Follow-up case by telephone was conducted for the discharged patients, who had received the medication consulting services from clinical pharmacists of Kobe university hospital. In this trial, we focused on the patients in the Department of Circulation and Respiratory Diseases. The follow-up case by telephone was carried out from the time of discharge until the next visit (almost 2 weeks after discharge). The patients consisted of 30 men and 17 women (average age was 66.9 years old). By telephone, the following issues were questioned; 1 : medication compliance, 2 : side effects and/or the changes of physical condition, 3 : other issues (such a when an inappropriate use of medicine had been suspected during hospitalization). When the patients so desire they could come in for a check-up anytime. More than about 90% of patients reported to keep good medication compliance and to have no significant side effects. However, 34% of patients claimed a slight of change in their physical condition including dropsical swelling, boiling and gasping. The claims were found more frequency in patients who had been suspected of inappropriately taking their medication. Follow-up care by telephone was found to be an effective way to avoid any kind of risks including the discontinuation of medicine. As a result, although further examinations should be addressed, follow-up care by telephone appears to be a good way to ensure the appropriate use of medicine.
