Identifying opportunities for pediatric medication therapy management in children with medical complexity

BackgroundDespite potential benefits of medication therapy management (MTM) for complex pediatric patients, implementation of pediatric MTM services is rare.ObjectivesTo describe how a standardized pediatric MTM model identifies potential interventions and their impact on medication regimen complexity index (MRCI) scores in children with medical complexity (CMC) and polypharmacy.MethodsThis retrospective proof-of-concept study included pediatric patients receiving primary care in a large outpatient primary care medical home for CMC within a tertiary freestanding children’s hospital from August 2020 to July 2021. Medication profiles of established patients aged 0-18 years with at least 5 active medications at the time of the index visit were assessed for medication-related concerns, potential interventions, and potential impact of proposed interventions on MRCI scores.ResultsAmong 100 patients, an average of 3.4 ± 2.6 medication-related concerns was identified using the pediatric MTM model. Common medication-related concerns (>25% of patients) included inappropriate or unnecessary therapy, suboptimal therapy, undertreated symptom, adverse effect, clinically impactful drug-drug interaction, or duplication of therapy. A total of 97% had opportunities for 5.0 ± 2.9 potential interventions. Most common proposed interventions included drug discontinuation trial (69%), patient or caregiver education (55%), dosage form modification (51%), dose modification (49%), and frequency modification (46%). The mean baseline MRCI score was 32.6 (95% CI 29.3–35.8) among all patients. MRCI scores decreased by a mean of 4.9 (95% CI 3.8–5.9) after application of the theoretical interventions (P < 0.001). Mean potential score reduction was not significantly affected by patient age or number of complex chronic conditions. Potential impact of the proposed interventions on MRCI score was significantly greater in patients with higher baseline medication counts (P < 0.001).ConclusionMost CMC would likely benefit from a pharmacist-guided pediatric MTM service. A standardized review of active medication regimens identified multiple medication-related concerns and potential interventions for nearly all patients. Proposed medication interventions would significantly reduce medication regimen complexity as measured by MRCI. Further prospective evaluation of a pharmacist-guided pediatric MTM service is warranted.     

Polypharmacy and medication regimen complexity in older patients with hemophilia or von willebrand disease: the M’HEMORRH-AGE study

Background

In older patients, multiple chronic conditions lead topolypharmacy which is associated with a higher risk of adverse drug events. Nowadays, the medication exposure of older patients with bleeding disorders has been poorly explored.

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of polypharmacy and the medication regimen complexity in older community-dwelling patients with hemophilia or von Willebrand Disease (VWD).

Method

The M’HEMORRH-AGE study (Medication in AGEd patients with HEMORRHagic disease) is a multicenter prospective observational study. Community-dwelling patients over 65 years with hemophilia or VWD were included in the study. The rate of polypharmacy (use of 5 to 9 drugs daily) and excessive polypharmacy (use of 10 or more medications daily) was assessed. The complexity of prescribed medication regimens was assessed using the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI).

Results

Overall, 142 older community-dwelling patients with hemophilia (n?=?89) or VWD (n?=?53) were included (mean age: 72.8 (5.8) years). Prevalence of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy were 40.8% and 17.6%, respectively. The mean MRCI score was 16.9 (6.1). The mean MRCI score related to bleeding disorders medications was 6.9 (1.1). There was no significant difference between older hemophilia patients and VWD patients.

Conclusion

The M’HEMORRH-AGE study showed that more than half of older community-dwelling patients were affected by polypharmacy. In addition, the high medication regimen complexity in this older population suggests that interventions focusing on medication review and deprescribing should be conducted to reduce polypharmacy with its negative health-related outcomes.

     

Correlation between medication regimen complexity and quality of life in patients with heart failure

PurposeTo determine if a correlation exists between the medication regimen complexity index (MRCI) and quality of life (QoL) in patients with heart failure (HF) assessed using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ).MethodsRetrospective chart review from July 2012 through June 2018 identified patients for inclusion who completed an MLHFQ. Baseline and, if available, follow-up MLHFQ scores were collected. The medication list documented on the date of the MLHFQ was used to calculate the MRCI.ResultsPatients with a documented MLHFQ score were included (n = 72) in the primary analysis. No correlation existed between baseline MRCI and MLHFQ (r = 0.07; p = 0.55). A secondary analysis of correlation between change in MRCI and MLHFQ was conducted for patients (n = 30) with a follow-up MLHFQ score. A moderate, negative correlation (r = −0.47; p = 0.009) existed between change in MRCI and MLHFQ from baseline to follow-up.ConclusionNo significant correlation between MRCI and MLHFQ scores were found at baseline. Patients with follow-up MLHFQ scores demonstrated improvements in QoL, despite increasingly complex medication regimens. Medication regimen complexity alone is likely an insufficient marker for predicting QoL in patients with HF.     

药学干预对老年住院患者用药复杂性和安全性的影响

目的 评价药学干预对老年住院患者用药复杂性和安全性的影响。方法 对65岁以上的老年住院患者进行1项干预前后的对照研究,干预组由临床药师主导药学干预过程,采用药物治疗方案复杂性指数（medication regimencomplexity index,MRCI）、Beers标准2015分别评估老年患者在入院和出院时长期用药方案的用药复杂程度（medication regimen complexity,MRC）和潜在不适当用药（potentially inappropriate medicines,PIMs）,并向临床医师提出简化用药方案的建议。比较2组患者在药学干预前后MRCI评分、PIMs发生率、药品不良事件（adverse drugevents,ADEs）发生率、用药依从性和患者对药学服务满意度的差异。结果 未干预组和干预组患者住院后的MRCI与入院时相比均有明显增加（P<0.01或P<0.05）,但干预组入院至出院时MRCI评分的平均增加幅度明显小于未干预组[（5.4±5.9）分vs（2.3±5.6）分,P<0.01];与未干预组相比,干预组出院时的PIMs发生率由入院时的57.0%下降至42.9%（P<0.01）;药学干预使患者的用药依从性和药学服务满意度显著提高,ADEs发生率显著降低（P<0.01）,但对平均住院天数的影响差异无显著性。结论 对老年住院患者实施一项以用药方案的简化为主要内容的药学干预,有效降低了住院对MRC和PIMs的影响,提高了老年患者用药的安全性、经济性和合理性。     

Medication regimen complexity and prevalence of potentially inappropriate medicines in older patients after hospitalisation

Background There is a relative paucity of information to characterise potential changes in medication regimen complexity and prevalence of prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications after hospitalisation, both in Australia and elsewhere. Objective To evaluate medication regimen complexity and the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications before and after admission to hospital. Setting General medical units of a tertiary care hospital in Australia. Methods Retrospective cohort study of patients aged 65 years and above. Medication complexity was measured by using the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI). Main outcome measure The primary outcome was the change in the Medication Regimen Complexity Index for all prescribed medications after hospitalization. Results A convenience sample of 100 patients was included in the study. There was a significant change in the mean medication complexity score (as measured using the MRCI), increasing from 29 at the time of admission to 32 at the time of discharge (p < 0.05). Factors such as baseline medication regimen complexity (pre-admission MRCI) and length of stay in the hospitals appear to influence the change in medication complexity. However, the proportion of patients prescribed at least one potentially inappropriate medicine (PIM) decreased significantly, from 52% pre-hospitalization to 42% at discharge (p = 0.04). Conclusions Relative to the time of admission, overall medication complexity increased and the proportion of patients who were prescribed PIMs decreased after hospitalisation.

     

Impact of an intervention to reduce medication regimen complexity for older hospital inpatients

Background Hospitalisation often leads to increased medication regimen complexity for older patients; increased complexity is associated with medication non-adherence. There has been little research into strategies for reducing the impact of hospitalisation on medication regimen complexity. Objective To investigate the impact of pharmacist medication review, together with an educational intervention targeting clinical pharmacists and junior medical officers, on the increase in medication regimen complexity that occurs during hospitalisation. Setting Two acute general medicine wards and two subacute aged care (geriatric assessment and rehabilitation) wards at a major metropolitan public hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Methods A before-after study involving patients aged 60 years and over was undertaken over two 5-week periods. During the pre-intervention period patients received usual care. During the intervention period, clinical pharmacists were encouraged to review patients’ medication regimen complexity prior to discharge, and make recommendations to hospital medical officers to simplify regimens. Prior to the intervention period, pharmacists attended an interactive case-based education session about medication regimen simplification, and completed an assessment task. A similar, but briefer, education session was delivered to junior medical officers. Main outcome measure The primary endpoint was change in medication regimen complexity index (MRCI) score (a validated measure of regimen complexity) between admission and discharge for regularly scheduled long-term medications, adjusted for age, length of hospital stay, number of medications and regimen complexity prior to admission. Results Three hundred ninety-one patients were included (mean age 80.6 years, mean 7.4 regularly scheduled long-term medications on admission). The mean increase in MRCI score between admission and discharge was significantly smaller in the 205 intervention patients than in the 186 usual care patients (2.5 vs. 4.0, p = 0.02; adjusted difference 1.6, 95 %CI 0.3, 2.9). The intervention had greatest impact in patients discharged from subacute wards (mean adjusted difference: 2.7), not using a dose administration aid after discharge (mean adjusted difference: 2.6), and not discharged to a residential care facility (mean adjusted difference: 1.9). Mean differences in MRCI scores were equivalent to ceasing one to two medications. Conclusion An educational intervention and clinical pharmacist medication review reduced the impact of hospitalisation on the complexity of older patients’ medication regimens.     

Changes in medication regimen complexity index following medication-related hospital admissions: A retrospective single-centre study

BackgroundMedication-related hospitalisations present an opportunity for de-prescribing and simplification of medication regimens. The Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI) is a tool for measuring the complexity of medication regimens.ObjectivesTo evaluate whether MRCI changes following medication-related hospitalisations, and to evaluate the relationship between MRCI, length of stay (LOS) in hospital, and patient characteristics.MethodsA retrospective medical record review of patients admitted to a tertiary referral hospital in Australia for medication-related problems, January 2019 to August 2020. MRCI was calculated using pre-admission medication lists and discharge medication lists.ResultsThere were 125 patients who met inclusion criteria. The median (IQR) age was 64.0 years (45.0–75.0) and 46.4% were female. Median MRCI decreased by 2.0 following hospitalisation: from median (IQR) 17.0 (7.0–34.5) on admission vs 15.0 (3.0–29.0) on discharge (p < 0.001). Admission MRCI predicted LOS ≥2 days (OR 1.03, 95%CI 1.00–1.05, p = 0.022). Allergic reaction-related hospitalisations were associated with lower admission MRCI.ConclusionsThere was a decrease in MRCI following medication-related hospitalisation. Targeted medication reviews for high-risk patients (e.g., those with medication-related hospitalisations) could further reduce the burden of medication complexity following discharge from hospital and possibly prevent readmissions.     

Development of medication regimen complexity index: Japanese version and application in elderly patients

Background Medication regimen complexity includes various aspects of a regimen, including the dosage form, number of medications and need for additional information for use. Complicated medication regimens cause non-adherence to prescribed medications, making it essential to evaluate medication regimen complexity in older adults to improve adherence to prescribed medications and clinical outcomes. The medication regimen complexity index is currently the most widely used scale for quantifying regimen complexity; however, it has yet to be adopted in Japan. Objective This study aimed to translate the medication regimen complexity index to Japanese and assess its reliability and validity for application in elderly patients in Japan. Setting This study was conducted in a clinic that provides home medical care to patients in the southern part of Ibaraki prefecture, Japan. Method The validation process consisted of translation of the original English version of the medication regimen complexity index to Japanese followed by back-translation to English, comparison of the back-translated and original versions, pilot testing, and assessment of the Japanese version by two raters using the medication regimens of 72 patients with chronic diseases. Main outcome measure The psychometric properties of the index were evaluated according to inter-rater and test-retest reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity. Results The mean age of the 72 patients was 84.3 years. The scale showed high inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.946) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.991) for total scores. The number of medications was positively correlated with total medication regimen complexity index score (r_s = 0.930, P?<?0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between age, sex and Charlson Comorbidity Index and medication regimen complexity index score (P?>?0.05). Conclusions The Japanese version of the medication regimen complexity index is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the complexity of medication regimen in Japanese elderly patients.

     

The impact of medication adherence on health outcomes for chronic metabolic diseases: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundHypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia have a large influence on health outcomes due to their chronic nature and serious complications. Medication is a key factor in preventing disease advancement, and it is important to assess whether good medication adherence has any potential long-term impact on health outcomes and provides an international validation on the relationship.ObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of good medication adherence on health outcomes of complications and hospitalizations for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes.MethodsPatients who had had outpatient pharmacy claims for drugs for hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia were separately identified from the Korean National Health Insurance Claims Database in year 2009. A 10% random sample was respectively drawn from the three disease groups, and all claims from years 2008–2011 were extracted for the sampled subjects. Medication adherence was measured by the medication possession ratio (MPR) during the 12-month after the index date, the initial date from when medication was counted, with poor adherence as <80% of MPR. Health outcomes were measured both at 2 and 3 years after the index date as any occurrence of disease-related complications, disease-specific hospitalizations, and all-cause hospitalizations.ResultsPoor medication adherence was associated with a higher occurrence of disease-specific hospitalizations for hypertension patients (+10.9%, only at 2 years). The likelihood of all-cause hospitalization was higher among patients who had poor medication adherence in hypertension (+32% and +29% at 2 and 3 years), hyperlipidemia (+16% and +14% at 2 and 3 years), and diabetes (+32% and +29% at 2 and 3 years). Poor medication adherence also increased the likelihood of complications for hypertension (+14% and +7% at 2 and 3 years) and hyperlipidemia patients (+8.1% at 2 years).ConclusionsTargeting good medication adherence could be a valuable policy strategy to effectively manage chronic diseases to improve health outcomes.     

The incremental costs of recommended therapy versus real world therapy in type 2 diabetes patients

ABSTRACT

Background: The goals of diabetes management have evolved over the past decade to become the attainment of near-normal glucose and cardiovascular risk factor levels. Improved metabolic control is achieved through optimized medication regimens, but costs specifically associated with such optimization have not been examined.

Objective: To estimate the incremental medication cost of providing optimal therapy to reach recommended goals versus actual therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: We randomly selected the charts of 601 type 2 diabetes patients receiving care from the outpatient clinics of Massachusetts General Hospital March 1, 1996–August 31, 1997 and abstracted clinical and medication data. We applied treatment algorithms based on 2004 clinical practice guidelines for hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension to patients’ current medication therapy to determine how current medication regimens could be improved to attain recommended treatment goals. Four clinicians and three pharmacists independently applied the algorithms and reached consensus on recommended therapies. Mean incremental medication costs, the cost differences between current and recommended therapies, per patient (expressed in 2004 dollars) were calculated with 95% bootstrap confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: Mean patient age was 65 years old, mean duration of diabetes was 7.7 years, 32% had ideal glucose control, 25% had ideal systolic blood pressure, and 24% had ideal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Care for these diabetes patients was similar to that observed in recent national studies. If treatment algorithm recommendations were applied, the average annual medication cost/patient would increase from $1525 to $2164. Annual incremental costs/patient increased by $168 (95% CI $133–$206) for antihyperglycemic medications, $75 ($57–$93) for antihypertensive medications, $392 ($354–$434) for antihyperlipidemic medications, and $3 ($3–$4) for aspirin prophylaxis. Yearly incremental cost of recommended laboratory testing ranged from $77–$189/patient.

Limitations: Although baseline data come from the clinics of a single academic institution, collected in 1997, the care of these diabetes patients was remarkably similar to care recently observed nationally. In addition, the data are dependent on the medical record and may not accurately reflect patients’ actual experiences.

Conclusion: Average yearly incremental cost of optimizing drug regimens to achieve recommended treatment goals for type 2 diabetes was approximately $600/patient. These results provide valuable input for assessing the cost-effectiveness of improving comprehensive diabetes care.     

2016年陕西省基层医疗机构高血压和糖尿病用药分析

目的：分析评价陕西省2016年基层医疗机构高血压和糖尿病药品用药频度和金额等情况。方法：从陕西省药品集中采购平台,调取陕西省基层医疗机构高血压与糖尿病药品2016全年的采购记录,采用用药频度、限定日费用、药品用量/金额排序比等指标进行评价。结果：用药频度最高的高血压药为硝苯地平、螺内酯、吲达帕胺、依那普利、替米沙坦等;用药频度最高的糖尿病药为二甲双胍、格列齐特、格列吡嗪等。这些药品均为一线首选、指南推荐防治高血压或糖尿病的基本药物,其限定日费用均处于中下水平。结论：陕西省基层临床使用最多的高血压和糖尿病药物费用相对不高,均属于广泛使用、价格实惠的基本药物;但是,全省基层医疗机构这两种慢性病的用药量小于实际需求量,说明高血压和糖尿病等慢性病用药管理工作还需进一步加强。     

The uses and expenses of antihypertensive medications among hypertensive adults

BackgroundThe literature lacks information about the use and cost of prescribed antihypertensive medications, especially by the type and class of medication prescribed.ObjectiveThis study investigated the uses and expenses of antihypertensive medications among hypertensive adults in the United States.MethodsUsing the 2014–2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, adult men and nonpregnant women aged 18 or older who had a diagnosis code of hypertension and used any prescribed antihypertensive medication were included in the study (n = 10,971). Adults with hypertension who were using a single antihypertensive medication were defined as single medication users, and those using two or more medications were defined as multiple medication users. Medications were classified into angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), thiazide-type diuretics (TDs), β-blockers (BBs), and others. The average annual total antihypertensive medication expenses and the expenditures of each medication class were estimated by using generalized linear models with a log link and gamma distribution and were adjusted to 2015 US dollars.ResultsAmong 10,971 hypertensive adults, 4759 (44.1%) were single medication users, and 6212 (55.9%) were multiple medication users. The average annual total cost for antihypertensive medications was $336 per person (95% confidence interval [CI] = $319–$353); $199 (95% CI = $177–$221) for single medication users and $436 (95% CI = $413–$459) for multiple medication users. The average annual costs for each medication class were estimated at $438 (95% CI = $384–$492) for ARBs and $49 for TDs (95% CI = $44–$55).ConclusionsUsers of multiple medications incurred more than twice the expense than single medication users. When comparing classes of medications, the cost for ARBs was the highest, whereas the cost for TDs was the lowest. This information can be used in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of antihypertension therapies.     

Complexity perplexity: a systematic review to describe the measurement of medication regimen complexity

Introduction: Complex medication regimens are error prone and challenging for patients, which may impact medication adherence and safety. No universal method to assess the complexity of medication regimens (CMRx) exists. The authors aim to review literature for CMRx measurements to establish consistencies and, secondarily, describe CMRx impact on healthcare outcomes.

Areas covered: A search of EMBASE and PubMed for studies analyzing at least two medications and complexity components, among those self-managing medications, was conducted. Out of 1204 abstracts, 38 studies were included in the final sample. The majority (74%) of studies used one of five validated CMRx scales; their components and scoring were compared.

Expert opinion: Universal CMRx assessment is needed to identify and reduce complex regimens, and, thus, improve safety. The authors highlight commonalities among five scales to help build consensus. Common components (i.e., regimen factors) included dosing frequency, units per dose, and non-oral routes. Elements (e.g., twice daily) of these components (e.g., dosing frequency) and scoring varied. Patient-specific factors (e.g., dexterity, cognition) were not addressed, which is a shortcoming of current scales and a challenge for future scales. As CMRx has important outcomes, notably adherence and healthcare utilization, a standardized tool has potential for far-reaching clinical, research, and patient-safety impact.     

Racial and ethnic disparities associated with the measure for drug-drug interactions among Medicare beneficiaries

BackgroundDrug-drug interactions (DDIs) cause many preventable hospitalizations and admissions. Efforts have been made to raise DDI awareness and reduce DDI occurrence; for example, Medicare Part D Star Ratings, a health plan quality assessment program, included a DDI measure. Previous research reported racial and ethnic disparities in health services utilization and that racial and ethnic minorities, compared with non-Hispanic whites (whites), may be less likely to be targeted for a similar measure, a Star Ratings adherence measure for diabetes medications.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate whether any racial and ethnic disparities are associated with the DDI measure in Part D Star Ratings among Medicare populations with diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.MethodsThis cross-sectional study analyzed a 2017 Medicare Part D data sample, including 3,960,813 beneficiaries. Because the inclusion in the denominator of the Star Ratings DDI measure was determined by the use of a list of target medications, the likelihood of using a listed target medication was compared between racial and ethnic minorities and whites. Individuals with diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia were included in the analysis owing to the high prevalence of these conditions. Patient- and community-level characteristics were adjusted by logistic regression.ResultsOf the entire study sample, 26.2% used a target medication. Compared with whites, most racial and ethnic minorities were less likely to use a target medication. For example, among individuals with diabetes, blacks, Hispanics, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and others had, respectively, 14% (odds ratio 0.86 [95% CI 0.84–0.88]), 5% (0.95 [0.93–0.98]), 12% (0.88 [0.84–0.92]), and 10% (0.90 [0.87–0.93]) lower odds compared with whites. Findings were similar among hypertension and hyperlipidemia cohorts, except that Hispanics had similar odds of use as whites.ConclusionMost racial and ethnic minorities may have lower likelihood of being targeted for the DDI measure compared with whites. Future studies should examine whether these disparities affect health outcomes and devise new DDI measures for racial and ethnic minorities.     

Standardization of medication inventory in an urban family medicine clinic

BackgroundRecommendations on clinic-administered medications to stock in an urban family medicine clinic and how to manage an outpatient formulary are not well defined in the literature. Although there are numerous hypothesized incentives for a standardized medication inventory, the financial impact at the level of a single clinic is unknown.ObjectivesThe purpose of this project was to develop clinic-administered medication inventory recommendations for urban family medicine clinics and to determine the financial impact of standardization at a single clinic.MethodsThe current clinic-administered medication inventory was assessed using the following prespecified criteria: (1) clinic administration is required for successful patient outcomes, (2) use of the medication for intended indication is evidence-based, (3) appropriately trained staff and equipment are available to administer and monitor the medication, (4) most cost-effective dosage form of the medication is stocked in the clinic, and (5) quantity and location of medication stocked in the clinic match need. Changes to the medication inventory were made effective on August 1, 2018, based on physician group consensus. Monthly clinic medication cost during the study period was analyzed before and after intervention.ResultsA total of 80 medications were identified; 45 medications remained after changes according to the prespecified criteria. The monthly cost of maintaining the inventory during the study period was $1947 preintervention compared with $1048 postintervention. The estimated average monthly cost savings of a standardized inventory in a single, urban family medicine clinic is $900, or $10,800 annually.ConclusionStandardizing a clinic-administered medication inventory in an urban family medicine clinic can help reduce unnecessary cost.     

The association between functional health literacy and patient-reported recall of medications at outpatient pharmacies

BackgroundPublished literature on assessing the functional health literacy (FHL) level of patients in pharmacy practice is lacking.ObjectivesTo assess FHL in an outpatient pharmacy setting and the associations between FHL and patient recall of medications.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study of 79 English-speaking adults recruited from 3 outpatient pharmacies, patients were given the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults and asked to recall their medication names, dosages, frequencies, and indications. Patients’ responses were compared with pharmacy records (medication name, dosage, frequency) and Facts and Comparisons (indication).ResultsOf the 79 patients, 27 had inadequate FHL. Correct medication names were recalled less frequently by patients with inadequate FHL compared with patients with adequate FHL (60% vs 84%, P < .001). Similarly, correct dosages (71% vs 83%, P = .03) and frequencies (62% vs 85%, P < .001) were reported less often by patients with inadequate FHL. There was no significant difference in the frequency of correct indications for medications between the 2 groups.ConclusionsInadequate FHL is associated with poor recall of correct medication name, dosage, and administering frequency. Future research to evaluate the effect of pharmacists on improving patients’ recall of medication name, dosage, and frequency is warranted.