fifteen days post-discharge as follows: indications from 87% to 83%, dosage regimen from 23% to 18%, and directions for use from 99% to 95% (p<0.05 to p<0.01). The patients consumed a total of 243 products with an average of 6 medications per patient. Compliance reported by patients fifteen days post-discharge, was with 85% of the medications compared to the 97% intended compliance during discharge (p<0.001). Patient counselling reinforces patient knowledge and intention for compliance. The decline in knowledge on medications fifteen days post-discharge from hospital may indicate the need for follow-up counselling sessions by pharmacists to help the older persons to use medicine therapy correctly. |
Published in: | |
| Journal | Malta Medical Journal |
| Volume | Volume 15 (suppl) |
| Pages | - |
| Date | |
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| Key words | counselling, drugs, discharge, pharmacy |