Evaluating the performance of ChatGPT in clinical pharmacy: A comparative study of ChatGPT and clinical pharmacists.

AIMS: To evaluate the performance of chat generative pretrained transformer (ChatGPT) in key domains of clinical pharmacy practice, including prescription review, patient medication education, adverse drug reaction (ADR) recognition, ADR causality assessment and drug counselling. METHODS: Questions and clinical pharmacist's answers were collected from real clinical cases and clinical pharmacist competency assessment. ChatGPT's responses were generated by inputting the same question into the 'New Chat' box of ChatGPT Mar 23 Version. Five licensed clinical pharmacists independently rated these answers on a scale of 0 (Completely incorrect) to 10 (Completely correct). The mean scores of ChatGPT and clinical pharmacists were compared using a paired 2-tailed Student's t-test. The text content of the answers was also descriptively summarized together. RESULTS: The quantitative results indicated that ChatGPT was excellent in drug counselling (ChatGPT: 8.77 vs. clinical pharmacist: 9.50, P = .0791) and weak in prescription review (5.23 vs. 9.90, P = .0089), patient medication education (6.20 vs. 9.07, P = .0032), ADR recognition (5.07 vs. 9.70, P = .0483) and ADR causality assessment (4.03 vs. 9.73, P = .023). The capabilities and limitations of ChatGPT in clinical pharmacy practice were summarized based on the completeness and accuracy of the answers. ChatGPT revealed robust retrieval, information integration and dialogue capabilities. It lacked medicine-specific datasets as well as the ability for handling advanced reasoning and complex instructions. CONCLUSIONS: While ChatGPT holds promise in clinical pharmacy practice as a supplementary tool, the ability of ChatGPT to handle complex problems needs further improvement and refinement.

Documentation and classification of hospital pharmacist interventions: A scoping review.

The practice of documenting pharmacist interventions (PIs) has been endorsed by many hospital pharmacists' societies and organizations worldwide. Current systems for recording PIs have been developed to generate data on better patient and healthcare outcomes, but harmonization and transferability are apparently minimal. The present work aims to provide a descriptive and comprehensive overview of the currently utilized PI documentation and classification tools contributing to increased evidence systematization. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Studies from 2008, after the release of the Basel Statements, were included if interventions were made by hospital or clinical pharmacists in a global hospital setting. Publications quality assessment was accomplished using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. A total of 26 studies were included. Three studies did not refer to the documentation/classification method, 10 used an in-house developed documentation/classification method, seven used externally developed documentation/classification tools and six described method validation or translation. Evidence confirmed that most documentation/classification systems are designed in-house, but external development and validation of PI systems to be used in hospital practice is gradually increasing. Reports on validated PI documentation/classification tools that are being used in hospital clinical practice are limited, including in countries with advanced hospital pharmacy practice. Needs and gaps in practice were identified. Further research should be conducted to understand why using validated documentation/classification methods is not a disseminated practice, knowing patients' and organizational advantages.

Implementation of a clinical decision support system for the optimization of antidiabetic drug orders by pharmacists.

AIMS: The objective of the study was to describe the impact of a clinical decision support system (CDSS) on antidiabetic drug management by clinical pharmacists for hospitalized patients with T2DM. METHODS: We performed a retrospective, single-centre study in a teaching hospital, where clinical pharmacists analysed prescriptions and issued pharmacist interventions (PIs) through a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system. A CDSS was integrated into the pharmacists' workflow in July 2019. We analysed PIs during 2 periods of interest: one before the introduction of the CDSS (from November 2018 to April 2019, PIs issued through the CPOE alone) and one afterwards (from November 2020 to April 2021, PIs issued through the CPOE and/or the CDSS). The study covered nondiabetology wards as endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism departments were not computerized at the time of the study. RESULTS: There were 203 PIs related to antidiabetic drugs in period 1 and 319 in period 2 (a 57.5% increase). Sixty-four of the 319 PIs were generated by the CDSS. Noncompliance/contraindication was the main problem identified by the CDSS (41 PIs, 68.4%), and 57.8% led to discontinuation of the drug. Most of the PIs issued through the CDSS corresponded to orders that had not been flagged up by clinical pharmacists using the CPOE. Conversely, most alerts about indications that were not being treated were detected by the clinical pharmacists using the CPOE and not by the CDSS. CONCLUSION: Use of CDSS by clinical pharmacists improved antidiabetic drug management for hospitalized patients with T2DM. The CDSS might add value to diabetes care in nondiabetology wards by decreasing the frequency of potentially inappropriate prescriptions and adverse drug reactions.

Investigating the Association Between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Pathological Responses Among Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and pathological responses after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is controversial. In this study, we aim to determine the association of pathological responses in breast cancer women with T2DM after receiving NACT. METHODS: Medical records of breast cancer women with T2DM who received NACT from January 2016 to January 2021 at the medical center in the Gujranwala Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy, Pakistan, were identified and retrieved retrospectively. Variables, including pathological responses, diabetes status, and other clinical data, were collected. Patients were grouped as diabetic and nondiabetic based on the doctor's diagnosis or the diabetic's medication history recorded upon the breast cancer diagnosis. Factors influencing the pathological complete response (pCR) were determined using multivariate logistic regression utilizing IBM SPSS Statistics (version 20). RESULTS: A total of 1372 patient files who received NACT and breast cancer surgery from January 2016 to January 2021 were selected. Out of 1372 breast cancer women receiving NACT, 345 (25.1%) had pre-existing diabetes, while 1027 (74.85%) were without pre-existing diabetes. The most common molecular subtypes of breast cancer were luminal A and B. Two hundred fifty-eight patients (18.8%) had a pCR after receiving NACT. The pCR in diabetic patients was 3.9%, and in nondiabetes, 14.9%. Most women had a pathological partial response (pPR) after the NACT 672 (48.9%). The pPR in diabetic patients was 11.0%, and in nondiabetic patients, it was 38.0%. In nondiabetics, the odds of achieving pPR increase more than pathological no response after the NACT with odd ratio: 1.71 (95% confidence interval: 1.24-2.37). The probability of pCR in patients with luminal B was 1.67 times higher than that in patients with triple-negative breast cancer with odd ratio: 1.67, 95% confidence interval (1.00-2.79), P = 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study show that T2DM may have an adverse impact on pCR and pPR following NACT and surgery. Further investigation is needed to explore how changes in blood glucose levels over time impact pathological responses.

Monoclonal Antibody Infusions for Outpatient Management of Mild-Moderate COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rapid, exponential increase in hospitalizations and morbidity/mortality. In November 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) permitting administration of the first monoclonal antibodies (mAb) for outpatient treatment of COVID-19. Early data showed a reduction in COVID-19-related hospitalizations with few adverse events. However, since these treatments are only authorized under an EUA, real-world data are minimal. OBJECTIVE: To assess efficacy and safety of mAbs in a veteran population. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed veterans at the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Health Care System with mild-moderate COVID-19 and screened for mAb eligibility between December 1, 2020, and October 31, 2021. The primary outcome was hospitalizations and/or emergency department (ED) visits within 30 days. Secondary outcomes included 30-day mortality and post-COVID-19 conditions. Adverse events were also evaluated. Outcomes were compared between mAb-treated patients and eligible veterans who were not treated. RESULTS: There were 296 and 275 veterans in the mAb and control groups, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found for the primary outcome overall (25.7% vs 25.1%; P = 0.87), nor for COVID-19-related return visits or hospitalizations (13.9% v. 16%; P = 0.4). However, the mAb group had more return ED visits (P = 0.35), and the control group had significantly more hospitalizations (P = 0.02). Vaccinated veterans who received an mAb had fewer return visits and hospitalizations (P = 0.01). More mAb-treated veterans experienced post-COVID-19 conditions. No difference in mortality was found. Four nonsevere adverse events occurred after the mAb therapy. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Overall, the mAbs appeared safe and effective. Sicker, higher-risk mAb-treated veterans faired similarly to less-sick, high-risk veterans not treated. Those who were vaccinated seemed to benefit the most from mAb therapy. Future prospective studies with more matched groups are needed to assess full benefits and risks of mAbs shown to neutralize the predominant variants.

Role of a Pharmacist in Postdischarge Care for Patients With Kidney Disease: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to explore and describe the role of pharmacists in providing postdischarge care to patients with kidney disease. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), CINAHL (Ebscohost), Web of Science Core Collection, and Scopus were searched on January 30, 2023. Publication date limits were not included. Search terms were identified based on 3 concepts: kidney disease, pharmacy services, and patient discharge. Experimental, quasi-experimental, observational, and qualitative studies, or study protocols, describing the pharmacist's role in providing postdischarge care for patients with kidney disease, excluding kidney transplant recipients, were eligible. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Six unique interventions were described in 10 studies meeting inclusion criteria. DATA SYNTHESIS: Four interventions targeted patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) during hospitalization and 2 evaluated patients with pre-existing chronic kidney disease. Pharmacists were a multidisciplinary care team (MDCT) member in 5 interventions and were the sole provider in 1. Roles commonly identified include medication review, medication reconciliation, medication action plan formation, kidney function assessment, drug dose adjustments, and disease education. Some studies showed improvements in diagnostic coding, laboratory monitoring, medication therapy problem (MTP) resolution, and patient education; prevention of hospital readmission was inconsistent. Limitations include lack of standardized reporting of kidney disease, transitions of care processes, and differences in outcomes evaluated. RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: This review identifies potential roles of a pharmacist as part of a postdischarge MDCT for patients with varying degrees of kidney disease. CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacist's role in providing postdischarge care to patients with kidney disease is inconsistent. Multidisciplinary care teams including a pharmacist provided consistent identification and resolution of MTPs, improved patient education, and increased self-awareness of diagnosis.

Impact of emergency medicine clinical pharmacist practitioner-driven sepsis antibiotic interventions.

BACKGROUND: The 2021 Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines recommend administration of antimicrobials within the first hour of recognition of sepsis. Over the last decade, several studies have demonstrated improved time-to-antibiotic administration and antibiotic appropriateness when a pharmacist was involved in the care of patients with sepsis. To our knowledge, no studies evaluating the appropriate use of antibiotics in sepsis driven entirely by an Emergency Medicine (EM) Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) have been published. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of an EM CPP-driven protocol on antimicrobial interventions in patients with sepsis in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: This was a retrospective comparison of patients with sepsis for whom antimicrobials were ordered in the ED without pharmacist intervention to patients whose antimicrobials were ordered by an EM CPP via a sepsis consult to pharmacy. An EM CPP reviewed individual patient profiles for pertinent historical admissions, culture data, and allergy profiles to guide antimicrobial selection for the suspected source of infection and entered orders under their scope of practice with formal documentation in the electronic medical record (EMR). The primary objective of this study was to compare the rates of appropriate empiric antibiotic utilization in septic patients admitted from the ED pre- and post-protocol implementation. Secondary endpoints included the following, broadening of ED-initiated empiric antibiotics on hospital admission, time-to-antibiotic administration, in-hospital mortality, Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) association with in-hospital mortality, and hospital length of stay. RESULTS: A total of 144 patients were included: 80 patients prescribed antibiotics without pharmacist intervention and 64 prescribed antibiotics by an EM CPP. Appropriate empiric antibiotic selection in the ED improved from 57.5% (46/80) to 86% (55/64) with EM CPP intervention (difference 28.5%; p < 0.01). Time-to-first antibiotic administration decreased by 64 min (p < 0.01). Administration of antibiotics within 60 min, broadening of antibiotics on admission, hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality did not significantly differ across groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this small, single-center study, an EM Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner-driven protocol for patients with sepsis in the emergency department improved the rate of appropriate empiric antimicrobial selection and time-to-antibiotic administration.

Exploring the impact of pharmacist-supported medication reviews in dementia care: experiences of general practitioners and nurses.

BACKGROUND: Dementia is a major global public health challenge, and with the growing elderly population, its prevalence is expected to increase in the coming years. In Sweden, municipalities are responsible for providing special housing for the elderly (SÄBO), which offers services and care for older individuals needing specific support. SÄBO is both the person´s home and a care environment and workplace. Polypharmacy in patients with dementia is common and increases the risk of medication interactions. Involving clinical pharmacists in medication reviews has been shown to enhance medication safety and improve prescribing practices. However, the views of the standard care team involved in medication prescribing, administration, monitoring and documentation on integrating pharmacist services have received less attention. Thus, this study aims to explore how pharmacists' contributions can enhance medication safety, improve patient care efficiency, and potentially alleviate the workload of general practitioners for people with dementia living in special housing. METHODS: This study has a descriptive qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews and qualitative content analysis. The study was conducted in a southern Swedish special housing and included nurses, assistant nurses, general practitioners (GPs), and a pharmacist. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, interviews were conducted over the phone. The Swedish Ethical Review Authority approved the study. RESULTS: The analysis revealed three main categories, and eleven subcategories.: (1) Integrating multidisciplinary approaches for holistic dementia care, (2) Strengthening dementia care through effective medication management and (3) Advancing dementia care through pharmacist integration and role expansion. Nurses focused on non-pharmacological treatments, while GPs emphasized the importance of medication reviews in assessing the benefits and side-effects of prescribed medication. Pharmacists were valued for their reliable medication expertise, appreciated by GPs for saving time and providing recommendations prior to consultations with individuals with dementia and their next-of-kin. Although medication reviews were considered beneficial, there was skepticism about their ability to solve all medication-related problems associated with dementia care. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the critical role pharmacists play in enhancing medication safety and patient care efficiency in special housing for individuals with dementia. Despite the value of their contributions, communication barriers within healthcare teams pose significant challenges. Recognising potential pharmacist role expansion is essential to alleviate the workload of GPs and ensure effective collaborative practices for better patient outcomes.

Pharmacist-driven outreach initiative to increase prescribing of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in eligible VHA patients with chronic kidney disease: a study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk for multiple adverse events, several of which have been proven to be less likely with the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i). As a result, guidelines now recommend SGLT2i be given to those with mild to moderate CKD and type 2 diabetes. The objective of this study is to evaluate if a pharmacist-driven SGLT2i prescribing initiative among eligible patients with CKD and diabetes within the VA could more rapidly improve the adoption of SGLT2i via a pragmatic approach aligned with learning health systems. METHODS: Eligible patients will be identified through an established VA diabetes dashboard. Veterans with an odd social security number (SSN), which is effectively a random number, will be the intervention group. Those with even SSNs will serve as the control while awaiting a second iteration of the same interventional program. The intervention will be implemented in a rolling fashion across one Veterans Integrated Service Network. Our primary outcome is initiation of an SGLT2i. Secondary outcomes will include medication adherence and safety-related outcomes. DISCUSSION: This project tests the impact of a pharmacist-driven medication outreach initiative as a strategy to accelerate initiation of SGLT2i. The results of this work will not only illustrate the effectiveness of this strategy for SGLT2is but may also have implications for increasing other guideline-concordant care. Furthermore, the utilization of SSNs to select Veterans for the first wave of this program has created a pseudo-randomized interventional trial supporting a pragmatic learning health system approach. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN12374636.

Securing the oral and enteral oncopediatric chemotherapy process in pediatric oncology: Introduction of the ENFit™ standard in a controlled-atmosphere area and implementation of a dispensing service of medications to outpatients circuit with advice on proper use.

INTRODUCTION: Oral chemotherapies pediatrics are manufactured from injectable specialties in a controlled-atmosphere area. Packaged in Luer-Lock syringes, the transition to an ENFit™ connector became crucial to enable administration in surveyed patients. In parallel, a study was carried out to optimize and secure patient care by setting up a retrocession circuit. OBJECTIVE: To introduce the ENFit™ range of devices into the manufacturing process for oral or enteral chemotherapy syringes. Secondly, establish a retrocession circuit, validate its economic relevance and implement and evaluate efforts to promote proper use. METHODS: ENFit™ meeting the specifications were sourced and then evaluated. Research was conducted on the legislative framework governing the retrocession of masterful preparations made from injectable specialties. A 2021 retrospective economic study enabled the assessment of the financial balance generated by a potential retrocession circuit. Meetings to promote the good use of medication were conducted. Satisfaction questionnaires were created for caregivers and medical staff in the pediatric department. RESULTS: All ENFit™ ranges have been referenced within the Fresenius laboratory. Retrocession has been set up in accordance with legislation. The economic study highlighted a potential revenue of EUR 69,900 in 2021. Three good-use booklets and a dosage plan were created to promote good use. Ten families and 12 caregivers responded to the questionnaire, with satisfaction rates of 81.1% and 71.9%, respectively. CONCLUSION: ENFit™ devices has enabled oral and enteral administration of chemotherapy. The retrocession circuit includes all the good-use elements required for optimal patient care. The results of the satisfaction survey are positive, certain areas for improvement have been identified.

Concordance analysis of two databases to search for potential drug interactions in onco-hematologic patients.

INTRODUCTION: Potential drug interactions exert a significant impact on patient safety, especially within intricate onco-hematological treatments, potentially resulting in toxicity or treatment failures. Despite the availability of databases for potential drug interaction investigation, persistent heterogeneity in concordance rates and classifications exists. The additional variability in database agreement poses further complexity, notably in critical contexts like onco-hematology. AIM: To analyze the concordance of two databases for researching potential drug interaction in prescriptions for hematological patients at a University Hospital in the Midwest region of Brazil. METHOD: Cross-sectional study developed in a Brazilian hospital. The search for potential drug interaction was conducted in Micromedex® and UpToDate®. The variables were: the presence of potential drug interaction, severity, mechanism, management, and documentation. Data was analyzed in terms of frequency (absolute and relative), Cohen's kappa, and Fleiss kappa. RESULTS: The presence of potential drug interaction, showed a lack of concordance between the databases (k = -0.115 [95% CI: 0.361-0.532], p = 0.003). Regarding the mechanism, a strong agreement was observed (k = 0.805, p < 0.001 [95% CI: 0.550-0.941]). The management concordance showed a fair agreement, 46.8% (k = 0.22, p < 0.001 [95% CI: 0.099-0.341]). Stratifying the categories, significant concordance was observed in "Adjustment of dose + Monitoring" (k = 0.302, p = 0.018) and "Monitoring" (k = 0.417, p = 0.001), while other categories did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Our study emphasizes the variability in potential drug interaction research, revealing disparities in severity classification, management recommendations, and documentation practices across databases.

Impact of pharmacist managed oral epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacists are an integral part of medication management, with the positive impact of their clinical services in patient outcomes previously studied and reported in literature. The roles and responsibilities of pharmacists continue to expand, including optimizing patient medication and health outcomes related to complex oral anticancer drugs. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-managed oral chemotherapy clinic in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) taking oral epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor (EGFRi) regimens within an integrated healthcare delivery system. METHODS: This was an observational cohort study using data from Kaiser Permanente Northern and Southern California regions on adult patients who received oncology pharmacist-managed care compared to patients with usual care. Patients were newly initiated with EGFRi therapy to treat NSCLC between 2017 and 2019. The follow-up period was defined as the time from index date (first sold date of EGFRi) to December 2020 or end of membership or death, whichever occurred first. Primary outcome measures included adherence to EGFRi, frequency of imaging during drug exposure, and presence of imaging prior to treatment change. Outcomes were analyzed with Chi-square test for categorical variables, and Student's t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test for continuous variables. RESULTS: There were 613 patients in the pharmacist-managed group and 714 patients in the usual care group. Overall, the mean age was 68.2 ± 11.3 years, and 65.1% were female. In the pharmacist-managed group, there was a significantly higher mean proportion of days covered (PDC) during the first three months of therapy (0.86 ± 0.24 vs 0.82 ± 0.36, p = 0.01) and a higher percentage of patients who were adherent to EGFRi therapy (with PDC ≥0.80) during the drug exposure period (95.8% vs 92.4%, p = 0.01). The rate of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during drug exposure was higher in the pharmacist-managed group compared to the usual care group (31.8% vs 20.7%, p < 0.01) with a higher number of mean scans completed per patient (1.15 ± 2.42 vs 0.62 ± 1.63, p < 0.01) and per patient-year (2.60 ± 7.27 vs 1.58 ± 5.95, p < 0.01). Overall, 66.2% of patients had a treatment change, with a higher percentage of patients in the pharmacist-managed group who completed a CT or MRI scan prior to treatment change (36.3% vs 26.3%, p < 0.01). Additionally, the median time between the scan and treatment change was shorter for patients with pharmacist-managed care (1.8 vs 4 months, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Clinical pharmacy services contributed to improved adherence, higher rates of imaging, and shorter time between imaging and treatment changes in NSCLC patients who were taking EGFRi regimens.

Development of service standards and manpower calculation criteria for hospital clinical pharmacies in South Korea: a survey-based study.

BACKGROUND: After the revision of the Korean Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, the certification of specialized pharmacists is scheduled to be legally recognized in 2023. Considering that the specialized pharmacist certification was developed based on the working model of hospital clinical pharmacists, it is necessary to establish standards for clinical pharmacists in hospitals and to calculate appropriate manpower. Through this study, we aim to establish practical standards for clinical pharmacists and propose a method for calculating staffing levels based on an investigation of actual workloads. METHODS: This survey-based study consisted of two phases. In the first phase, a literature review was conducted to establish standards for clinical pharmacy services, and tasks in relevant literature were classified to identify clinical pharmacy service tasks that are applicable to the practice of Korean hospitals. Additionally, a preliminary survey was conducted to investigate the essential tasks. In the second phase of the investigation, a multicenter survey was conducted targeting pharmacists in facilities with more than 1,000 beds to explore their perceptions and actual workloads related to tasks. RESULTS: According to the standards for clinical pharmacists in Korea, clinical pharmacy services consist of a total of 23 tasks, of which 16 have been identified as essential tasks. Essential tasks accounted for 93% of the total tasks in clinical pharmacy services. The average full-time equivalent (FTE) through workload calculation was 2.5 ± 1.9 for each field, while the FTE allocated to actual practice was 2.1 ± 1.6. The distribution of each type of clinical pharmacy service was as follows: 77% for medication therapy management, 13% for medication education, 8% for multidisciplinary team activities, and 3% for medication use evaluation. CONCLUSION: This study identified essential tasks common to clinical pharmacy services across different healthcare institutions. However, the FTE of clinical pharmacists in actual practice was insufficient compared to the required amount. In order to establish and expand clinical pharmacy services in a hospital, it is necessary to ensure an adequate workforce for essential tasks.

Development of the entrustable professional activity 'medication reconciliation' for clinical pharmacy.

BACKGROUND: Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are observable process descriptions of clinical work units. EPAs support learners and tutors in assessment within healthcare settings. For use amongst our pharmacy students as well as pre-registration pharmacists we wanted to develop and validate an EPA for use in a clinical pharmacy setting at LMU University Hospital. METHODS: The development of the clinical pharmacy EPA followed a set pathway. A rapid literature review informed the first draft, an interprofessional consensus group consisting of pharmacists, nurses, and medical doctors refined this draft. The refined version was then validated via online survey utilising clinical pharmacists from Germany. RESULTS: We designed, refined and validated an EPA regarding medication reconciliation for assessment of pharmacy students and trainees within the pharmacy department at LMU University Hospital in Munich. Along with the EPA description an associated checklist to support the entrustment decision was created. For validation an online survey with 27 clinical pharmacists from all over Germany was conducted. Quality testing with the EQual rubric showed a good EPA quality. CONCLUSIONS: We developed the first clinical pharmacy EPA for use in a German context. Medication reconciliation is a suitable EPA candidate as it describes a clinical activity performed by pharmacists in many clinical settings. The newly developed and validated EPA 'Medication Reconciliation' will be used to assess pharmacy students and trainees.

Impact of an integrated medication management model on the collaborative working relationship among healthcare professionals in a hospital: an explanatory mixed methods study.

An integrated medication management (IMM) model was implemented in a medical center ward to improve the delivery of clinical pharmaceutical services (CPSs). This model incorporated a ward-based clinical pharmacist who performed medication reconciliation and medication reviews. It was perceived to promote interprofessional collaboration between pharmacists and non-pharmacist healthcare professionals (NPHPs, including attending physicians, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the IMM on NPHPs' intentions to collaborate with pharmacists and understand the mechanism of the impact of the IMM on interprofessional collaboration. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was employed in the study. Initially, a questionnaire was administered to assess the effects of the IMM on NPHPs' intentions to collaborate with pharmacists. The NPHPs' experiences with the IMM were then documented using semi-structured interviews with inductive thematic analysis. Fifty-eight NPHPs completed the questionnaire, and NPHPs from the intervention ward reported a higher intention to discuss patient-related medication issues with pharmacists, indicating collaboration. Eleven NPHPs were interviewed, and they stated having better working relationships with pharmacists, experiencing more effective CPSs, and noting improved communication with pharmacists. The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings demonstrates that the critical mechanism of the IMM in promoting collaborative relationships is to integrate pharmacists into medical practice, which familiarizes NPHPs with pharmacists' roles, improves communication, and enables pharmacists to identify NPHPs' needs. To summarize, allowing ward-based pharmacists to engage in medical teams on a regular basis appears vital for improving interprofessional teamwork. Furthermore, stakeholders aiming to promote CPS in their institutions should consider the needs and communication channels among NPHPs.

What is impacting clinical pharmacists' participation in an interprofessional ward round: a thematic analysis of a national survey.

The ward round (WR) is an important opportunity for interprofessional interaction and communication enabling optimal patient care. Pharmacists' participation in the interprofessional WR can reduce adverse drug events and improve medication appropriateness and communication. WR participation by clinical pharmacists in Australia is currently limited. This study aims to explore what is impacting clinical pharmacists' participation in WRs in Australian hospitals. A self-administered, anonymous national survey of Australian clinical pharmacists was conducted. This study describes the outcomes from qualitative questions which were analyzed thematically in NVivo-2020 according to Braun and Clarke's techniques. Five themes were constructed: "Clinical pharmacy service structure", "Ward round structure", "Pharmacist's capabilities", "Culture" and "Value". A culture supportive of pharmacist's contribution with a consistent WR structure and flexible delivery of clinical pharmacy services enabled pharmacists' participation in WR. Being physically "absent" from the WR due to workload, workflow, and self-perception of the need for extensive clinical knowledge can limit opportunities for pharmacists to proactively contribute to medicines decision-making with physicians to improve patient care outcomes. Bidirectional communication between the interprofessional team and the pharmacist, where there is a co-construction of each individual's role in the WR facilitates consistent and inter-dependent collaborations for effective medication management.

The impact of Saudi Arabia - United States clinical pharmacy post-graduate training programs agreements on clinical pharmacy faculty in Saudi universities: A retrospective descriptive study focused on history and future recommendations.

Background: There has been a growing demand for clinical pharmacy services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in the past 3 decades. The Ministry of Education has established agreements with several institutions in the United States to secure clinical pharmacy residency and research fellowship programs opportunities for Saudi scholars. The aims of this study were to describe the Saudi scholars' clinical pharmacy training pathways and their contribution to the pharmacy profession in KSA. Methods: This is a retrospective, descriptive study conducted on clinical pharmacy faculty in governmental Saudi universities who graduated from the US until 2023. The study outcomes included the post-graduate year-1 (PGY-1) residency match rate, post-graduate year-2 (PGY-2) acceptance rate, the PGY-2 specialties of Saudi scholars, and the number of clinical pharmacy programs established in KSA. Results: In total, 115 Saudi scholars have pursued clinical pharmacy pathway in the US. The PGY-1 residency match rate was 80 % (92/115). In contrast, the PGY-2 acceptance rate was 60.9 % (70/115). The most common PGY-2 specialty was in infectious diseases (N = 17; 24 %). Two pharmacy colleges had established residency programs and 1 pharmacy college had established a research fellowship. Conclusion: The Ministry of Education's efforts for clinical pharmacy program agreements were fundamental for advancing clinical pharmacy in Saudi universities. A significant number of Saudi scholars returned to KSA with clinical pharmacy degrees. There are more opportunities for further development, including expanding the clinical pharmacy program collaboration in the US and increasing the number of residency and research fellowship positions in KSA.

Comprehensive medication management (CMM): Application of a new pharmaceutical practice in onco-hematology.

The integration of a large number of drugs, such as antineoplastic agents and cancer-related supportive care drugs, into the management of cancer patients exposes them to an increased number of drug-related problems (DRP). Clinical pharmacists contribute to drug management by actively intervening in detected DRP. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the applying a clinical pharmacist-driven comprehensive medication management (CMM) service to onco-hematology patients. This prospective interventional study was carried out over six-month duration, specifically from November 06, 2022 to April 5, 2023 in the oncology and hematology departments of the EHU Oran. The adherence to treatment was evaluated using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS). Whereas data related to the patient's general condition and medication history was assessed using the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) Classification for Drug-Related Problems V9.1. Among the 130 patients included in the study, a total of 879 DRP were identified, with a mean of 6.78 (±1.72) DRP/patient, half of which were related to efficacy (51%). Almost half of our sample (44.6%) did not adhere to their treatment. The most frequent cause of DRP, accounting for (19.9%) of the cases, was the inappropriate administration by a health professional. A total of 875 pharmaceuticals interventions (PI) were proposed, 67.2% of which were focused at the drug level. The PI acceptance rate was 94.1%. The integration of CMM services in onco-hematology played an important role in optimizing dosing regimen and treatment administration methods, as well as preventing iatropathology in the management of cancer patients.

Assessing the applicability and appropriateness of ChatGPT in answering clinical pharmacy questions.

OBJECTIVES: Clinical pharmacists rely on different scientific references to ensure appropriate, safe, and cost-effective drug use. Tools based on artificial intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) could offer valuable support. The objective of this study was to assess ChatGPT's capacity to correctly respond to clinical pharmacy questions asked by healthcare professionals in our university hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: ChatGPT's capacity to respond correctly to the last 100 consecutive questions recorded in our clinical pharmacy database was assessed. Questions were copied from our FileMaker Pro database and pasted into ChatGPT March 14 version online platform. The generated answers were then copied verbatim into an Excel file. Two blinded clinical pharmacists reviewed all the questions and the answers given by the software. In case of disagreements, a third blinded pharmacist intervened to decide. RESULTS: Documentation-related issues (n=36) and drug administration mode (n=30) were preponderantly recorded. Among 69 applicable questions, the rate of correct answers varied from 30 to 57.1% depending on questions type with a global rate of 44.9%. Regarding inappropriate answers (n=38), 20 were incorrect, 18 gave no answers and 8 were incomplete with 8 answers belonging to 2 different categories. No better answers than the pharmacists were observed. CONCLUSIONS: ChatGPT demonstrated a mitigated performance in answering clinical pharmacy questions. It should not replace human expertise as a high rate of inappropriate answers was highlighted. Future studies should focus on the optimization of ChatGPT for specific clinical pharmacy questions and explore the potential benefits and limitations of integrating this technology into clinical practice.

The Role of Telepharmacy in the Delivery of Clinical Pharmacy Services Following the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Report.

Background: Telepharmacy, which utilizes telecommunication technology to provide pharmaceutical care remotely, has gained significance in expanding access to pharmacists, particularly in areas with limited health care facility access. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its restrictions on in-person interactions, underscored the importance of telepharmacy in ensuring continuity of care. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of telepharmacy on the delivery of clinical pharmacy services before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study explores the use of telepharmacy in delivering medication therapy management (MTM), chronic disease management (CDM), chronic opioid analgesic therapy (COAT), and transitions of care (TCM) visits. Data from electronic health records (EHRs) was collected to analyze the number referrals, number and type of visits, mode of visits, and locations served using correlations and descriptive statistics. Results: The findings indicate an increase in the number of referrals and visits following the pandemic, with a shift toward telepharmacy visits. The study highlights the convenience and accessibility provided by telepharmacy, resulting in improved patient access to clinical pharmacy services at 1 Midwest health system following the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The continued use of telepharmacy is important to ensure that patients, especially those in rural locations, have access to health care services and can be a positive factor in growing clinical pharmacy services.