Influence of Pharmaceutical Care intervention and communication skills on the improvement of pharmacotherapeutic outcomes with elderly Brazilian outpatients

Abstract

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of Pharmaceutical Care intervention on the results obtained with a group of elderly outpatients and to analyze the communication skills used by healthcare professionals (research pharmacists, dispensing pharmacists, and physicians) during counseling about healthcare and drug therapy. Methods: The instruments were applied to 30 elderly outpatients assisted at the pharmacy of a primary healthcare unit in Ribeira˜o Preto (SP), Brazil. The group of patients received follow-up for a period of 12 months. Results: It was observed that Pharmaceutical Care intervention and humanized communication, of an educational nature, optimized the use of medication, reduced symptoms caused by drug therapy, and improved the health conditions of the patients. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical Care intervention was essential for the establishment of therapeutic relationships and influenced the care given to elderly people as well as the achievement of positive health outcomes. Practice implications: After this study, Pharmaceutical Care programs were implemented in different PHCU’s of Ribeira˜o Preto and pharmacists are following-up 300 elderly patients.