Medication-Related Problems Identified Through Continuous Medication Monitoring

Abstract

Community pharmacists performing Continuous Medication Monitoring (CoMM) systematically monitor each new prescription and refill dispensed for medication-related problems. The objectives for this study were to describe medication-related problems identified through CoMM and drug classes involved in problems. This 12-month pilot study used dispensing and clinical records from a single independent U.S. community pharmacy. Clinical records contain medication-related problems documented by the pharmacists. Problems identified for patients filling at least one prescription at the pharmacy and having at least one medication-related problem during the study period were included. A total of 8439 medication-related problems were identified for 1566 patients, an average of 5.4 problems per patient. Over 63% of problems were nonadherence. The drug class most often involved in problems was the central nervous system and analgesic class. Community pharmacists performing CoMM identified medication-related problems that might otherwise have gone undetected.

Keywords

• community pharmacy
• medication-related problems
• medication monitoring
• refill medication