ISSN: 0970-938X (Print) | 0976-1683 (Electronic)
An International Journal of Medical Sciences
Naureen Wajid
American Hospital Dubai, UAE
Posters & Accepted Abstracts : Biomed Res
DOI: 10.4066/biomedicalresearch-C1-026
Background: Oral chemotherapeutic agents have been
conceptualized as a convenient, less toxic form of therapy that is
preferred by the patients. However, many safety issues related
to chemotherapeutic agents are appreciated. Safety issues
which include lack of check and balance to avoid medication
errors, drug interactions, side effects, administration issues, lack
of patient adherence and shift of responsibility for managing
a potential complicated oral regimen from oncologists, nurses
and pharmacists to the patient and caregivers. As a result of
these factors oncology pharmacist can be utilized as point of
care pharmacist (PCP) and can be consulted to identify drug
related problems (DRPs) and to provide patient counseling.
Objectives: To evaluate the 1) role of point of care pharmacist
(PCP) service provided to the patients receiving oral
chemotherapeutic agents 2) Number of DRPs identified by the
PCP and 3) Type of recommendations made for management
of DRPs.
Study design: This is prospective observational study. PCP can
help the patient with everything to get the oral chemotherapy
to start and provides the cost estimate for insurance, corporate
and self-payers. PCP can help in designing standard order
forms for oral chemotherapeutic agents which includes all the
information including diagnosis, cycle number and body surface
area and dosing calculations. PCP met with patient receiving
oral chemotherapeutic agents and takes the patient medication
history (PMH), check for drug-drug, drug-food interactions and
provides patient counseling and patient education materials.
Complete pre and post counseling questionnaire to capture the
understanding of their oral chemotherapeutic agents.
Methodology: PCP Receives Protocol → Provide Cost Estimate
→ Medication Procurement → PCP Receives Consult → Pre–
Counselling Questionnaire → PCP Completes PMH, Interaction
Checking, Counselling & Providing Patient Education Materials
→ Post Counselling Questionnaire→ Recommendations
Intended outcomes: The intended outcomes are as follows:
Peace of mind for physicians, nurses and patients by expert
support from point of care pharmacist, standard order forms
for oral chemotherapy in order to keep the cycle track,
reducing medication errors by multiple checking of order
forms from oncologists, PCP and nurses, helps in resolving
tough administration issues e.g. IV to oral switching, can
be crushed or not, can be given through nasogastric tubes,
extemporaneous compounding options etc., identifies drug
interactions, communicate to oncologists and document
the recommendations, reduction in DRPs and to improve
understanding of oral chemotherapy by the patients.
Conclusion: The study will suggest that the consult service of
PCP for oral chemotherapeutic agent is beneficial and should
be continued.
E-mail:
naureenwajid786@gmail.comPDF HTML