ABSTRACT
Objetivo Conocer la efectividad de una intervención farmacéutica en pacientes, al alta hospitalaria, para mejorar la comprensión de los tratamientos farmacológicos y en consecuencia el cumplimiento de las pautas prescritas, en su domicilio. Observar si esta intervención repercute en el número de reingresos hospitalarios. Método Estudio experimental, controlado, aleatorizado, con dos grupos paralelos. Fueron incluidos 100 pacientes polimedicados del área de medicina interna. Al grupo control no se le realizó ninguna actividad complementaria a la práctica clínica habitual. Al grupo intervención, ya sea paciente o cuidador en el caso de pacientes dependientes, un farmacéutico le explicó y le hizo entrega de un diagrama horario personalizado de los medicamentos prescritos. Además, se informó al paciente acerca de la utilidad de cada medicamento, cómo debía ser administrado y la importancia de seguir las pautas correctamente. Al cabo de siete días, todos los pacientes o cuidadores fueron entrevistados telefónicamente acerca de su medicación, mediante un cuestionario. Se compararon las respuestas obtenidas con la prescripción médica al alta y se registraron las discrepancias. Mediante el sistema informático del censo hospitalario se consultaron los reingresos a los treinta y sesenta días del alta hospitalaria. Resultados El 70,7% de pacientes del grupo intervención, a la semana del alta, tomaba toda su medicación conforme a las pautas prescritas, en el grupo control este porcentaje fue de 19,5% (p < 0,001). El número de pacientes que reingresaron en el hospital al mes del (..)(AU)
Objective To determine the effectiveness of a pharmaceutical intervention with the patient upon hospital discharge, to improve understanding of pharmaceutical treatment and, as a consequence, improve adherence to prescribed regimens at home. To observe whether this intervention has an impact on the number of hospital admissions. Methods Experimental, controlled, randomised study with two parallel groups. One-hundred polymedicated internal medicine patients were included. Routine clinical practice was performed on the control group. For the intervention group, whether patient or carer (in the case of dependent patients), a pharmacist explained the drugs prescribed giving the patient a personalised medication timetable. Furthermore, the pharmacist explained why each drug had been prescribed, how to take it and why it was important to take the medication correctly. After seven days, all patients or carers were asked to complete a questionnaire about their treatment by telephone. The responses obtained were compared with the prescription upon discharge and discrepancies were recorded. We consulted the hospital's computer records to check for admissions thirty and sixty days following discharge. Results A week following hospital discharge, 70.7% of the intervention group were taking all of their medication in accordance with the prescribed regimen, whereas 19.5% of the control group was (P < .001). Three (7.3%) patients from the intervention group and 10 patients (24.4%) from the control group were readmitted a month following hospital discharge (P < .05). After two months, 3 (7.2%) patients from the intervention group and 13 (31.7%) from the control group had been readmitted (P < .01).Conclusions The pharmacist's intervention upon discharge has helped increase the percentage of patients that understood and took their medication correctly in accordance with their prescription. The number of hospital readmissions in the intervention group has also reduced (AU)
Subject(s)
Pharmacy Service, Hospital/organization & administration , Medication Therapy Management/organization & administration , Pharmaceutical Services , Evaluation of the Efficacy-Effectiveness of Interventions , Patient DischargeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of a pharmaceutical intervention with the patient upon hospital discharge, to improve understanding of pharmaceutical treatment and, as a consequence, improve adherence to prescribed regimens at home. To observe whether this intervention has an impact on the number of hospital admissions. METHODS: Experimental, controlled, randomised study with two parallel groups. One-hundred polymedicated internal medicine patients were included. Routine clinical practice was performed on the control group. For the intervention group, whether patient or carer (in the case of dependent patients), a pharmacist explained the drugs prescribed giving the patient a personalised medication timetable. Furthermore, the pharmacist explained why each drug had been prescribed, how to take it and why it was important to take the medication correctly. After seven days, all patients or carers were asked to complete a questionnaire about their treatment by telephone. The responses obtained were compared with the prescription upon discharge and discrepancies were recorded. We consulted the hospital's computer records to check for admissions thirty and sixty days following discharge. RESULTS: A week following hospital discharge, 70.7% of the intervention group were taking all of their medication in accordance with the prescribed regimen, whereas 19.5% of the control group was (P < .001). Three (7.3%) patients from the intervention group and 10 patients (24.4%) from the control group were readmitted a month following hospital discharge (P < .05). After two months, 3 (7.2%) patients from the intervention group and 13 (31.7%) from the control group had been readmitted (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacist's intervention upon discharge has helped increase the percentage of patients that understood and took their medication correctly in accordance with their prescription. The number of hospital readmissions in the intervention group has also reduced.
