OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of pharmacist interventions on glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients and to examine factors that could explain the variation across studies. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and LILACS databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to July 2015. The search strategy included the use of MeSH terms or...

BACKGROUND Despite pharmacists having increased involvement in managing minor illness, many patients continue to attend their GP with problems that could be managed by community pharmacists. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of visits to the GP that GPs felt could be managed by a pharmacist, and to explore patients' reasons for such visits. METHODS This cross-sectional que...

KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE A clinical pharmacist offers invaluable support in the development of a final prescription with better patient management and enhanced safety. Increasingly, medical practice is becoming a team effort with a specialized skill matrix, concentrating on multifaceted support for patient management. A physician undoubtedly leads the team, comprised of a specialist and skilled cli...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Patient education is a critical task that may be carried out by the pharmacists, especially in the context of contemporary pharmacists' roles, which tend to be closer to patients and their needs. This study aimed to evaluate the counseling provided by the pharmacist in the community pharmacy, from the patient's perspective. PATIENTS AND METHODS We conducted a prospective, ...

Introduction of a rapid methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) polymerase chain reaction assay, with physician education and pharmacist guidance, did not significantly reduce excessive empiric prescription of MRSA-active antibiotics despite the test's accuracy and potential to substantially reduce inappropriate antibiotic use.

BACKGROUND The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) directed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement a hospital readmissions reduction program that reduces payments to hospitals for excess readmissions that began in October 2012. As such, hospitals across the country have been trying to identify and implement successful strategies for reducing hospitalizations. ...

BACKGROUND Effective communication and education formats between health care providers and patients about medication use are associated with patients' satisfaction, recall of information, and eventually their health status. Limited research exists on physician-delivered education interventions, as well as on whether the current content of medication education and delivery formats satisfies the ...

Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the purpose of this study was to examine characteristics of the pharmacist-diabetic patient relationship that have the potential to lead to behavioral changes and improved clinical outcomes. Bandura's self-efficacy model served as the theoretical framework. Interviews were conducted with 12 participants diagnosed with diabetes regarding their lived...

Background The implementation of digital healthcare systems in hospitals globally and Australia has led to the introduction informatics pharmacist as a career system. However, pharmacists are not yet part routine clinical services Australia, so their perspective roles well understood. Aim To explore pharmacists' other health professionals' perspectives within interprofessional teams Australian ...