%0 Journal Article %1 noKey %A Duggan, B. %A Ryder, S. A. %D 2012 %I Springer Netherlands %J International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy %K care communication community discharge errors gp hospital interface medication medicine myown pharmacist pharmacy prescription primary-secondary seamless services transcription %N 1 %P 211-212 %R 10.1007/s11096-011-9602-2 %T Community pharmacy services at the primary-secondary care interface. (ESCP 40th International Symposium on Clinical Pharmacy. Clinical Pharmacy: Connecting Care and Outcomes Dublin Ireland, 19–21 October 2011.) %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11096-011-9602-2 %V 34 %X Introduction: The primary-secondary care interface provides significant opportunities for medication errors to arise. There has been limited research into mechanisms to facilitate seamless transfer across this interface. The aim of this study was to focus on the potential contribution of community pharmacy services at the interface. Materials & Methods: The opinions of community and hospital pharmacists were sought in relation to the current situation by means of questionnaires. A log book of communications between a community pharmacy and hospitals was maintained. A comparison of new discharge and post-discharge prescriptions was also performed. The data was coded and analysed in SPSS v.16. Results: There is currently little communication across the interface at the time of discharge, with 11% of community pharmacists reporting no contact by a hospital at this time and a further 80% stating that they were only contacted occasionally. Hospital pharmacists reported ongoing difficulties in attempting to obtain a medication history on admission. Both parties agreed that the introduction of standard protocols and a designated seamless care pharmacist would improve medication safety at the interface. Most communication occurred between the community pharmacy and hospital on a Friday and also after 3 pm in the evening. When communication did occur the issue was resolved in 81% of all cases. Medication that required a follow up prescription from a patient’s family doctor following a hospital visit was incorrectly transcribed by the family doctor in 27% of cases. Discussions, Conclusion: The involvement of community pharmacists occurs irregularly at present. There is dissatisfaction with the current situation. Pharmacists at either side of the interface are aware of the importance of the role that the other plays in seamless care, with both parties favouring the introduction of processes to facilitate seamless care at the interface. The involvement of the community pharmacist in the discharge process, through the dispensing of hospital discharge prescriptions, helped to reduce the number of medication errors that could occur at the primary-secondary care interface.

@article{noKey, abstract = {Introduction: The primary-secondary care interface provides significant opportunities for medication errors to arise. There has been limited research into mechanisms to facilitate seamless transfer across this interface. The aim of this study was to focus on the potential contribution of community pharmacy services at the interface. Materials & Methods: The opinions of community and hospital pharmacists were sought in relation to the current situation by means of questionnaires. A log book of communications between a community pharmacy and hospitals was maintained. A comparison of new discharge and post-discharge prescriptions was also performed. The data was coded and analysed in SPSS v.16. Results: There is currently little communication across the interface at the time of discharge, with 11% of community pharmacists reporting no contact by a hospital at this time and a further 80% stating that they were only contacted occasionally. Hospital pharmacists reported ongoing difficulties in attempting to obtain a medication history on admission. Both parties agreed that the introduction of standard protocols and a designated seamless care pharmacist would improve medication safety at the interface. Most communication occurred between the community pharmacy and hospital on a Friday and also after 3 pm in the evening. When communication did occur the issue was resolved in 81% of all cases. Medication that required a follow up prescription from a patient’s family doctor following a hospital visit was incorrectly transcribed by the family doctor in 27% of cases. Discussions, Conclusion: The involvement of community pharmacists occurs irregularly at present. There is dissatisfaction with the current situation. Pharmacists at either side of the interface are aware of the importance of the role that the other plays in seamless care, with both parties favouring the introduction of processes to facilitate seamless care at the interface. The involvement of the community pharmacist in the discharge process, through the dispensing of hospital discharge prescriptions, helped to reduce the number of medication errors that could occur at the primary-secondary care interface.}, added-at = {2013-07-31T20:30:32.000+0200}, author = {Duggan, B. and Ryder, S. A.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/27b4b4dfc543f401c2a4e7276bdcd6d47/sryder}, doi = {10.1007/s11096-011-9602-2}, interhash = {62499c64cfe2b23f68e32117a9e465c2}, intrahash = {7b4b4dfc543f401c2a4e7276bdcd6d47}, issn = {2210-7703}, journal = {International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy}, keywords = {care communication community discharge errors gp hospital interface medication medicine myown pharmacist pharmacy prescription primary-secondary seamless services transcription}, language = {English}, number = 1, pages = {211-212}, publisher = {Springer Netherlands}, timestamp = {2013-07-31T20:46:18.000+0200}, title = {Community pharmacy services at the primary-secondary care interface. (ESCP 40th International Symposium on Clinical Pharmacy. Clinical Pharmacy: Connecting Care and Outcomes Dublin Ireland, 19–21 October 2011.)}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11096-011-9602-2}, volume = 34, year = 2012 }