The impact of pharmacists on medication safety in mental health: A narrative review

Abstract

BackgroundPharmacists' role in providing favorable patient outcomes has been established in previous literature. However, the impact of pharmacists in treating patients with mental illness needs further investigation. Patients diagnosed with mental illnesses face multiple challenges that affect their quality and longevity of life compared to the general population with similar age groups. Previous studies confirmed that drug related problems (DRPs) play a major role in these patients due to several factors, such as medication errors and drug interactions. The purpose of this review is to investigate the impact of pharmacist‐led initiatives in safe medication use for mental health populations.MethodsThis narrative review examines the extent and nature of the literature on pharmacist‐led interventions related to medication safety with mental health conditions. The PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases were searched from January 2000 until September 2023. A manual search of relevant citations was also conducted. The inclusion criteria included full‐text studies written in English and published within the above date range. Studies exploring pharmacist‐led interventions in any practice setting for patients with mental illnesses were included. Pharmacist‐led interventions as part of an interdisciplinary team were excluded.ResultsA total of 13 studies were included, collectively involving 4488 patients and 51 pharmacists. The most described interventions included DRPs, medication adherence, and appropriate prescribing. Pharmacist‐led interventions were presented in various aspects, including medication therapy management, long‐acting antipsychotic medication administration, and DRPs resolution through clinical interventions as transition of care.ConclusionThe variation in healthcare settings and regulatory environments influenced the effectiveness of pharmacist‐led interventions. Pharmacists can depict DRP, prevent rehospitalizations, and assess any serious drug interactions that prevent harm and consequently have cost saving outcomes. This review highlights the need for more research, to quantify the impact of pharmacists in improving medication safety for mental health patients.

Acknowledging progress and current challenges

“…She concludes by stating that additional research with appropriate methodology is needed to quantify the impact of pharmacists' services on patients' mental health outcomes. 9 Olson et al and Goodman et al describe retrospective evaluations of two different psychiatric pharmacist comprehensive medication management models for care of patients with mental disorders in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Clinics (VA). 10,11 Psychiatric pharmacy has grown rapidly within the VA, with currently over 520 psychiatric pharmacists employed nationally.…”