Abstract

While most practicing pharmacists are familiar with the term and the general concept of evidence-based medicine, few are adequately trained in the clinical application of these skills. Developed to give clinical pharmacists an edge, this book provides a practical approach for applying sound EBM principles to your clinical decision making process.

Decision making based on personal experience alone, without knowledge from well-designed, controlled, randomized trials with adequate sample size, often overestimates the efficacy and underestimates the safety risks associated with drugs. This book provides a roadmap that is instructional and, most importantly, practical for the pharmacist so these new skills can be applied immediately in practice.

Based on a five-step process perfected over ten years at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, School of Pharmacy, this exciting new approach will:

·         Reduce complexity

·         Shorten time for decision making support

·         Maintain rigor

·         Categorize quality of the evidence in a simple, straightforward, and logical manner

·         Provide a process designed specifically for pharmacists making drug therapy decisions

Use of examples, tables, diagrams, and key points highlighted throughout the book and summarized at the end of each chapter provide the pharmacist with skills they can implement the next day to begin applying EBM principles to their practice. 

Patrick J. Bryant, Pharm.D., FSCIP

Patrick J. Bryant, Pharm.D. is Director of the DrugInformationCenter and Clinical Professor at University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Pharmacy.  Prior to his academic career, he spent 15 years in clinical research, licensing and development, and competitive intelligence within the pharmaceutical industry. 

Dr. Bryant led the conceptualization, design, development, and implementation of a 5 credit hour course teaching the use of a novel 5-step evidence-based medicine process to make clinical decisions.  This course received honorable mention from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Innovations in Teaching Competition. 

He led the development and implementation of the ASHP Accredited Specialty Drug Information Residency, Natural Product Information Fellowship, Competitive Technical Intelligence Fellowship, and Drug Information Fellowship programs.  These programs have created over 15 post-docs practicing in retail, academic, private business, and industry positions to date. 

Dr. Bryant has focused his scholarly activities in the drug information and competitive intelligence areas.  He has made multiple presentations both nationally/internationally and published articles and book chapters on these subjects.  In addition to his co-authorship of The Pharmacist’s Guide to Evidence-based Medicine Dr. Bryant is also the lead author of the chapter entitled, “Literature Evaluation II:  Beyond the Basics” in Malone PM, Kier KL, Stanovich JE, eds. Drug Information: A Guide for Pharmacists, 4th ed., 2009.

Heather A. Pace, Pharm.D.

Heather A. Pace, Pharm.D, is Assistant Director of University of Missouri School of Pharmacy Drug Information Center and Clinical Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice Division.  Her specialty areas include Drug Information Practice and Evidence-Based literature analysis.  She received her Pharm.D. from the University of Missouri Kansas City in 2005 and completed her post doctorial training at UMKCDrugInformationCenter’s ASHP Accredited Drug Information Specialty Residency in August 2006. 

 Dr. Pace currently participates in formulary decisions on a Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee for a major institution and a state prescription assistance program as well as extensive Evidence Based Medicine research

.  She serves as newsletter editor for the Missouri Society of Health System Pharmacists.  In addition, she participates in various didactic lectures and precepts experiential rotation students.