Medication-related problems identified by community pharmacists: a descriptive case study of two Australian populations

Table 4 Pharmacists’ recommendations (n = 833) for 625 MRPs documented in IMeRSe feasibility study

Recommendations/actions		n	%
Change in pharmacotherapy	Consider review of medication or dose	111	13.3
	Add new or additional medication	55	6.6
	Multiple recommendations	30	3.6
	Medication dose change	29	3.5
	Medication change	24	2.9
	Medication formulation change	21	2.5
	Dose frequency or schedule change	19	2.3
	Cease medication	18	2.2
	Recommend non-prescription medication^a	16	1.9
	Recommend vaccination	8	1.0
	Medication brand change	4	0.5
	Subtotal	335	40.2
Referral to other services	Prescriber (GP)	52	6.2
	Other services, e.g. allied health	43	5.2
	Referral to multiple services	4	0.5
	Hospital	3	0.4
	Pharmacy-led services, e.g. weight loss	1	0.1
	Subtotal	103	12.4
Information provision	Education on medications or adherence	101	12.1
	Devices to enhance medication use, e.g. spacer	29	3.5
	Information related to multiple categories	13	1.6
	Recommendation to commence DAA	12	1.4
	Self-management plan, e.g. asthma action plan	8	1.0
	Subtotal	163	19.6
Monitoring	Laboratory test, e.g. HbA1C	103	12.4
	Non-laboratory follow-up, e.g. BP	51	6.1
	Both laboratory and non-laboratory monitoring	7	0.8
	Subtotal	61	19.3
Lifestyle recommendation	Smoking cessation	17	2.0
	Diabetes management	11	1.3
	Diet or weight management	10	1.2
	Multiple recommendations	10	1.2
	Exercise	9	1.1
	Other lifestyle recommendations	6	0.7
	Mental health related, e.g. stress reduction	5	0.6
	Sleep related	3	0.4
	Subtotal	71	8.5
Total		833	–

BP blood pressure, DAA dose administration aid, HbA1c glycated haemoglobin
^aNon-prescription medication included complementary and alternative medications, and bush medicine

ISSN: 2052-3211