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Published
2019-10-31
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Pharmacy Practice & Practice-Based Research
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Copyright (c) 2019 Wesley Nuffer, Leigh Dye, Samantha Decker
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Integrating Pharmacist MTM Services into Medical Clinics as part of a Health Department Partnership Project
Wesley Nuffer
University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Leigh Dye
Tri-County Health Department
Samantha Decker
Tri-County Health Department
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/iip.v10i4.2129
Keywords: community pharmacy, student pharmacist, medication therapy management, public health department, interprofessional
Abstract
Introduction: Medication therapy management (MTM) services are an essential way for pharmacists to provide cognitive services to patients and receive reimbursement. Traditional MTM delivery has been identified as suboptimal, often done by telephone without any provider-patient relationship. New ways for delivering MTM need to be explored to optimize the pharmacist’s role in this area and help establish the pharmacist as an essential part of the interprofessional team.
Methods: A local public health department partnership with regional medical offices integrated pharmacist MTM services on site as part of patients’ routine medical care. Referral criteria were established to identify patients who would be good candidates for services. Efforts were made to provide the initial consultation in the medical office, with follow-up consults being based upon patient preferences.
Results: Over a 3-year period, 180 patients received 361 pharmacy MTM consultations, averaging 40 minutes in length. A comprehensive medication review was performed on 87% of patients receiving these consults. The pharmacy team identified 719 medication-related problems, and improved participating patients’ adherence rates. Pharmacy recommendations were accepted as is or modified by providers 55% of the time. Patients reported high satisfaction with the pharmacy services.
Conclusions: A novel pharmacist MTM program integrated into provider offices demonstrated a positive impact on the clinics and on patients served, and successfully overcame barriers to successful MTM completion.
Article Type: Original Research
