The Concept of Medication Information and Its Evolution

1

Among the most fundamental

responsibilities of Pharmacists

The Pharmacists can serve as a

resource for issues regarding:

Cost-effective medication selection and

use

Medication policy decisions

Medication information resource selection

Practice related issues

2

Opportunities are growing in

several areas:

Managed Care Organizations

The Pharmaceutical Industry

Ambulatory Care

Insurance Industry

3

Information printed in a reference

or verbalized by an individual that

pertains to drugs.

Can also be associated with other

words:

Specialist/ practitioner/provider

Center/Service/Practice

Functions/Skills

4

Used in place of drug information

The management and use of

information on medication

therapy and to signify the broader

role that all pharmacists take in

information provision

5

1. Support for Clinical Services

2. Pharmacy and Therapeutics

committee activity

3. Publications

4. Education

6

5. Medication usage evaluation/

Medication Use Evaluation

6. Investigational Medication

control

7. Coordination of Reporting

programs

8. Poison information

7

8

The first drug information center was opened at the University of Kentucky Medical Center

An area separated from the pharmacy was dedicated to provide drug information

a source of selected, comprehensive drug information for staff physicians and dentists to evaluate and compare drugs

9

Expected to take and active role in

the education of health professional

students

A stated goal was to influence

pharmacy students in developing their

role as drug consultants.

10

Different approaches to providing drug information services included: Decentralizing pharmacists in the hospital

Offering a clinical consultation service

Providing services for geographic area through a regional center

11

EXPECTATION: Drug information would

be stored in the center, retrieved,

selected, evaluated and disseminated

by the specialist.

DRUG INFORMATION SPECIALIST

The individual responsible for operation of

the center

12

Information would be disseminated to:

Respond to specific questions

Assist in the evaluation of drugs for use in

the hospital

Inform through newsletters of current

developments related to drugs.

13

Drug Literature is vast and complex.

Drug Literature is growing rapidly in

size. It is also increasingly complex,

interdisciplinary and inter-professional

in nature.

14

Literature on clinical experience

with drugs is sizable and growing

Competent evaluation of masses

of drug information is particularly

necessary.

15

Medical Retrieval and Analysis

System (MEDLARS)

Developed by the National Library of

Medicine

Provided a computerized form of

searching

16

Requests for searches were submitted

by mail and results returned by mail

The drug information Specialist was

viewed as a person who could bridge

the gap and effectively communicate

drug information.

17

The beginning of the CLINICAL

PHARMACY concept

It laid the groundwork for pharmacists

to demonstrate the ability to assume

more responsibility in providing input

on patient drug therapy.

Pharmacists were provided the

opportunity to extend their patient

contribution

18

Pharmacists could offer their

expertise as consultants on drug

therapy.

CLINICAL DRUG LITERATURE

The tool the pharmacist uses to

function in this capacity

19

Many of the services still continue as

the major responsibilities of drug

information centers

But the scope and depth have changed

largely

The problems referred to drug

information centers tend to be more

complex, require use of specialized

resources or require more in0depth

analysis 20

Study Commission on Pharmacy

The external group was established to

review the state of the practice and

education of pharmacists and report

its findings.

21

among the deficiencies in the health

care system, one is the unavailability

of adequate information for those who

consume, prescribe, dispense and

administer drugs. This deficiency has

resulted in inappropriate drug use and

an unacceptable frequency of drug

induced disease.

22

Pharmacists are seen as health care

system of the future by providing

information about drugs to consumers

and health professionals. Education

and training of pharmacists now and

in the future must be developed to

meet these important responsibilities.

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