Clinical Intervention: Positive Outcome Based on Improved Communication with Physicians in a Community Hospital

Establishment of a clinical intervention program and standardized drug information system in a community hospital is explained. The establishment of the program increased better communication among pharmacists, medical staff, and other health care professionals. An effective and consistent interaction with the physicians with respect to patient's drug therapy was developed. Medication misadventures are diminished in a positive communications environment. The total number of interventions increased to 4,275 in first year of program in 1992 and 6,700 in 1993. The first six months of 1994 yielded similar improvements with a total of 3,390 interventions. Before 1991, no documentation of interventions existed. This intervention program resulted in a great cost savings to the pharmacy department. An estimated $96,000 cost savings was observed in 1992 and $87,000 in 1993. In the first six months of 1994, a cost savings of $48,000 was observed. This program decreased drug inventory to the lowest level recorded at this institution over this 30 month period. Significant improvement in several intervention categories such as adverse drug reaction (ADR), conversion from parenteral to oral therapy, aminoglycoside and vancomycin monitoring were observed. Statistical analysis showed significant improvement in the intervention program over a three-year period with P value ranging from 0.00 to 0.012.