Evolution of Hospital-Based Pharmacy Teaching Programs

This study evaluated hospital involvement in pharmacy education. Databases from four U.S. National Clinical Pharmacy Services Studies and the American Hospital Association permitted detailed trend analysis. The study population included acute care general medical surgical hospitals: 1989 n = 1174, 1992 n = 1597, 1995 n = 1102, 1998 n = 950. Clinical pharmacy services offered in 50 percent or more of PharmD affiliated hospitals in 1998 were: drug-use evaluation, inservice education, pharmacokinetic consultations, adverse drug reaction management, drug therapy monitoring, protocol management (aminoglycosides, nutrition, antibiotics, heparin, warfarin, and theophylline), nutrition team, and medication counseling. Patient-focused care programs varied among the hospitals by teaching affiliation in 1998 (χ2= 61.1, df=6, P<0.001). Drug information services and written admission medication histories declined. A consistent portfolio of clinical pharmacy services within the nation’s teaching hospitals is lacking despite clinical and economic indicators that such services are valuable to patients and their payers.