BMJ  2006;333 (9 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7567.0-a

Telephone counselling reduces mortality in patients on polypharmacy

Periodic telephone counselling by a pharmacist improves compliance and reduces mortality in non-compliant patients receiving polypharmacy. Wu and colleagues (p 522) randomised 442 non-compliant patients receiving five or more drugs for chronic disease to telephone counselling or to the control group. After adjustment for confounders, telephone counselling was associated with a 41% reduction in the risk of death after two years. Also the use of healthcare resources was reduced in the counselling group. Continuous support is needed to change behaviour and reinforce positive health behaviours, conclude the authors.

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Effectiveness of telephone counselling by a pharmacist in reducing mortality in patients receiving polypharmacy: randomised controlled trial

Jennifer Y F Wu, Wilson Y S Leung, Sophie Chang, Benjamin Lee, Benny Zee, Peter C Y Tong, and Juliana C N Chan
BMJ 2006 333: 522. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]