The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7292 p393
27 March 2004

Written for Americans but UK readers may draw parallels with the NHS

‘A practical guide to pharmaceutical care’, 2nd edition, by J. P. Rovers, Jay D. Currie, Harry P. Hagel, Randal P. McDonough and Jenelle L. Sobotka. Pp xiii+316. Price $49.95. Washington DC: American Pharmaceutical Association; 2003. ISBN 1 58212 049 8

This book is most definitely written by Americans for Americans. Although readers, be they practitioners or researchers, can gain useful insights into the practical aspects of pharmaceutical care provision and its underlying philosophy, the case studies and examples used are exclusively from the US health care system. Parallels with the NHS can, however, be constructed in the mind of the reader as he or she covers the various chapters and the induction of these thought processes may be the most valuable aspect of the book to the UK reader.

The book addresses a wide range of issues under three different sections, each with a series of chapters, ie, practice skills, professional practice development and practice site development. The style of writing makes the book readable, with boxes containing, for example, practice tips, data collection forms and draft letters to patients.

The chapter that was of most interest to me as a researcher was that of measuring change and outcomes in everyday practice. The familiar terminologies of “structure, process and outcome”, “clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes” and “intermediate and ultimate (primary) outcomes” are explained in some detail, as are practical approaches to outcome measurement.

In conclusion, the text provides a comprehensive summary on the practical issues that need to be considered in pharmaceutical care delivery and will help front-line practitioners in their consideration of a more patient-focused delivery of pharmacy services, including self care and health promotion.

James McElnay

James McElnay is professor of pharmacy practice and chairman of the clinical and practice research group, school of pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast