Int J Pharm Pract 1998;6:145-9

Hope Hospital, Salford, England
Darren M. Ashcroft, MSc, MRPharmS, resident pharmacist
Christine M. Clark, MSc, FRPharmS, chief pharmaceutical officer

School of Pharmacy, The Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sean P. Gorman, PhD, MPSNI, professor of pharmaceutical microbiology

Correspondence: Mr Ashcroft, Centre for Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, England NG7 2RD paxda@pan1.pharm.nottingham.ac.uk

Original Papers

Shared care: a study of patients' experiences with erythropoietin

DARREN M. ASHCROFT, CHRISTINE M. CLARK and SEAN P. GORMAN

A study was carried out to evaluate the impact of a shared care scheme on patients receiving erythropoietin treatment. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was given to adult patients receiving recombinant human erythropoietin. Completed questionnaires were received from 86 of 119 patients (72 per cent). Thirty respondents reported problems with administration. Reports of pain were significantly higher from those patients receiving Eprex than those using Recormon (P = 0.01, c2 test). Doses were missed occasionally by 27 patients (31 per cent) and frequently by two patients. Supply problems had resulted in missed doses for 15 respondents (17 per cent). Eleven patients claimed that their general practitioner (GP) had not been aware of dosage adjustments initiated at the hospital. Thirty respondents (35 per cent) stated that they would like to speak to a pharmacist about their treatment.
In conclusion, the shared care scheme was effective and practical for most patients. However, some difficulties were identified. Problems involved administration, concordance, supply, and communication of dosage adjustments. Furthermore, there was a general lack of information about the treatment among many patients.