Medication reconciliation: A qualitative analysis of clinicians' perceptions.

Background: Medication reconciliation has been at the forefront of national patient safety efforts for nearly a decade, yet health care institutions remain challenged with implementation.

Objectives: The objective of this article was to report an analysis of a qualitative study of the experiences of physicians, nurses, and pharmacists with medication management practices, specifically focusing on the practice of medication reconciliation.

Methods: This study used focus groups in a qualitative approach to explore participant perceptions about interprofessional communication and adverse drug events.

Psychotropic-related hip fractures: meta-analysis of first-generation and second-generation antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs.

Background: In 2007, more than 18,000 adults aged 65 or older died from injuries related to falls, with up to 30% experiencing severe injuries such as hip fracture or head trauma. The economic impact of falls and fractures among older people is substantial, with direct economic consequences totaling $19 billion in 2000.

Objective: To evaluate the association between antipsychotic and antidepressant agents and the risk of hip fracture in older adults, across multiple studies.

Pharmacist-managed telephone clinic review of antidementia medication effectiveness.

Objective: To describe the development and implementation of a telephone clinic for evaluating continued effectiveness of antidementia medication therapy in patients with dementia.

Setting: Ambulatory care at the Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Health Care System.

Practice Description: A pharmacist-directed, telephone dementia clinic review of patients taking dual antidementia therapy to determine whether a medication-discontinuation trial is appropriate based on caregiver global impressions.

Agreement between pharmacists for problem identification: an initial quality measurement of cognitive services.

Background: Recent changes in national reimbursement policies expand the ability of pharmacists to seek reimbursement for cognitive services. The quality of pharmacist-provided cognitive services has, until now, remained unassessed. Pharmacists should demonstrate the quality and value of their work to ensure the continued and expanded acceptance of reimbursement for their services.

Importance of cultural issues in managing a patient with diabetes.

Diabetes is highly prevalent in different ethnic groups. In the Hispanic population there are unique health care beliefs and practices that may affect diabetes care and management. It is important for pharmacists to understand these beliefs and other cultural issues in providing care to these persons with diabetes.

Prevalence of drug-related problems and cost-savings opportunities in medicaid high utilizers identified by a pharmacist-run drug regimen review center.

Background: Despite numerous reports of state Medicaid drug utilization review (DUR) programs, little data are available about the prevalence of drugrelated problems (DRPs) in Medicaid patients. A university-based, pharmacist-run DUR program for high utilizers was created as an alternative to imposition of a statutory limit of 7 medications per month in the Utah Medicaid program in 2002. The DUR program was designed to suggest ways that high-utilizing patients could decrease their total number of medications to 7 or fewer prior to imposition of the 7-medication limit at some time in the future.