Drug Information—from Centers to Practitioners

The responsibilities of individual pharmacists regarding the provision of medication information have changed substantially over the years. Impetus for this change was provided not only by the development of drug information centers and the clinical pharmacy concept, but also by the Study Commission on Pharmacy. This external group was established to review the state of the practice and education of pharmacists and report its findings. One of the findings and recommendations stated that:

. . .among 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. Pharmacists are seen as health professionals who could make an important contribution to the 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.

The report of the Commission was issued in 1975 and since that time drug information practice has changed both for drug information centers and individual pharmacists. The development of clinical pharmacy has helped move pharmacy forward in recognizing its capabilities to contribute to the care of patients. Clinical pharmacy was primarily thought of as an institutional patient care process and did not gain widespread acceptance outside of hospitals. Over time, the activity of the pharmacist as a medication expert for patients has gained acceptance in a variety of practice settings including community pharmacies, nursing homes, and primary and specialty practices in medicine. Pharmacists who provide patient-specific information with a goal of improving patient outcomes use the medical literature to support their choices.,

Pharmacists involved in patient care areas (e.g., hospitals, clinics, long-term care, and home health care) now frequently answer drug information questions, participate in evaluating a patient's drug therapy, and conduct medication usage evaluation activities. The provision of medication information may be on a one-on-one basis or may occur using a more structured approach, such as a presentation to a class of diabetic patients or a group of nurses in the practice facility. In either case, the pharmacist educates those who are the beneficiaries of the medication information. Pharmacists may also participate in precepting students in patient care or pharmacy environments. In any of these roles, the pharmacist must use appropriate information retrieval and evaluation skills to ensure that the most current and accurate information is provided to make decisions about medication use for those they are serving. There is a well-described systematic approach to answering drug information questions ( and ). It is important to obtain the important background information including pertinent patient factors, disease factors, and medication-related factors to determine the true question. Good problem-solving skills are required to fully assess the situation, develop a search strategy, evaluate the information, and formulate a response. It is equally important for the pharmacist to develop good communication skills to respond in a clear and concise manner, using terminology that is consistent with the patients', caregivers', or health professionals' level of understanding. lists the medication information skills a pharmacist needs.