Abstract:

If not properly selected and used, medications can cause problems with potential negative clinical consequences. A drug-related problem (DRP) has been defined as “an undesirable patient experience that involves drug therapy and that actually or potentially interferes with the desired patient outcome”. Clinical pharmacy, Pharmaceutical care and Medication Therapy Management are all based on identifying, resolving and preventing DRPs for the sake of patient.

This workshop will present definitions, classifications, sources of information, and consequences of DRPs as a base for clinical pharmacy practice and research. How can the problems be organised, prioritised, and communicated for improvement by the patient and the health care personal. The workshop will mix short presentations and cases based on research and practice. The presentations will mainly deal with the experiences from a systematic model that has shown major improvement in health care quality, the Lund Integrated Medicines Management Model.

Teaching goals:

• highlight the importance of and methods to identify, resolve and prevent DRPs
• present information available from medication reconciliation, medication review, hospital charts and patient interviews
• present how the problems can be organised, prioritised, and communicated for implementation by the patient and by the health care team
• help the participants to improve their own skills and practice.

Learning objectives:

After the workshop the participant should be able to:

• explain how DRPs can be used to document clinical pharmacy services and research
• discuss the difference between actual and potential DRPs
• discuss potential clinical consequences for DRPs.