Developing an Outpatient Heart Failure Pharmacy Service

Background Heart failure is a progressive disease with a high mortality rate and significant cost burden. Various roles have been proposed for pharmacists in the multidisciplinary outpatient care of heart failure patients. In 2002, an outpatient heart failure pharmacy service was established in the Heart Lung Clinic, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. Aim To describe the patients attending the Heart Lung Clinic on the days that the outpatient heart failure pharmacy service was available, including patients using the service; the pharmacy activities delivered to patients; and to measure patient satisfaction with the service. Method Data were collected prospectively over 4 weeks. Patient medical records were manually reviewed. Documented pharmacy activities were classified using the ICD‐10‐AM codes for pharmacy‐specific activities. A self‐administered patient satisfaction survey was used. Results Of the 46 patients included in the study (mean age 56 SD 16 years), 36 patients had heart failure as the primary diagnosis for referral. 11/36 patients had preserved left ventricular ejection fraction, 28 patients were prescribed angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, and 28 patients were prescribed beta‐blockers. 17 patients used the outpatient heart failure pharmacy service. Medication order review, clinical review and medication counselling were the most frequently documented pharmacy activities. 15/16 patient satisfaction surveys were returned. Mean satisfaction score was 4.64 (maximum score = 5). Conclusion Data obtained were used to streamline the outpatient heart failure pharmacy service at the Heart Lung Clinic.