Background Heart Failure (HF) is a severe chronic condition requiring polymedication, which is associated with a risk of non-adherence to chronic Heart Failure (CHF) treatment.

We recently demonstrated that a clinical pharmacist (CP) can be successfully integrated into a cardiology department to improve HF patient care by supervising the treatment. In addition, in 2009 we developed a dedicated CP outpatient consultation integrated in the Heart Failure Clinic (HFC) at our institution.

Purpose To provide a description of the role of the CP in an outpatient HFC.

Materials and Methods 325 patients with HF are monitored at our HFC. All patients are seen by the CP during a dedicated consultation, which includes the following: 1) preparation of the patient’s file; 2) the complete history of medical treatment is checked; 3) the record of drugs is updated; 4) vital signs and electrocardiography are performed by the HF nurse. The patient is then seen by the cardiologist who updates the treatment plan. The patient is then seen by the CP who draws up and issues a plan to put the new treatment into practise, which includes scheduling phone contact for drug uptitration. Finally, the CP and the HF nurse ensure that the plan is followed by weekly scheduled phone consultations.

Results Each HF patient is seen at the outpatient clinic for approximately 45 minutes. On a yearly basis, the CP establishes 584 pharmaceutical plans and performs 197 phone consultations for follow up, resulting in 97 changed treatments.

Conclusions The integration of a CP into the HFC is important to improve management of HF through dedicated outpatient consultations, implementation of treatment plans and checking the patient’s adherence.

No conflict of interest.