Improvement in drug compliance by medical consultation at a Pharmacist Outpatients' Clinic (Part 1)

The Department of Pharmacy, Maizuru Municipal Citizens' Hospital established a "Drug Consultation Counter" in April 1984 and "Drug Consultation Room" in November 1985 to offer support to outpatients concerning the appropriate use of drugs. After the establishment of the room, drug compliance increased significantly from 56.9% to 72.0% (p<0.001). In April 1990, a "Pharmacist Outpatients' Clinic" was set up to provide medical consultations based on the physician's written requisition for consultation and therapeutic records, as part of a team-based treatment approach. After the establishment of the clinic, compliance increased significantly from 72.7% to 85.5% (p<0.001). However, about 15% of patients still failed to take their medications appropriately. It was, therefore, decided to offer "Drug Guides" to patients containing information together with a consultation on the use of drugs at the clinic. Once established, compliance increased slightly from 83.4% to 86.6%, although this was not significantly different (p=0.368). These results suggest that the ideal patient-oriented drug consultation is not a uniform presentation of information, such as a "Drug Guide", but the offering of individualized verbal and written explanations that reflect the physicians' therapeutic objectives and intentions of the prescription.