Drug Problems of Those Who Require Nursing Care Are Expected to Be Addressed by Pharmacists According to a Care Manager Survey

Abstract

In the Integrated Community Care System, pharmacists are expected to play a central role in addressing patients’ drug problems. Therefore, it is necessary to know the patients’ drug problems as well as the occupations of professionals in solving these problems, and to clarify the problems to be preferentially resolved. Thus, we surveyed care managers working in a district near the Josai University pharmacy about their drug problem recognition and the professionals who solved these problems. Many of the care managers identified “the patient has leftover drugs” and “the patient has declining cognitive abilities” as drug problems. Many of the care managers expected pharmacists to solve the problems of “the patient has leftover drugs” and “the patient does not understand the dosage regimen.” “The patient has leftover drugs,” “the patient needs allotting of drugs to ensure adherence,” “the patient does not understand the significance of the meditation,” and “the patient does not understand the dosage regimen” are drug problems in which pharmacists should preferentially intervene and play a role in the Integrated Community Care System.