Background The objective of this study was to investigate whether implementation of multidose drug dispensing (MDD) for elderly outpatients is associated with a change in the number of discrepancies in the medication record at the general practitioners (GPs) and at the community home-care services. Methods A controlled follow-up study with paired design of patients' medication records was performed during implementation of MDD. Medication records from the home care units and from the GPs were reviewed, and the discrepancies were noted. The discrepancies were rated into four classes based upon the potential harm, and a risk score system was applied, giving the potentially most harmful discrepancies the highest score. Results Medication records from 59 patients with a mean age of 80 years were included. The number of discrepancies was reduced from 203 to 133 (p<0.001), and the total risk score decreased from 308 to 181 (p<0.001) after the implementation of MDD. For both drugs subject to MDD and drugs not suitable for MDD, the reductions in discrepancies were significant (39% and 31% reduction respectively). Conclusions Calculated health risk due to discrepancies between the medication records from the home-care service and from the GPs decreased during the time of implementation of the MDD system. It seems likely that most of the positive effect was caused by the change in routines and enhanced focus on the medication process rather than by MDD per se.

This paper describes the implementation of a clinical pharmacy services in hospitals in Central Norway. Our model for clinical pharmacy services is based on the Integrated Medicines Management (IMM) model originally developed in Northern Ireland, and the Lund IMM (LIMM) developed in the South of Sweden, and adjusted to Norwegian settings. The evaluation process has been completed by conducting projects, mini-audits and surveys.

Background: This study addresses GPs' attitudes towards multidose drug dispensing before and after implementation and their perceived experience of how multidose drug dispensing affects prescription and communication routines for patients in the home care services. This study contributes to a method triangulation with two other studies on the introduction of multidose drug dispensing in Trondheim. Methods: a controlled before-and-after study carried out in Trondheim (intervention) and Tromsø (control). a questionnaire was distributed to all GPs in the two towns in 2005 with a followup questionnaire in 2008. Results: The GPs in Trondheim showed a positive attitude to multidose drug dispensing both before and after the implementation. Increased workload was reported, but still the GPs wanted the system to be continued. Most of the GPs reported a better overview of the patients' medication and a supposed reduction in medication errors. The GPs' prescription-and communication routines were changed only for the multidose drug users and not for the other patients in the home care services. Conclusions: The study supports the results presented in two previous publications according to GPs' positive attitude towards multidose drug dispensing, their better overview of the patients' medications, and improved cooperation with the pharmacy. This study adds to our understanding of prescription routines among GPs and the use of the medication module in the electronic health record.