Components of pharmacist-led discharge counseling vary

(HealthDay)—Components of pharmacist-led discharge counseling vary widely, and reporting is often poor, according to a review published in a recent issue of the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.

Aline F. Bonetti, Pharm.D., from the Federal University of Parana in Curitiba, Brazil, and colleagues identified studies that addressed pharmacist-led discharge medication counseling. Studies were included regardless of the population, clinical conditions, and outcomes evaluated.

Based on the 75 included studies, the researchers identified 32 different components. More than half of the studies reported indication of the medications and adverse drug reactions. Components of pharmacist-led discharge medication counseling were reported similarly between countries and over time. Two differences were identified: the use of a dosage schedule, which was more frequent in studies published in 2011 or before and in studies outside the United States, and the teach-back technique, which was used more frequently in the United States. Poor-quality reporting was seen, particularly regarding the duration of the counseling, the number of patients, and the medical condition.

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