Lecture 1

Question 1

Biomedical informatics

Answer 1

i. “…the interdisciplinary field that studies and pursues the effective uses of biomedical data, information, and knowledge for scientific inquiry, problem solving, and decision making, driven by efforts to improve human health.”

Question 2

Drug information

Answer 2

i. May have different meaning depending on context used
• Specialist/practitioner/pharmacist/provider
• Center/service/practice
• Functions/skills
Definition: facts or advice on drugs regarding a specific patient or a group of patients

Question 3

Medication information

Answer 3

i. Signifies broader role that ALL pharmacist take in providing information
ii. Conveys management and use of information on medication therapy
iii. Definition: facts or advice on medicines regarding a specific pateint or a group of patients

Question 4

Drug Information History

Answer 4

a. First DI center opened in 1962 at University of Kentucky
i. Used by physicians, dentists and nurses- provideed patient specific information for staff physicians, nurses and dentists
ii. “Specialist” in charge of center
iii. 1st formalizes step of interating pharamacist into patient care team
b. MEDLARS (Medical Literature Retrieval and Analysis System)
i. Developed by National Library of Medicine early 1960s
ii. Computerized searches of requests submitted by mail – results returned by mail
c. MEDLINE®
i. Developed in 1971
ii. Ability to transmit searches over telephone lines
iii. First “online” searching system – limited to libraries

Question 5

III. Drug Information Centers

Answer 5

a. Store drug information to be retrieved, selected and disseminated by specialist
b. Usually separate from the actual pharmacy
c. Traditionally present in larger institutions
- growth of centers in 1970s amd 1980s
- early 2000s noted decline in traditional centers
- difficult to determine because no consistent defintiion of DI center used
d. Activities/services provided (See Table 1-1 in text and article for additional examples)
i. Provide drug information to healthcare professionals and consumers
ii. Prepare drug monographs and class reviews
iii. Assist with formulary management
iv. Develop for medication use policies
v. Write and publish newsletters to keep professional staff up-to-date
vi. Provide educational materials for patients, students and practitioners
vii. Participate in adverse drug reaction surveillance and reporting program
viii. Coordinate and/or conduct medication use evaluations
ix. Publish articles that promote rational drug therapy
x. Provide a training site for students and residents

Question 6

Factors that Influenced Pharmacists as Medication Information Providers

Answer 6

a. Adverse drug event prevention and reporting
b. Growth of information technology
c. Focus on evidence-based medicine practice
d. Evaluation of outcomes
e. Sophistication of medication therapy
f. Rise in self-care movement

Question 7

Evolution of Drug Information Coursework

Answer 7

a. Key concepts to be included by 2000
i. Drug information required component of pharmacy curriculum
ii. Drug information concepts spread throughout the curriculum
iii. Teaches problem solving and develops self-directed learners
b. Drug information skills for pharmacists
i. Assess available information and gather situational data needed to characterize question or issue
ii. Formulate appropriate question(s)
iii. Use a systematic approach to find needed information
iv. Evaluate information critically for validity and applicability
v. Develop, organize and summarize response for question or issue
vi. Communicate clearly when speaking or wiring at an appropriate level of understanding
vii. Anticipate other information needs

Question 8

VI. Opportunities in Practice

Answer 8

a. Academia
- diabetic teaching
- reference and resource oversight
- participting on drug info rotation
b. Institutional health systems
- inquiries from clinical staff
- formulary management
- pharamcy therapeutics committee
c. Managed care pharmacy
- formulary management
- therapeutic guildline
- ADE monitoring
- prior authroization
d. Poison control
- speicalized area
- work in poison control center
e. Pharmaceutical industry
- provide medical information to healthcare professonals
- develop training materials
- medical science liasion (MSL OR Drug Rep.)
f. Scientific writing and medical communication
- drug infomation resource company
- writing grants, IRB reports, manuscripts
- journal reviewer