C O N T E N T S

Research and Reports
Effect of an Interdisciplinary Team on Suboptimal Prescribing in a Long-Term Care Facility
Sean Jeffery, Christine Ruby, Jack Twersky, Joseph T. Hanlon
The results of this retrospective, chart-based review indicate that an interdisciplinary approach to long-term care by a team incorporating the services of pharmacy, medical, nursing, and other personnel can reduce the three main types of suboptimal prescribing: underuse, inappropriate use, and polypharmacy.

Research and Reports
Clinical Pharmacy Services in an Intermediate-Care Facility for the Developmentally Disabled: A Five-Year Retrospective Review
Jerry McKee, Frank Grill, Melvin Cline, Tracey Mease
In this five-year study, use of a pharmacist-coordinated treatment-team model of drug regimen review in a large residential ICF/DD was found to maximize rational drug therapy while minimizing the potential for unnecessary medication use and associated adverse drug reactions and drug interactions.

D E P A R T M E N T S

Bylines A Call to Action Janice L. Feinberg Health Trends New Findings Challenge Beliefs About RTIs in Long-Term Care; Aspiration Linked to Increased Pneumonia Mortality; New Drugs for Resistant Infection in Development; More Evidence of Suboptimal Pain Management in Nursing Facilities; more Calendar Consultant Pharmacist Forum Identifying Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Long-Term Care; Revised JCAHO Standards for Pain Assessment and Treatment in Long-Term Care

Policy Currents Demonstration Project Explores Cognitive Services Reimbursement; Iowa Task Force Urges Cautious Antibiotic Use; Do Random Surveys Improve Quality Care?; Congression Debate Over Medicare Drug Benefit Continues; more Helpful Ideas Tooling Around the State Survey Pamela Black Late Additions GAO Cites Inadequate HCFA Oversight of State Nursing Facility Inspections