COSA 2014* The evaluation of clinical pharmacy services in an ambulatory cancer day care unit (#256)
Clinical pharmacy services to the ambulatory day care patient focus on improving the quality use of medicines for patients returning home after receiving chemotherapy. The pharmacist’s role in day care includes medication history taking, patient education and discharge facilitation. The aim of this study was to quantify clinical pharmacy services in day care and to assess the patient-pharmacist relationship in the cancer day care unit in a tertiary metropolitan hospital.
Method
A prospective study was conducted over 2 weeks as a ‘snap-shot’ of the pharmacist’s activity and key tasks performed. An anonymous self-completion survey was used to assess patient satisfaction and perceived benefits of the interaction with the pharmacist.
Results
Ninety-four patients were seen by the pharmacist in day care over the 2-week time period. Thirty-six patients were new to treatment and receiving their 1st cycle of chemotherapy while 58 patients were follow up patients receiving subsequent cycles of chemotherapy.
The pharmacist performed 51 medication histories, documented 30 adverse drug events and provided verbal medication counselling to 68 patients. The pharmacist provided 107 Consumer Medicine Information leaflets and 44 medication diaries documenting medication instructions for the patient.
Surveys were returned by 32 patients. Over 90% (n=29) of respondents believed they learnt something new by speaking with a pharmacist and were very satisfied with the pharmacist’s ability to answer their questions. Eighty-four percent (n=26) strongly agreed that the pharmacist helped them correctly take their medications. All respondents believed it to be important for patients to see a pharmacist when starting cancer treatment.
Conclusions
This evaluation quantifies the tasks that the clinical pharmacist performs in day care. These tasks are recognized as supporting the safe and effective use of medicines and achieving continuity in medication management for the patient when they leave day care(1). The relationship between the pharmacist and the patient was identified as positive and the service well-accepted by patients indicating the value patients place on the service.
- Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council; Guiding principles to achieve continuity in medication management 2005. Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing. Citied August 2014.
