Geriatric Pharmacotherapy: A Guide for the Helping Professional Doody's Expert Review Review Questionnaire ISBN: 9781582120720 ISBN-10: 1582120722 Copyright: 2007 Edition: 1st Editors: Olsen, Cynthia G., Tindall, William N., Clasen, Mark E., Doody's Expert Review    Score: 88 Doody's Star Rating™ and Doody's Expert Review provide by Doody Enterprises, Inc. Reviewer: David Staats,  MD  (University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center) Description This is a multiauthored collaboration between geriatric pharmacists and family medicine geriatricians to create a book about prescribing for older persons. The collaboration produces excellent results. Purpose The purpose is to serve as a guide for health professionals to prescribing and treating older persons with medications. These are worthy objectives and the book succeeds admirably. Audience It is written for all who prescribe and dispense for older persons. Because its authors write from a family practice perspective, trainees and practitioners of family medicine will find the frame of reference particularly suitable. The case-based presentations at the beginning of the chapters make this an excellent resource for group discussions in wards or classrooms. Features A clear, even tone prevails throughout and the book is well laid out. Discussions of adherence and a concluding chapter on the seven principals of improving medication use in older persons are outstanding. The chapters on individual conditions are all well written and the chapter on geriatric dermatology is a masterful contribution to the literature. Assessment This is such a wonderful addition to the field. Throughout it emphasizes the collaboration and common understanding that must take place between prescribers, pharmacists, and older persons themselves. Advocating a calm and rational nonjudgmental approach, proceeding from a clinical vignette to a more general discussion and offering sage advice, this is a superb work. It deserves a wide audience to embrace its wisdom and thus enhance the healthcare of older persons. Every medical library should own a copy of this book. Review Questionnaire Range Question Score 1-10 Are the author's objectives met? 10 1-10 Rate the worthiness of those objectives. 8 1-5 Is this written at an appropriate level? 5 1-5 Is there significant duplication? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 4 1-5 Are there significant omissions? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 4 1-5 Rate the authority of the authors. 4 1-5 Are there sufficient illustrations? N/A 1-5 Rate the pedagogic value of the illustrations. N/A 1-5 Rate the print quality of the illustrations. N/A 1-5 Are there sufficient references? 5 1-5 Rate the currency of the references. 4 1-5 Rate the pertinence of the references. 4 1-5 Rate the helpfulness of the index. 4 1-5 If important in this specialty, rate the physical appearance of the book N/A 1-10 Is this a worthwhile contribution to the field? 10 1-10 If this is a 2nd or later edition, is this new edition needed? N/A ©2010 Doody Enterprises, Inc.