Pharmacist-led geriatric clinic: A unique service for complex elderly patients

Background An aging population is a major challenge facing Canadian health care. Elderly patients often have multiple comorbidities and take multiple medications. It takes more time and expertise to review and manage medications for these complex patients to minimize the risk of adverse drug events. Pharmacists, with their expanding scope of practice and expertise in pharmacotherapy, are able to work with this complexity to minimize the risks. Many studies have demonstrated that pharmacist-led clinical services in a multidisciplinary setting significantly reduce inappropriate drug therapies and achieve better patient outcomes. However, there are few reports of pharmacists as independent providers working in collaboration with prescribers or with delegated authority from prescribers.