Contact email

gschiff@partners.org

Overview

This study evaluates an automated telephone surveillance system coupled with transfer to a live pharmacist to screen for adverse drug reactions after starting new medications for four common primary care conditions: hypertension, diabetes, depression, and insomnia.

Department

General Internal Medicine and Primary Care

Division

Medicine

Collaborators

Gordon D. Schiff
Elissa Klinger
Alejandra Salazar
Jeffrey Medoff
Mary G. Amato
E. John Orav
Shimon Shaykevich
Enrique V. Seoane
Lake Walsh
Theresa E. Fuller
Patricia C. Dykes
David W. Bates
Jennifer S. Haas

Status/Stage of Development

Completed

Measurement

Primary outcome measured was physician documentation of any adverse event that occurred with the new medication. Secondary outcome measured was whether the medication was discontinued and if yes, whether the reason for stopping was an adverse effect.

Results

Intervention patients were significantly more likely to have adverse effects documented by a physician and more likely to have the medication discontinued due to the adverse effect.

Intervention-Specific Challenges

Multiple challenges were encountered using the interactive voice response automated calling system suggesting other approaches need to be evaluated.

Of the 4876 patients who were contacted with the automated intervention phone call only 15.1% participated in the automated call.

Sources

1. Schiff GD, Klinger E, Salazar A, et al. Screening for Adverse Drug Events: a Randomized Trial of Automated Calls Coupled  with Phone-Based Pharmacist Counseling. J Gen Intern Med. 2019;34(2):285-292. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4672-7