Community Pharmacist-Led New Medicine Service for Patients With a Long Term Medical Condition: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: This study assessed the impact of the new medicine service (NMS) on medication use in patients starting a new medication for a longterm medical condition in the United Kingdom (UK). Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted in community pharmacies in the West Midlands area for three months from July to September 2012. The drug therapies/agents included in the study were antihypertensive, antidiabetics, anti-asthmatics and antiplatelet/anticoagulants.Results: 20 community pharmacists completed questionnaires related to 285 patients (160 female and 125 male). On the first NMS assessment, 82 patients reported drug-related problems including adverse effects and incorrect use of medications. Of these 82 patients, 58 received pharmacists' advice and 24 did not receive any advice. At the NMS follow up 39 (67%) of the 58 patients who received pharmacists' advice reported resolution of their drug-related problems while only four (17%) of the 24 patients who did not receive pharmacists' advice reported resolution of their problems (odds ratio 10.2, 95% CI 3.0-34.2 p<0.0001). The improvement in the correct use of medications by patients reported in this study for example by improving the inhaler technique of asthmatic patients is expected to have important implications for improving the healthcare outcome of patients with long-term conditions. Conclusion:This study provides support for the NMS as an opportunity to improve detection of adverse effects and improve the incorrect use of medicines by patients. Further research is needed to address the policy implications of the NMS, including analyses of the clinical and costeffectiveness of this service, and the sustainability of this form of pharmacist intervention in the long-term in clinical practice.

Community pharmacist led medication reviews in the UK: A scoping review of the medicines use review and the new medicine service literatures

“…Very little information is available in the literature on the extent of discussion or advice on health behaviours during consultations. A pharmacist completed survey reported over a fifth of NMS patients received advice on such issues, most commonly on diet, with alcohol and smoking advice provided to around 40% of these patients 60 . Such shortcomings extend beyond the conduct of MURs and the NMS, indicating broader challenges to moving from a traditional community pharmacist role to consistent adoption of patient-centred approaches to practice.…”

Predictors of Major Bleeding Among Atrial Fibrillation Patients on Warfarin

“…Furthermore, interventions made by clinical pharmacists are successful in identifying and rectifying the different types of drug-related problems in patients with multiple drug use [43]. Community pharmacists may also contribute to the detection of adverse effects attributed to new medications uses and identify incorrect use of medicines [44].…”

Assessment of Educational Intervention on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Rural Community Pharmacists of Mysuru District Toward Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting

“…The study findings have demonstrated that the community pharmacists possess a positive attitude toward ADR reporting, although the majority of them never reported any ADRs. In a study conducted by Cheema et al in London observed in their study "Community Pharmacist-Led New Medicines Service for patients with long-term medical condition -A cross-sectional study has revealed that ADR reporting has identified new service by community pharmacists to be offered to the patients voluntarily to identify potential ADRs that lead to increased morbidity in patients with chronic diseases not only improves patients health but also the reputation to the pharmacist [13] that similar findings were also observed in the studies conducted at United Arab Emirates and Malaysia with respect to the positive attitude of the community pharmacists in reporting ADRs in the community*pharmacy settings [12,14,15].…”