Influence on medication therapy of increased patient services by pharmacists in a pediatric hospital.

The effect of decentralized pharmacy services on medication therapy was studied. The records of 200 patients at a 175-bed, nonprofit, pediatric hospital were reviewed to determine the drug therapy received agreed with the indications, contraindications, ages and dosages recommended by the official labeling. Half the patients received treatment before decentralized pharmacy services and half after. For all drug-use variables, a one-way analysis of variance revealed no significant differences between the two groups of patients.