Location
Suwanee, GA
Start Date
14-5-2019 1:00 PM
End Date
14-5-2019 4:00 PM
Description
Patient education for patients getting chemotherapy is vital to their survival. The purpose of this study is to discuss the outcomes of counseling patients in an infusion center getting chemotherapy in terms of impact on quality of life, satisfaction and emergency room visitations. This study was conducted to determine patient satisfaction after being counseled by a pharmacist and if hospitalizations were prevented after education by a pharmacist.This was a single center, prospective, survey-based study at a small community hospital infusion center that consists of approximately five chairs. The study consisted of 15 patients, over the course of six months (April-October 2016). At the end of the cycle, a Likert-scale and short answer survey was administered to determine patient satisfaction and whether any hospitalizations occurred. Additional questions included if they experienced side effects; if knowledge was attainted as to what to do when the side effects were experienced; if hospitalization occurred, and if so, what required hospitalization and when was it. All patients ranked their experiences with the pharmacist/counseling at neutral or greater, meaning no negative interactions or disagreeing with the prompts. Nine patients were analyzed for Emergency Department (ED) admissions. Of the nine, three had no ED admission and the three patients who had been admitted were based on pharmacist counseling. The three patients who had a “bad admission” were due to improper patient response to counseling, improper evaluation of antiemetic therapy and counseling, and admissions prior to pharmacy counseling. Based on the results of the survey, patients at North Fulton Hospital felt confident in their knowledge of the chemotherapy regimen, of what to do in the occurrence of side effects, and how/why their drugs work. In regards to Emergency Department admissions, half of them were “good admissions” based on pharmacists’ recommendations; and the other half were before counseling, due to patient nonadherence to recommendations or uncontrolled antiemetic therapy.
Embargo Period
1-28-2020
Outcome of pharmacists’ counseling infusion center patients on chemotherapy
Suwanee, GA
Patient education for patients getting chemotherapy is vital to their survival. The purpose of this study is to discuss the outcomes of counseling patients in an infusion center getting chemotherapy in terms of impact on quality of life, satisfaction and emergency room visitations. This study was conducted to determine patient satisfaction after being counseled by a pharmacist and if hospitalizations were prevented after education by a pharmacist.This was a single center, prospective, survey-based study at a small community hospital infusion center that consists of approximately five chairs. The study consisted of 15 patients, over the course of six months (April-October 2016). At the end of the cycle, a Likert-scale and short answer survey was administered to determine patient satisfaction and whether any hospitalizations occurred. Additional questions included if they experienced side effects; if knowledge was attainted as to what to do when the side effects were experienced; if hospitalization occurred, and if so, what required hospitalization and when was it. All patients ranked their experiences with the pharmacist/counseling at neutral or greater, meaning no negative interactions or disagreeing with the prompts. Nine patients were analyzed for Emergency Department (ED) admissions. Of the nine, three had no ED admission and the three patients who had been admitted were based on pharmacist counseling. The three patients who had a “bad admission” were due to improper patient response to counseling, improper evaluation of antiemetic therapy and counseling, and admissions prior to pharmacy counseling. Based on the results of the survey, patients at North Fulton Hospital felt confident in their knowledge of the chemotherapy regimen, of what to do in the occurrence of side effects, and how/why their drugs work. In regards to Emergency Department admissions, half of them were “good admissions” based on pharmacists’ recommendations; and the other half were before counseling, due to patient nonadherence to recommendations or uncontrolled antiemetic therapy.