Advanced pharmacy practice experience overthe-counter registry project: Pharmacy consultation and over-the-counter purchasing decisions

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to: (1) assess the types of recommendations for over-the-counter (OTC) medications that advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) student pharmacists perform during a community pharmacy rotation; (2) assess the effects of student pharmacist consultation on OTC product purchase decisions; and (3) identify the number and types of medication-related problems prevented. Methods: Fifty-four student pharmacists (SPs) in their final year of training at seven community pharmacies in Phoenix, Arizona, during academic year 2013-2014 provided consultations to consumers intending to purchase an OTC product. The SPs were trained by the co-investigators using a train-thetrainer method on proper interviewing techniques and the protocol for the study. Each SP was asked to complete 20 OTC consultations during his or her 6-week APPE rotation. SPs obtained verbal informed consent and used an OTC consultation form to obtain product information and demographics, and to document the OTC consultation. Data were entered into Qualtrics and analyzed using SPSS 19.0. Results: Eight-hundred sixty-one medication-related OTC consultations were completed by 54 SPs. The top four chief complaints addressed were: allergy (18.6%), common cold (15.1%), congestion (18.3%), and cough (16.0%). Consumers accepted 739 (85.7%) SP recommendations; 122 (14.2%) consumers stayed with their original choice (brand = 8.5%; generic/private label = 4.8%). Medication-related problems prevented were: product misuse (14.6%), inappropriate self-diagnosing (13.8%), overmedication (9.9 %), duplication in therapeutic category (4%), drug interactions (2%), inappropriate dosing (2%), and drug-disease interactions (2%). Seventynine (9.2%) consumers were referred to a health care provider for further assessment (26 no purchase; 53 purchase). Conclusion: Pharmacists continue to play a significant role in advising consumers on OTC medications and preventing medication-related problems. The need for the pharmacist as OTC consultant will continue to increase as medications move from prescription to OTC status and consumers continue to engage in self-care.