According to the literature reviewed, there is evidence to suggest that having a psychiatric pharmacist on the health care team improves patient outcomes across a wide variety of inpatient and outpatient settings from general practice to specialized services.
In 2015, Goldstone and colleagues selectively reviewed 28 key studies (date range 1978-2014) and highlighted the value of psychiatric pharmacists as part of the health care team improving medication-related outcomes. Goldstone and colleagues conclude that the clinical and financial benefit of psychiatric pharmacist inclusion within an interdisciplinary team for treatment of psychiatric and neurologic disorders is supported in clinical research studies. They issue a call to action “aimed at ensuring all patients with psychiatric or neurologic disorders have access to a standardized, consistent patient care process…provided by a psychiatric pharmacist working as a member of the healthcare team…” while also acknowledging the importance of conducting additional studies and collecting outcome data related to the impact of psychiatric pharmacists on patient care. This article provides an update summarizing the most recent published evidence regarding the impact of practicing psychiatric pharmacists on patient outcomes in various health care settings.
Werremeyer A, Bostwick J, Cobb C, Moore TD, Park SH, Price C, et al. Impact of pharmacists on outcomes for patients with psychiatric or neurologic disorders. Ment Health Clin [Internet]. 2020;10(6):358-80. DOI: 10.9740/mhc.2020.11.358.