Clinical Pharmacology & Biopharmaceutics
Open Access

Abstract

Background: Pharmacists have not been integrated in most new team-based, care delivery models such as medical homes, health homes, community-based care transitions teams, medical neighborhoods and accountable care organizations (ACOs). Objectives: To assess the current knowledge of consumers and physicians about pharmacist training/expertise and capacity to provide primary care medication management services in a shared resource network; determine factors that will facilitate/ limit pharmacists as a member of community-based ?health care team;? determine factors that will facilitate/limit pharmacists integration in primary care teams; determine factors that will facilitate/limit payer reimbursement for medication management services. Methods: Qualitative research methods; focus groups were conducted with primary care physicians and consumers, while semi-structured discussions were conducted with a public and private payer. Results: Consumers viewed pharmacists in traditional dispensing roles and were unaware of the direct patient care responsibilities of pharmacists as part of community-based health teams. Physicians noted several chronic disease states where clinically-trained pharmacists could collaborate as health care team members yet had uncertainties about integrating pharmacists into their practice workflow and payment sources for pharmacist services. Payers were interested in having credentialed pharmacists provide medication management services if the services improved quality of patient care and/or prevented adverse drug events, and the services were cost neutral Conclusions: Pharmacists must disseminate the existing body of evidence on pharmacists as direct patient care providers of medication management services and the related impact on clinical outcomes, patient safety, and cost savings to external audiences.

Biography

Marie Smith, PharmD, FNAP is Assistant Dean and Palmer Professor of Pharmacy Practice at UConn School of Pharmacy. In 2013, she was Senior Adviser, CMS Innovation Center to develop a national strategy and implementation plan to integrate pharmacist-provided medication management services in the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative. She has worked with state/national health care reform stakeholders to integrate clinical pharmacists in advanced primary care practices for medication management programs, and address patient safety, performance measures, health informatics, and workforce development issues. Her work has received many citations and awards; she has had numerous national/international speaking invitations, publications, and consultancies.