Outpatient clinic for drug related problems

In October 1999 an outpatient clinic for drug related problems was initiated at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. This collaboration between the Departments of Clinical Pharmacology (now Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy), Dermatology and the Hospital Pharmacy, aims at supporting physicians in their care for patients with possibly drug related problems. One hundred thirty two patients attended the outpatient clinic during its’ first three years. The majority of them was referred by a dermatologist for exclusion of drug allergy of adverse (cutaneous) drug reactions. A relation with the prescribed drugs was confirmed in 42/132 (32%) and excluded in 37/12 (28%) patients. Possible reasons for referral matched largely the needs of the general practitioners. Although they indicated to see approximately 2 patients with drug related problems a week, many of them considered referring a patient to the outpatient clinic for drug related problems too great a burden to a patient. Other (electronic) ways of consulting should be explored.