DI-049 Pharmacist’s interventions to improve drug supply and parentsí knowledge at paediatric hospital discharge

Background Discharging paediatric patients from hospital is a complex process that can lead to non-compliance and medicines-related problems. Crucial issues are drug supply in community pharmacies and patients’ knowledge of treatments. An intervention by a pharmacist at the time of hospital discharge may improve continuity of care. Purpose Phase A: To quantify problems of drug supply and parents’ knowledge of the prescribed treatment at paediatric hospital discharge. Phase B: To implement and assess a targeted intervention by a pharmacist before discharge. Materials and methods French-speaking paediatric patients ( Results 233 parents were interviewed (phase A:40 MED;56 ED; phase B:68 MED;69 ED). Phase A: Parents of MED patients were provided with the complete list of prescribed medicines less frequently than those of ED patients (70.0% vs. 83.9%). Parental knowledge was higher in MED than in ED (mean score: 84.6% vs. 56.2%). Phase B: design and set up of pharmacist’s interventions: 1) ED: customised drug information leaflets offered to and discussed with parents 2) MED: standardised treatment cards offered to and discussed with parents, community pharmacy called to ensure drug storage and provision of drugs when needed. After intervention, parental knowledge was significantly improved both in ED patients (dose: 62.3% to 89.1%; frequency: 57.9% to 85.5%; duration: 34.2% to 66.7%; indication: 70.2% to 94.9%; p The supply of drugs was not affected in either MED or ED patients (respectively 70% to 64.2% p = 0.67 and 83.9% to 76.5% p = 0.37) and calling the community pharmacy made no difference (63.2% vs. 64.3% p = 0.80). Conclusions Provision and discussion of customised information leaflets concerning treatment enhanced parental knowledge of treatment at the time of hospital discharge. Since calling the community pharmacy had no effect on drug supply after hospital discharge, further studies should be conducted to identify more effective strategies to improve the availability of drugs. No conflict of interest.