OBJECTIVES

: This study evaluated the impact of pharmacist intervention on ACS patients in the following aspects: knowledge, patient belief towards illness (BIPQ), patient belief towards medications (BMQ), adherence and clinical outcomes of readmissions.

METHODS

: This was an interventional prospective study performed at the Cardiology Ward, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong. 30 patients were enrolled into the study, and questionnaires were performed at three time points: before the intervention, after the intervention, and 2 weeks after the intervention. Patient knowledge, belief towards illness (BIPQ), belief towards medications (BMQ), and adherence scores were collected. Hospitalization rates 30-day before and after the intervention were also collected. Correlations between the outcome measurements were analyzed.

RESULTS

: Pharmacist intervention was found to have a significant impact on patients’ overall knowledge scores immediately after the intervention (p<0.001) and 2 weeks follow-up (p=0.009). Individual illness perceptions (BIPQ) scores were found to have a statistically significant change, specifically on Timeline (p=0.025), Treatment-control (p=0.001), Concern (p=0.003), and Understanding (p=0.005). There was an inverse correlation found between patient belief towards their illness and adherence (rs=-0.449, p=0.013). Education levels were found to have a statistically significant difference in relation with BMQ-Necessity (U=43.5, p=0.019).

CONCLUSIONS

: Pharmacist intervention does have a significant impact on improving patient knowledge and certain patient beliefs, with a threatening view of the illness decreasing self-efficacy, negatively impacting medication adherence. New pharmacist intervention strategies should adopt methods that allow self-efficacy growth, such as engaging the patient in goal-setting to nurture patient autonomy, engaging family member support, and integrating socio-structural facilitators and visual assistance aids.