Examining the Impact of a Pharmacists Postpartum Counseling Service; Evidence from a University Hospital

Abstract

Purpose: To describe a pharmacist’s counseling service pertaining to methods of contraception on the postpartum unit of a university hospital and to evaluate the number of postpartum patients who desire information on contraception with the demographics of age, public or private insurance, and whether the patient was English or Spanish-speaking. Methods: Retrospective cohort data analysis of postpartum women who received the option of counseling by a pharmacist or pharmacy intern at a university hospital over a year and 7 month period. There were 2,048 cases included for this study. The total number of patients who wanted information as well as pharmacist preparation time and counseling time were also noted. Results: Patients who were interested in a hormonal contraception method were 3 times more likely to desire counseling compared with patients who declined information (p<0.05). Also, patients who wanted an implantable form of contraception were 8 times more likely to desire information compared with patients who declined counseling (p<0.05). Patients in the age range of 18-25, 26-30, and 31-45 years were less likely (56%, 64%, & 65%) to want counseling compared with the age range of 12-17 years (all p<0.05). Lastly, patients who spoke Spanish were 3 times more likely to have been counseled compared with non-Spanish speaking patients. The number of postpartum patients counseled on different contraception methods was 1,546 versus 699 patients who declined counseling. Total pharmacist preparation time totaled 160.95 hours, while total patient counseling time totaled 204.55 hours. Conclusion: Overall, postpartum women who chose to be counseled by a pharmacist were considering either a hormonal or implantable method of contraception, were younger than the age of 17 and were Spanish speaking. The average amount of pharmacist preparation time spent was 4.3 minutes per patient and actual counseling time on average was 5.5 minutes per patient.