Usability assessment of drug-linking laboratory data listed on prescriptions for outpatients of chiba university hospital.

To evaluate the impact of pharmacotherapy on efficacy and safety by providing laboratory data information linked to medicines on outpatient prescriptions from the hospital to the community pharmacy. Beginning on October 28, 2014, standardized laboratory data and drug-linking laboratory data were included with outpatient prescriptions at our hospital. We have created a database of drug-linking laboratory data for all drugs that can be prescribed in Japan. We counted the number of prescription inquiries related to laboratory data from community pharmacies, including those leading to prescription changes. Before laboratory data were listed on outpatient prescriptions, 4 prescription inquiries from community pharmacies per year were related to laboratory data. After our hospital started to list laboratory data, this number rose to 643, 576, 563, and 847 in the first, second, third, and fourth year (P < .05). Of these, 132, 143, 152, and 224 inquiries resulted in prescription changes. Listing laboratory data on outpatient prescriptions avoided 153 contraindications and 84 exacerbations of adverse drug reactions in four years by a prescription inquiry that had never been done before. The efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy can be improved by listing relevant laboratory data on outpatient prescriptions.