Article Text
Abstract
Background Few studies have assessed the activities of a designated neurocritical care pharmacist (NCP) by reducing preventable adverse drug events and medication errors.
Purpose This study evaluated the effect on the pharmaceutical service by a dedicated NCP.
Material and methods A retrospective study was conducted to compare a pre-designated NCP period (from 1 May 2016 to 31 December 2016) and post-designated NCP (from 1 May 2017 to 31 December 2017). Intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, ICU mortality, a total number of interventions, intervention rates per prescription and acceptance rate of NCP interventions were compared between the two groups. The types of interventions and relevant medications were investigated.
Results The total number of patients was 676 during the pre-NCP period and 769 during the post-NCP period. The presence of NCP pharmacists decreased ICU length of stay (B=−0.077 (−0.148–0.006), p=0.033), increased the clinically significant interventions (OR, 2.2 (1.5–3.1), p<0.001) and showed a tendency to reduce ICU mortality (OR, 0.7 (0.3–1.7), p=0.436). The number of interventions per prescription (0.5% vs. 0.3%, p=0.008), the intervention rate per 1000 patient-days (110.8 vs. 72.3, p<0.001) and incidences of clinically significant interventions (50.8 vs 22.5, p<0.001) were higher in the post-NCP group, respectively. In six medication types among the top 10 frequently intervened medications in the post-NCP period, no intervention was documented during the pre-NCP period were documented in six medication types.
Conclusion The presence of the designated NCP pharmacist had a positive impact on the patients’ care in neurocritical care units. It was also associated with a significantly reduced ICU length of stay.
References and/or acknowledgements 1. Weant KA, et al. Cost effectiveness of a clinical pharmacist on a neurosurgical team. Neurosurgery2009:65:946–50; discussion 950–1.
No conflict of interest.