Is an “Emergency Medicine Pharmacist” Essential?

Abstract

Introduction:

The evolving role of emergency medicine pharmacists (EMPs) in emergency departments (EDs) has shown promise in enhancing patient care outcomes. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the necessity of EMPs in the ED by assessing the impact of pharmacist-led interventions on medication safety, patient outcomes, and healthcare resource utilization.

Methods:

A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library, focusing on interventional studies and clinical trials from the last five years up to 2022. Inclusion criteria targeted studies evaluating EMP-led interventions with measurable outcomes related to patient care. Exclusion criteria eliminated non-interventional studies, reviews, and non-English language publications. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed, and data on sample sizes, intervention types, and outcome measures were extracted and analyzed.

Results:

Eight studies met the inclusion criteria, showcasing varied interventions ranging from medication reconciliation to direct patient care and clinical decision support. Key findings include a 40% reduction in medication errors, a 25% improvement in the appropriateness of antibiotic use, and a reduction in hospital stays by an average of 1.2 days. The variability in study designs and settings underlines the adaptability and broad potential impact of EMPs across different ED environments.

Conclusions:

The systematic review provides strong evidence supporting the integration of EMPs into ED teams. The significant reductions in medication errors and hospital stay durations, alongside improvements in medication use efficiency, highlight the vital role of EMPs in promoting safer, more efficient emergency care. Future research should further explore the specific contributions of EMPs to different aspects of patient care and their potential to optimize emergency department operations on a wider scale