Joe Martinez
Center Point Clinical Services, USA
Title: High Patient Satisfaction Rating for Clinical Medication Counseling Services When Provided by Clinically Trained Pharmacists
Biography
Biography: Joe Martinez
Abstract
Successful clinical trials are critical to compiling the medical and clinical data that are required for FDA review and approval of a drug, device or procedure application. Frequently cited problems that have a direct impact on these clinical trials are patient enrollment, patient medication compliance and patient retention. When these retention issues prolong a clinical study, each extra day can cost a company $37,000 in additional operating costs and $1.1 million in lost revenues according to a Tufts Center for Study of Drug Development Impact Report. Observing a series of four clinical studies completed for one chronic disease (diabetes) medication where pharmacist medication counseling services were provided: 92.8% (2,900 of 3,124) of patients had at least one intervention, 991 (31.7%) patients had a concurrent medication usage intervention. Patients responding to a survey about their satisfaction and their interactions with the pharmacist over the phone indicated: 94.7% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that phone conversations with the pharmacist helped them to further understand how to use the study medication, 90.0% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that they appreciated the follow-up phone call from the pharmacist due to a missed dose or issues with the IVRS, and 96.3% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that they were more comfortable with participating in the trial knowing that a pharmacist was available to answer questions. Pharmacist medication counseling in clinical trials can provide positive strategic clinical support and is well received by the patients.