Drug Information Centers (DICs)

Drug Information Centers(DICs)

Define drug information and related terms History of drug information Drug information center goals ASHP effective provider of drug information The pharmacist role Considerations of DIC Systematic method for responding to requests Documentation and quality assessment of drug

information requests

Outline

Drug Information is the provision of unbiased, well-referenced, and critically evaluated information on any aspect of pharmacy practice

Drug Information Center is to provide a system for the organization and dissemination of drug information (Francke 1965)

Drug Informatics emphasizes the use of technology as an integral tool in effectively organizing, analyzing and managing information on medications

Definitions

Yousif Abdu Asiri, The Difference Between Drug Information Center (DIC) and Poison Control Center (PCC).Power Point Presentation

1960s Development of the term ‘’drug information’’

1962 First drug information center at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, USA

1964 Conference on Drug Information Services

1967 The ‘’Drug Information Specialist’’

1975 The Millis Commission Report, AACP described the main function of pharmacists as

providers of drug information

History


To stimulate the effective use of drug information resources by pharmacists, physicians, and other health care professionals

To educate pharmacy students to serve as effective providers of drug information

To provide an organized database of specialized information on drug therapeutics to meet the drug information needs of practitioners

Drug Information Center Goals

To expand the role of the pharmacist in providing drug information services to the hospital and community

To promote patient care through rational drug therapy by the improved availability and use of drug information

Drug Information Center Goals

1. Perceive and evaluate the medication information needs of patients and families, health care professionals, and other personnel

ASHP: Effective Provider of Drug Information Should:

ASHP, Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 1996; 53:1843–5

2. Use a systematic approach to address medication information needs by effectively:◦ Searching literature ◦ Retrieving literature◦ Evaluating literature◦ Appropriately communicating information◦ Applying the information to the patient care situation

ASHP: Effective Provider of Drug Information Should:


1. Providing medication information to patients & families, health care professionals, and other personnel

2. Establishing and maintaining a formulary based on scientific evidence of efficacy and safety, cost, and patient factors

3. Developing and participating in efforts to prevent medication misadventuring, including adverse drug event and medication error reporting and analysis programs

The Pharmacist Role


4. Developing methods of changing patient and provider behaviors to support optimal medication use

5. Publishing newsletters to educate patients, families, and health care professionals on medication use

6. Educating providers about medication-related policies and procedures

The Pharmacist Role - Cont’d


7. Coordinating programs to support population based medication practices (e.g. development of medication-use evaluation criteria and pharmacotherapeutic guidelines)

8. Coordinating investigational drug services

9. Providing continuing-education services to the healthcare professional staff



10. Educating pharmacy students and residents

11. Applying health economic and outcome analysis

12. Developing and maintaining an active research program



Types of Drug Information Centers

Hospital based Industry based Community based


Considerations of DICA) Equipments

1. Telephone: the lines should be designed to allow immediate, direct access to the center

2. Computers

3. Fax machine

4. Printer

5. Copier machine

Value of Computers in Provision of Drug Information Databases are available for information management,

retrieval, and communication

Information management databases include software for MUE, documentation of questions and responses, and preparation of reports of adverse drug events

Information retrieval sources include bibliographic

databases (e.g., International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Iowa Drug Information Service, MEDLINE) and full-text databases (e.g., Drug Information Fulltext)

Value of Computers in Provision of Drug Information Textbooks (e.g., AHFS Drug Information) and journals

can also be accessed through computer technology

Some information is available through electronic bulletin boards (e.g., PharmNet) and the Internet

Computerized medical records can also be a valuable tool in assessing either individual patient needs or population-based needs

Consideration of DICB) Specific Area

It should be close to the pharmacy department to allow both pharmacy staff & other healthcare providers to reach it easily

A sign or label on the door the to specify who will be allowed to enter the DIC room

It can be inside the pharmacy department

Considerations of DICC) Personnel

Specific Criteria: ◦ Pharm.D degree, MS degree, BS degree with

specialized training in drug information center, experience minimum 1-2 years, residency, fellowship

General Criteria :◦ Computers skills◦ The person should be cooperative, confident,

accurate, good English language

Considerations of DICD) Resources

Types of Resources:

◦ Tertiary Resources (textbooks, review articles)

◦ Secondary Resources (index and abstract primary resources with the goal of directing user to primary resources)

◦ Primary resources (journals) Not all articles are considered primary resources !!!

Considerations of DICD) Resources - Cont’d It is the responsibility of the pharmacist to ensure that

up-to-date resources are available

Pharmacists should be familiar with not only the components of the literature (e.g. primary) but also the features of individual resources in each component

◦ this makes searching more efficient so that time can be used optimally in analyzing, applying, & communicating the information

1. Consider the education and professional or experiential background of the requester

2. Identify needs by asking probing questions or by examining the medical record to identify the true question. Assess the urgency for a response

3. Classify requests as patient-specific or not and by type of question to aid in assessing the situation and selecting resources

Systematic Method for Responding to Drug Information Requests


Product availability, Adverse drug event Compatibility Compounding/formulation Dosage/administration Drug interaction

Types of Questions Identification Pharmacokinetics therapeutic use/efficacy Safety in pregnancy and

nursing Toxicity and poisoning Articles/Reviews

4. Obtain more complete background information, including patient data to individualize the response to meet the patient’s, family’s, or health care professional’s needs

5. Perform a systematic search of the literature by making appropriate selections from the primary, secondary, and tertiary literature

6. Evaluate, interpret, and combine information from the several sources. Other information needs should be anticipated as a result of the information provided



7. Provide a response by written or oral consultation, or both, as needed by the requester and appropriate to the situation

8. Perform a follow-up assessment to determine the utility of the information provided and outcomes for the patient

9. Document the request, information sources, response, and follow-up as appropriate



1. Date and time received2. Requester’s name, address, method of contact (e.g.,

telephone or beeper number), and category (e.g., health care discipline, patient, public)

3. Person assessing medication information needs4. Method of delivery (e.g., telephone, personal visit, mail).5. Classification of request6. Question asked7. Patient-specific information obtained

Documentation of Drug Information Requests


8. Response provided9. References used10. Date and time answered11. Person responding to request12. Estimated time in preparation and for communication13. Materials sent to requesters14. Outcome measures suggested (e.g., impact on patient

care, improvements in medication use, and requester satisfaction)

Documentation of Drug Information Requests


Responses to requests for medication information should be accurate, complete, and timely for:

◦ maximal clinical usefulness◦ to establish credibility for pharmacist-provided

information

Quality Assessment


Quality assessment of responses could be selective for:

◦ certain types of patient-specific requests◦ random by numbers of requests ◦ for certain time periods

Quality Assessment


It is the responsibility of the pharmacist to keep abreast of advancements both

◦ in the tools that can be used to systematically address information requests

And

◦ in the information itself regarding pharmacotherapeutic or other issues affecting the practice of pharmacy

Keeping Current


Drug Information Centers (DICs)

Documents

Transcript of Drug Information Centers (DICs)