Improving medication adherence is a critically important, but often enigmatic objective of patients, providers, and the overall health care system. Increasing medication adherence has the potential to reduce health care costs while improving care quality, patient satisfaction and health outcomes. While there are a number of papers that describe the benefits of medication adherence in terms of c...

compiling clinical guidelines is one of the requirements of family physician plan and classification of health care services.1 the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes can easily be seen in general practice so that 2.5% of referrals to general practitioners are due to diabetes. more than half of the patients with type 2 diabetes are left undiagnosed and most of them suffer from its complications ...

OBJECTIVE Continuity of care is considered foundational to high-quality care. Traditional continuity of care constructs may adequately characterize care quality in general populations, but may merit reconceptualization for patients with multiple chronic conditions. Specifically, interactions between multiple chronic condition patients and providers involve complex medication management; therefo...

BACKGROUND The implications of self-medication practices are increasingly recognized around the world; however, little has been reported on the extent of self-medication practiced in Palestine. OBJECTIVE To determine the reasons, extent, and correlates of self-medication practices among university students in Palestine. METHODS A self-administered questionnaire eliciting self-medication pra...

Today there are significant gaps between reaching the goal of "optimal medication therapy" and the current state of medication use in the United States. Pharmacists are highly accessible and well-trained--yet often underutilized--key health care professionals who can move us closer toward achieving better medication therapy outcomes for patients. Diabetes medication management programs led by p...

This review highlights the growing prominence of self-care and explores the contribution of community pharmacy. Firstly, background to self-care is discussed, followed by placing self-care in context with regard to the general public and accessing community pharmacy. From this perspective the contribution community pharmacy currently makes is assessed, paying particular attention to the factors...

OBJECTIVE To identify physician perceptions of community pharmacist-provided medication therapy management (MTM). METHODS Three focus groups consisting of family and internal medicine physicians were conducted in Pittsburgh, York, and Philadelphia, PA, using a semistructured topic guide to facilitate discussions. Each participant completed an exit survey at session conclusion. RESULTS 23 ph...

Background: Medication reconciliation problems are common among patients at hospital discharge and can lead to adverse events. The Electronic Nursing Discharge Summary (ENDS) has the potential of reducing discharge medication errors and ensuring the safe handover of care. Aim: The aim of this study is to describe how ENDS supports medication data exchange, cooperation and work practices as well...