Using the Danish National Evaluation as a tool to measure patient-perceived drug information

Abstract

Introduction: In 2017, as part of the Danish National Evaluation (LUP), some patients at Lillebaelt Hospital reported receiving insufficient information about their drug treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a multifaceted clinical pharmacist intervention on patient-reported levels of drug information received and patients' perceptions of safety and comfortability with their drug treatment.

Methods: In this feasibility study, the intervention consisted of a multifaceted service including two patient interviews using a motivational interviewing approach. The interviews were held during admission and after discharge as a follow-up phone call. Patients were asked questions similar to those used in the LUP about the level of information they had received, and they self-evaluated their safety and comfortability with their drug treatment.

Results: A total of 157 patients received the intervention; 135 patients were eligible for follow-up. Approximately 60% of the patients responded that the intervention had positively affected their feelings of safety and comfortability with their drug treatment. There was no significant difference in the patients' responses to the LUP questions regarding the level of information they had received before and after the intervention.

Conclusions: The intervention improved the majority of the patients' perceptions of safety and comfortability with their drug treatment. Although all patients received information about their drug treatment and their questions were answered, this was not reflected in their responses to the LUP questions.

Funding: The Development Council of Lillebaelt Hospital.

Trial registration: The study was approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency.