Interventions assist patients
August 5, 2010
A NATIONAL pharmacy trial
utilising the Guild’s MedsIndex to
improve patient compliance has
found that pharmacist interventions
had a significant impact on getting
patients to take their medications.
132 pharmacies took part in the
study, which recruited more than
700 patients on long term
medication.
At the start of the trial the
patients had a mean MedsIndex
score of 65.5, with the interventions
resulting in this improving to 77.2
at three months and 81.3 at six
months.
“These compliance interventions
implemented in the community
pharmacy setting led to a
significant improvements in
patients’ medication compliance,”
said Guild National Councillor, Toni
Riley.
“What this shows is that the
national implementation of a
program based on the intervention
used in this trial could result in
significant improved compliance for
patients on long term medication,
and consequential improvements in
health outcomes and reduced costs
to the health system,” she added.
The trial was overseen by
consulting firm Pricewaterhouse
Coopers in conjunction with the
University of Sydney, as part of the
Fourth CPA R&D program.
The Guild said that the Fifth
Agreement includes measures to
encourage pharmacists to
document clinical interventions.
The findings of the trial can be
viewed at www.guild.org.au.
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