INNOVATIONS in pharmacy

Rural Physician-Pharmacist Collaborative Practice Agreements Managing Patients in Supportive Living and Assisted Living Memory Care Facilities

Mattie Ann Haas

Nauvoo Pharmacy

LuAnn Haas

Nauvoo Pharmacy

Kristine Knoke

Nauvoo Pharmacy

Michael Andreski

Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/iip.v10i4.1371

Keywords: Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPA), senior living, rural, community pharmacy, disease state management

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Abstract

Setting: Supportive living and assisted living memory care facilities in a rural West-Central Illinois county.

Objectives: 1) Evaluate the impact of active pharmacist participation on patient care for residents living in supportive and assisted living facilities, 2) demonstrate feasibility and financial sustainability of rural community pharmacists providing disease state management services, 3) create processes for best practice to expand the clinical role of the community pharmacist

Design: Case study.

Interventions: Participating residents received disease state management services provided by a community pharmacist as outlined through collaborative practice agreements with local physicians. The disease states managed included hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and warfarin anticoagulation therapy. The pharmacist completed an initial chart review, initial face-to-face visit, subsequent monthly chart reviews, and monthly face-to-face visits with each resident.

Results: During the 6-month period of community pharmacist management, 86 face-to-face visits were completed to deliver a median of 5 visits per resident. The pharmacist identified 23 drug therapy problems with recommended solutions communicated to the resident’s primary care provider. Providers accepted 19 of these recommendations, reflecting an 82.6% acceptance rate.

Conclusions: Community pharmacists can feasibly implement enhanced clinical services to assist with disease state management of supportive living and assisted living residents in collaboration with physicians. Pharmacists can provide clinical assessment, education and effective communication to optimize medication management and utilization.

 

Article Type: Case Study