INTRODUCTION

A drug information (DI) request is a medication-related question posed by a patient, caregiver, health care professional, administrator, or other interested party. Pharmacists are responsible for interpreting medication evidence and applying it to an individual patient or practice decision. Pharmacy technicians and interns can support the process within applicable law, training, supervision, and organizational policy (see TECH TALK SIDEBAR). This continuing education activity describes a structured approach to screening, researching, appraising, communicating, and documenting DI requests.^1,2

TECH TALK SIDEBAR: Questions within the Pharmacy Technician’s Scope of Practice?^2,3

State boards of pharmacy, rather than certification, define a pharmacy technician’s legal authority, which varies by jurisdiction and practice setting. Technicians must also follow the supervising pharmacist’s delegation, organizational policy, and their documented training and competence. Certification or familiarity with a topic does not authorize independent clinical judgment or patient counseling.

Technicians are often the first point of contact. They may perform intake and provide approved, objective information when permitted—for example, locating a product, reading an ingredient or storage statement exactly as printed, checking stock, or explaining an established pharmacy procedure. Examples of questions a technician may be able to address or route include

• Does this product contain acetaminophen? What brands of acetaminophen do you stock?
• Where are the medicines for pain?
• Is there a less expensive generic or store brand for this product?
• Do you have any [insert name of prescription medication] in stock?
• What storage instructions appear on this product’s label?
• What does “analgesic” mean?
• What does “sustained release” mean?
• Is this prescription for a controlled substance?
• What does our system show about the next eligible refill date? (Refer requests for an override or a clinical explanation.)

Pharmacy technicians and interns can also convey information from the pharmacist but should be careful. A PRO TIP is that if technicians or interns don’t understand what the pharmacist says, they should ask the pharmacist to make the information clearer. And if the answer is long or complicated, they should write it down and recite it back to the pharmacist before transmitting it to the person with the question. If the requester asks a follow-up question that changes the clinical issue, the technician should return the question to the pharmacist rather than improvise.

Helping customers find specific medications or classes of medications is within the technician’s scope of practice. When patients have questions about their medications, doses, and how best to administer them, technicians may hesitate to answer. If the information is clearly printed on the prescription label, on the auxiliary labels, or contained in an FDA-approved Medication Guide, the technician or intern can answer.

Technicians need to refer to the pharmacist whenever the request requires assessment, interpretation, individualized advice, product selection, a therapeutic recommendation, or patient counseling. This includes questions about adverse effects, interactions, contraindications, missed doses, storage excursions, crushing or opening dosage forms, pregnancy or lactation, pediatric administration, allergies, treatment failure, and alternative therapy. Before referral, the technician can identify the requester, medication and dosage form, exact question, urgency, relevant dates or exposure conditions, and callback information. When uncertain, stop and refer.

DI work is a team process, but accountability is not interchangeable. Every pharmacy employee should recognize a request, preserve its urgency, and route it appropriately. The pharmacist is responsible for responses that require clinical interpretation, counseling, or recommendations. A structured process is useful in community, health-system, ambulatory, managed care, industry, and other settings.^1,3

Pharmacy employees who work primarily within a community setting can expect to receive DI requests from patients and from practitioners. These requests can range from asking about drug storage requirements (which a technician can usually answer) to consequences of taking an OTC medication in combination with prescription drugs, to requests regarding the safety of a medication for an uncommon or off-label indication. Pharmacists who work in hospital settings can expect to receive most DI requests from colleagues within the care team. For instance, a DI request could come from a prescriber asking about medication absorption and distribution in a patient with comorbid conditions, or from a nurse asking if a medication can be crushed. Pharmacists who work in industry settings, however, may receive medication information requests that vary greatly from those received in clinical settings.⁴

All DI requests require referencing reliable materials and sometimes, various internal policy or research documents. While DI requests are diverse, they all require similar analysis of sources and communication to provide a quality answer. Because pharmacy employees at different levels of responsibility can answer DI questions, this continuing education activity will call the person asking the question the requestor and the person finding the answer the respondent.

SCREENING THE REQUEST

One of the most confounding situations in the pharmacy occurs when someone asks a question, the respondent spends times finding an answer, and then the requestor says, “Oh, that’s not what I needed to know!” Sometimes, requestors don’t really know how to ask questions effectively. This is a problem that all customer service fields encounter, and answering DI requests is a both a clinical function and a customer service. It’s why when you call many customer service lines, the customer service representative will say, “OK, what I hear you asking is….” And then rephrase the question.^1,5

To answer DI requests effectively, the respondent must thoroughly understand the question.⁵ Very specific questions tend to be easily answerable, while others are more general or vague. In both instances, respondents need to ensure they understand the question. They can rephrase the question in their own words and say, “Let me make sure I understand. Do you mean….”, or they can use open ended questions (questions that cannot be answered with a yes or a no) to ask the requestor to provide more information. This avoids answering a question that wasn’t asked or intended or was poorly formulated.

Often, requestors don’t know how to ask a question that will provide the information they need. The hallmark of this type of question is that the requestor may use jargon inappropriately or words that don’t seem to make sense. Respondents can say, “Excuse me, I’m not sure I understood entirely. Can you rephrase the question?” or “Pardon me, but I didn’t quite understand the question. Can you tell me a little more about what you want to know and why?” That final word—WHY—provides the impetus for the requestor to provide necessary information.

Once the question has coalesced and both parties agree on its intent, the respondent can solicit important details from the requester and, if applicable, the patient, before delving into a search. At this point, the respondent needs to spend time actively listening to the requestor’s explanations.

This can be difficult if the requestor is long-winded, difficult to understand, or cognitively impaired, so it requires patience. Here’s a PRO TIP for listening: It’s called the traffic-light-rule.⁶ During the first 30 seconds (which seems like a short period of time, but is actually relatively long), the requestor’s “talking light” is green. Pharmacy staff should let them talk. In the next 30 seconds, the requestor’s light is yellow: Pharmacy staff probably has enough information and should make note of comments or questions. After one minute, the requestor’s talking light is red: Pharmacy staff should be comfortable stopping the requestor politely or asking questions.⁶

Before continuing, review the following DI requests. How would you proceed? Later  in this activity, we’ll provide a description of the ideal process.

Pharmacist DI request #1: TN, 35-year-old obese female (BMI = 32.4 kg/m²) with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes will start on an atypical antipsychotic today to manage schizophrenia. TN’s psychiatric nurse practitioner (NP) calls with questions about drug selection. The NP mentions that TN’s drug formulary lists aripiprazole,  haloperidol, olanzapine, and quetiapine as tier 1, preferred options. The NP wants your opinion as to which atypical antipsychotic may be most appropriate to prescribe for TN. What do you suggest?

Pharmacist DI Request #2: You work at a tertiary care internal medicine center. MS, an 80-year-old female, was recently admitted to the medicine floor. She had fallen when she was trying to use the restroom at her nursing home and presented to the emergency department with a wrist fracture. She suffers from insomnia and other comorbidities. Her medication list includes lisinopril 20 mg daily, metformin 500 mg twice daily, rosuvastatin 20 mg daily, and lorazepam 0.5 mg PRN anxiety and sleep. The nursing home staff states that MS received more doses of lorazepam in recent weeks. The medical resident believes that the increased lorazepam use could have contributed to the fall and wants to know if trazodone would be a safer replacement for MS’s insomnia. How do you respond?

Technician intake example #1: I left this medication in my bathroom for four days, and then I noticed it says, “Keep in the refrigerator.” My house is cold, and the bottle didn’t feel warm. Is this still good, and if it isn’t, what should I do?

Technician intake example #2: My child is having trouble swallowing her medication and refuses to take it. Are there any easier ways I could give it to her?

Identify Critical Information

Although it may seem counterintuitive, beginning with the end in mind is critical and the person gathering information must determine the requestor’s preferred response format. This means asking how the requester wants to receive the response. The respondent will need to adjust the answer according to the requestor’s preferences. Some requestors will want to wait for an answer. If the information is to be communicated through email or an electronic medical record, respondents may use their organization’s required format (a SOAP note or similar formats; see Table 1), but formats used in medical records may not be the most efficient approach in person or over phone. In person or on the phone, respondents need to use a more conversational tone. Furthermore, the respondent will need to determine the requestor’s level of medical competency and tailor the response accordingly. If the requestor is a patient, it is more appropriate to use simple language than if a provider asked the same or  similar question. Respondents will have to evaluate these factors critically to provide a sound and comprehensive answer.⁷

Table 1. Formats for Communicating Critical Information^8,9

Assess the Urgency of the Response

While it is critical to provide an appropriate response for the question, doing so in a timely manner is just as critical. Asking the requestor is the simplest way to determine the expected response time. However, many times the requestor isn’t present or cannot be reached, and it is up to the respondent to determine which questions require immediate responses and which may not. Clinically critical topics include

• Medication safety: Does the DI request ask if a certain therapy could cause or have caused harm to the patient?
• Time sensitivity of the treatment: How important is timeliness to the treatment and disease progression?
• How much of a concern is the problem to the requestor: Does it seem that the requestor needs an immediate response?

Sometimes, respondents don’t know the answer to the question immediately.^10,11 Pharmacy staff will never be able to answer every question, but they can handle every question gracefully and provide a complete, accurate answer within a reasonable time. When they don’t know the whole answer, they should answer what they can immediately and tell the respondent that they need to do a little more research to answer the remainder. A PRO TIP is to tell the requestor when to expect an answer (and to be sure to follow through).^10-12

Obtain Sufficient Background Information

In simple words, this step is about getting to know the patient or problem or establishing a strong understanding of the patient’s relevant characteristics by obtaining background information. Since some patients have low health literacy, obtaining this information can be a challenge. However, narrowing the search to only include relevant information and filter unnecessary information can make the process more efficient. This could be achieved by⁷

• Asking targeted questions to patients. For example, instead of asking patients if they take their medication regularly (a closed-ended question that can be answered with yes or no), asking when they last took their medications provides a more precise answer.
• Identifying avenues that can provide accurate information. For example, instead of asking patients what other medications they take, checking the local profile and/or contacting their community or specialty pharmacist to receive a medication list can be more accurate.
• Reviewing any available records like medical charts or dispensing records (when available)

Identify Extraneous Information

Obtaining complete information is important but ensuring that the information is pertinent to the question being asked is just as important.

Many times, DI requests are in-depth and require researching two or more sources before arriving at an answer. While conducting this search, ensure that the sources are relevant to the problem at hand. For example, if a study suggests that a medication is contraindicated in a patient, determine if the patient’s characteristics are similar to the study’s population. Furthermore, extraneous information could come from data gathering as well. For example, a patient may have multiple diseases, but they may not all impact the problem at hand. Making this distinction is important to provide a thorough and accurate answer.⁷ A PRO TIP is to always use more than 1 source even if it can be answered with one.

Pharmacist DI request #1: Haloperidol is not an atypical antipsychotic; therefore, it would be eliminated immediately and the remaining atypical antipsychotics would be reviewed as outlined below: .

Pharmacist DI request #2: Lorazepam can contribute to falls, but substituting trazodone is not a simple safety upgrade. The 2023 AGS Beers Criteria recommend avoiding benzodiazepines in most older adults because of risks that include cognitive impairment, delirium, falls, and fractures. Trazodone is not listed as a medication to avoid in all older adults, but omission from the list does not establish safety or effectiveness. Evidence remains insufficient to recommend trazodone for chronic insomnia, and observational data have not shown a clear fall-safety advantage over benzodiazepines in nursing-home residents. The response should first assess causes of insomnia and medication contributors, recommend cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia when feasible, and use shared decision-making if short-term drug therapy is still needed.^15-18

Technician intake example #1:

The technician should not decide whether the medication remains usable. The technician can collect the product name, strength, dosage form, manufacturer or NDC if available, lot number, labeled storage conditions, where and how long it was stored, and the estimated temperature range. The technician should promptly refer the question to the pharmacist. The pharmacist can evaluate current manufacturer labeling, stability information, and—when needed—contact the manufacturer or wholesaler before advising the patient. Suspected temperature damage, visible product changes, insulin or other biologics, and time-sensitive therapy warrant prompt pharmacist review.

Technician intake example #2:

The technician should identify the medication, strength, dosage form, prescribed dose, child’s age, and the exact swallowing problem, then refer the question to the pharmacist. Crushing, splitting, opening, dissolving, or mixing a product can change drug release, stability, dose delivery, palatability, or exposure risk. The pharmacist should verify the exact product in current labeling and an authoritative dosage-form resource, assess whether another formulation or administration method is appropriate, and coordinate with the prescriber when a new prescription is required. The technician should not recommend altering the dosage form.

Recognize when to ask for additional support or information. While DI requests can be challenging, involving other healthcare professionals to hear about their experiences with similar clinical situations can offer a new perspective. Some benefits of consulting with experts include formulating a patient-specific answer to the question whereas a study may be irrelevant. When the request requires analysis beyond the scope of a drug information search, it is appropriate to reach out to a professional. While this may take additional time, arriving at the correct answer is more important than to harm the patient unknowingly. And a PRO TIP is that if reaching out will mean you cannot answer the question in the time frame promised, contact the requestor and say you need more time and why.

REFORMULATING THE REQUEST 

To ensure the core request is clear, the respondent will need to ask many questions, especially if requesters don’t know what question they need to ask. Before starting to research the answer, respondents need to gather information needed from the requestor. In addition, it’s prudent to identify resources the requestor has already consulted (and their reliability in case information needs to be corrected).

Categorize the Request

Requests can be based on complex patient specific cases, for educational purposes, or geared towards a decision-making process in medication therapy for a specific patient demographic. To fully optimize patient care and provide evidence-based recommendations, it is helpful to ask specific questions and consider all factors pertinent to the specific DI request. Categorizing the request can help stay on track, raise all concerns, and point the respondent to the appropriate resources. Table 2 lists common categories and the questions that can clarify the request.

Table 2. Common DI Categories and Related Questions¹

ABBREVIATIONS: ADR = adverse drug reaction; AWP = Average Wholesale Price; FDA = Food Drug Administration; IV = Intravenous

Finding Reliable Sources

DI literature is commonly organized as primary, secondary, and tertiary resources. These labels describe how information is created and accessed; they do not, by themselves, rank evidence quality. A poorly designed primary study is not stronger than a rigorously developed systematic review or guideline.^1,19

• Primary literature reports original observations or analyses, such as randomized trials, cohort and case-control studies, case reports, pharmacokinetic studies, and qualitative research. Primary reports provide detail needed for critical appraisal, but a single study may be biased, underpowered, indirect, outdated, or inconsistent with the larger evidence base. Critical appraisal is key.
• Secondary resources are indexing and abstracting tools that help users locate primary literature. Examples include PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Scopus, and Web of Science. Some provide abstracts or citation tracking, but they are pathways to evidence rather than the evidence itself. Depending of the setting, pharmacists do not often have access to these primary sources which can hamper their ability to provide effective DI. Also, depending on setting, time is another barrier.
• Tertiary resources synthesize or summarize information from primary literature and authoritative documents. Drug compendia, monographs, textbooks, review articles, systematic reviews, and many clinical practice guidelines fit this category in the traditional DI framework. Examples include AHFS Drug Information, Clinical Pharmacology, Lexicomp, Micromedex, and DynaMed. Tertiary sources are efficient starting points, but users must check the update date, scope, editorial methods, citations, and whether the source answers the patient-specific question.^1,19

Determine the Best Source

Start with the most efficient authoritative source available that is likely to answer the question, then move outward as needed. Current labeling or a well-maintained tertiary database may be sufficient for labeled dosage or storage requirements. Comparative effectiveness, uncommon uses, new safety signals, special populations, or conflicting recommendations often require a secondary database search and appraisal of systematic reviews, guidelines, and primary studies. Follow citations backward and use citation tracking when appropriate. Confirm high-stakes answers with more than one independent source, and document the search date, databases, terms, filters, and limits. Appraise study validity, precision, clinical importance, recency, applicability, and consistency—not merely sample size or publication prestige.^1,19

Use General Search Engines Appropriately

A general search engine can help locate an official label, guideline, recall, or organization page, but it should not be treated as a DI source. Search ranking reflects relevance, popularity, location, advertising, and personalization—not evidence quality. Microsoft Edge is a browser, not a search engine. Prefer direct searches of authoritative sites and bibliographic databases; use specific terms, quotation marks, site filters, and date limits when a general search engine is necessary.

Evaluate online information using the following questions²⁰:

• Who owns and publishes the site, and what is its purpose?
• Who wrote or reviewed the content, and are credentials, editorial methods, funding, advertising, and conflicts disclosed? A domain suffix such as .org or .edu does not guarantee quality.
• Are claims supported by traceable, relevant sources, and does the page distinguish evidence from opinion or promotion?
• When was the content published, reviewed, or updated, and could important evidence or safety information have changed?
• Does the information agree with current labeling, guidelines, and independent sources? Does the site protect privacy, and is it appropriate for the intended audience?

Table 3 matches types of information and reliable sources to find information.

Table 3. Finding Reliable Sources for Drug Information Requests

*=sources requiring a subscription or payment

Abbreviations: ADR = Adverse Drug Reactions; CDC = Center for Disease Control and Prevention; CYP = Cytochrome P450; FDA = Food and Drug Administration; MSDS = Material Safety Data Sheet;  HIV = Human immunodeficiency virus

Generative artificial intelligence is a tool—not a primary, secondary, or tertiary DI source. It may help brainstorm search terms, translate jargon, organize notes, or draft plain-language wording in an approved workflow. It must not be used as the sole basis for a medication recommendation. Large language models can produce incomplete, outdated, biased, nonreproducible, or confidently false statements and may fabricate or misrepresent citations. In a comparison using real DI-center questions, ChatGPT responses required careful review for accuracy and completeness.^21,22

OpenEvidence is one example of an AI-assisted clinical information platform designed for healthcare professionals. It generates responses grounded in medical literature and provides links to supporting citations. However, users must still retrieve and evaluate the cited sources, confirm that they support the generated statements, and consult authoritative drug information resources when appropriate. AI-generated summaries should facilitate—not replace—the systematic drug information process and professional judgment. OpenEvidence is currently free for verified U.S. healthcare professionals, who need to verify their professional status, typically using their NPI or credentials.

Pharmacy technicians may use an approved AI platform to help locate information but must refer clinical interpretation and patient-specific recommendations to the pharmacist.

Safe AI use requires a verification loop: open every cited source; confirm that it exists; read the source rather than relying on the AI summary; verify drug, dosage form, population, outcome, date, and recommendation; compare the claim with current labeling and authoritative resources; and have the responsible pharmacist review the final response. Never cite an AI output as if it were evidence.

Do not enter protected health information, confidential business information, unpublished research, or proprietary documents into a public or unapproved AI system. Follow organizational policy for approved tools, access controls, retention, and documentation. When AI materially assists a DI response, record the tool and version, date, task, and verification performed when policy requires it. Technicians may use AI only within policy and delegated duties; AI does not expand technician scope.^21-23

Figure 2 summarizes a typical drug information process.

Figure 2. The Drug Information Process

FORMULATE THE RESPONSE 

Verbal responses tend to be easier for most people than written responses, but respondents should document every request. One simple rule should guide the response: Use principles of clear communication. Clear communication reduces risks of misinterpretation and increases the requestor’s understanding. It optimizes patient care. Clear, concise sentences that are short (fewer than 25 to 32 words) and straightforward create an ideal response.¹⁸ It is best to be comprehensive with adequate information and complete sentences that leave no confusion. Each statement should have a clear purpose with no extraneous information or unnecessary words. Respondents must paraphrase important information from accumulated data taken from reliable sources, while avoiding copying and pasting from other outside sources. The response must focus on the audience (the requestor) and the requestor’s background, remembering that different types of professionals have different education and focus.¹⁸

Organize and Evaluate Information 

Organizing information makes research and presentation straightforward and simple for the audience to understand quickly. Templates are available to help keep information organized and formulated, but they have advantages and disadvantages.

• Pros: Templates provide consistency that makes it easier for requesters to follow. (Saving your responses to DI requests is a PRO TIP, discussed in the SIDEBAR) Templates also provide an idea about how the completed presentation will look and reduce the time associated with creating the response. Some organizations provide templates for their employees. Lacking an approved template, respondents can find customizable templates from their workplace or university. Example templates found in the appendices show how useful templates can be. Templates can act as checklists to remember what should be included in a drug information response.
• Cons: Many templates limit the amount of allowable customization or text, and respondents must be knowledgeable about editing templates. Templates may also limit the approach to the topic and limit the information to standard or predictable fields; this is a problem when the question is unique or unusual. It is important to understand that templates are guides in answering requests and are not restrictions.

Templates that can be used while answering drug information questions have different strengths and limitations. The choice of template can be dependent on the pharmacist’s preference as well as the type of drug information request. We reviewed the templates in the addendum and assess their utility. Take a minute to look at them. How do your assessments compare to our?

Template 1 located in Appendix 1:

Pros: Extensive prompts for what should be included in a drug information response. This format is very detailed which could be useful for less experienced drug information pharmacists.

Cons: Could be too detailed to be used for a wide range of requests. It lacks space, so users will have to use it against a document that they have already created.

Template 2 located in Appendix 2:

Pros: This format displays the drug information request topic quickly, organizes patient information and the response, and includes references to use for evidence-based literature support. It is broad enough to be used for multiple types of requests. It could be especially helpful for pharmacists who receive a wide variety of requests as it allows them to focus and tailor responses appropriately.

Cons: Insufficient prompts or guidance responders, making it more suitable for experienced pharmacy staff. This would too broad for beginners or pharmacy students because it does not outline various aspects of drug information responses.

SIDEBAR: Saving FAQs for Future Use: The FAQ File^19,20

Pharmacy staff often notice that they receive the same or similar questions repeatedly. Each time a requestor asks the question, the respondent must answer again. When employees in the pharmacy discuss questions they receive, they may find that although each of them has only answered a specific question once or twice, collectively they are answering the same question often. A frequently asked question (FAQ) file has numerous advantages. It can

• Save time for everyone including the requestor
• Standardize the answer so that it is consistent each time staff answer the specific question
• Provide the answer in clear language
• Create an approved factual response that technicians may use only when law, policy, and the pharmacist’s delegation permit; route clinical follow-up questions to the pharmacist
• Refer requestors to web sites or documents for additional information

To develop a reliable FAQ file, pharmacy staff should take several steps:

• Identify the questions that are asked frequently.
• Develop a simple format for all FAQs. Usually, the actual question appears at the top of the documents, with the answer below.
• Start small and ask one employee to draft the FAQ.
• Have two or three people review the FAQ, including a pharmacist and at least one or two support personnel. Encourage reviewers to provide constructive criticism. If the FAQ usually comes from a colleague or patient, involve colleagues and patients in the review.
• A good process for reviewing FAQs is to ask a reviewer to read to a certain point and then stop. The project coordinator should ask, “Can you tell me in your own words what you just read?” If the reviewer explains and the information is incorrect, the project coordinator should not correct the reviewer; rather, the project coordinator should make a note that the section needs work and why.
• The project reviewer should ask additional, open-ended questions including
  • What’s your general reaction to this draft FAQ?
  • What did you like about this draft FAQ?
  • What did you dislike about this draft FAQ?
  • Is anything in this draft FAQ confusing?
  • What would you do if you got this document?
  • What do you think the writer was trying to do with this document?
  • And here’s a PRO TIP: Often, people will not answer directly because they do not want to appear uneducated or picky. A way to circumvent this issue is to ask, “Thinking of other people you know who might get this document…”
    • What about the document might work well for them?
    • What about the document might cause them problems?
  • Once the FAQ completes the process and is ready for “prime time,” save it in a format that cannot be edited (i.e. a PDF that is locked for editing) and upload it to a shared file or drive where all employees can access the document and print or clip it to an email when needed.

Finally, drugs and drug information change over time. Organizations that use FAQ files must schedule routine review (at least annually and more often if necessary) to ensure that the content in FAQ files remains current and correct.

Proofing and Editing Drafts 

Proofing and editing written drafts entails first fact-checking the narrative and the sources used, and then reviewing the text to ensure it is clear and professional. The respondent must re-assess and re-evaluate each source and the information gathered. Asking other healthcare professionals who have expertise to contribute to or proofread the draft is smart. Collaborating with colleagues can be beneficial, especially in healthcare. The recent emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches reminds us that healthcare professionals from multiple backgrounds need to collaborate and exchange information more often than not. Colleagues can also help confirm or modify any information, while also giving feedback to learn how to better future drug information requests.

Once the data is confirmed as accurate, the last step is to double check for spelling and grammar errors and ensure the response is clear and concise. A skilled pharmacy technician is often an exceptional collaborator in this step.

Document, Document, Document

Documentation is helpful when pharmacy employees have to refer back to that specific topic on a similar drug information question or when colleagues have a similar request in the future. Documenting the response will aid as a reference point and could help clinicians in the future make decisions regarding patient care.²¹ Documentation will also display accountability and the respondent’s value to the organization and the interdisciplinary team. Many healthcare organizations have policies and procedures for documenting DI requests, and all staff should follow them if they exist.

ASSESS REQUESTOR’S UNDERSTANDING AND SATISFACTION 

Following up after responding to a DI request is a professional action. The respondent should follow up with the requestor in a timely manner and assess the outcomes. If the requestor is not completely satisfied, the respondent can adjust the answer and recommendations appropriately.⁷ Follow-up will also reveal if the requestor has implemented the recommendation (and if it worked), provide feedback for potential modifications in future DI requests, and show professionalism and dedication to patient care. A PRO TIP is to document the follow-up and outcomes.

CONCLUSION

DI requests span clinical, operational, regulatory, and patient-education topics. Pharmacy teams should clarify the question, respect scope boundaries, retrieve and appraise current evidence, communicate a clear response, document the work, and follow up. Online resources and AI can improve efficiency, but the pharmacist remains accountable for verifying information and applying it safely to the patient or decision at hand.

Table 4 provides additional resources.

Table 4. Additional Resources

Templates:

Requirements checklist for drug information Response1 - UBC Blogs. Accessed July 3, 2023. https://blogs.ubc.ca/oeetoolbox/files/2019/01/Requirements-Checklist-for-Drug-Information-Response.pdf.

Drug Information Request and Response Form.; 2017. Accessed July 3, 2023.

https://blogs.ubc.ca/oeetoolbox/files/2019/01/DIR-Example.pdf

PHRM Handbook. Accessed July 3, 2023.

https://blogs.ubc.ca/oeetoolbox/files/2019/01/Drug-Information-Request-and-Response-Fillable-Form-.pdf

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