Impact of Clinical Pharmacist Interventions on Optimizing Antibiotic Therapy in Surgical Ward Patients: A Retrospective Study

The inappropriate use of antibiotics remains one of the key challenges facing modern medicine. Clinical pharmacists, through collaboration with medical teams, help physicians optimize treatment, adjust dosages, and minimize inappropriate antibiotic use. Despite the well-documented benefits of clinical pharmacists' involvement in the hospital environment, significant legal and organizational barriers remain in Poland that limit their employment and the full utilization of their professional potential. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of clinical pharmacists' interventions on the identification of drug-related problems (DRPs) during antibiotic therapy in inpatients on a surgical ward. We also assessed whether these interventions improved the quality of care and patient safety through the implementation of appropriate corrective actions related to antibiotic use. A retrospective analysis of clinical pharmacists' interventions in inpatients on a surgical ward was conducted. DRPs were classified using the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) classification system, version 9.1. A total of 221 drug-related problems were identified. The majority of interventions addressed issues related to the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy (n = 154; 69.7%). The main causes of DRP were inappropriate medication selection (n = 123; 51.9%) and incorrect dosing (n = 56; 23.6%). Clinical pharmacists implemented 246 interventions, 94.6% of which were accepted by physicians. The results confirm that medication-related problems during antibiotic therapy are common in surgical units and that clinical pharmacists play a key role in identifying them. Expanding clinical pharmacy services should be considered a strategic priority for improving the quality of hospital care.