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Purpose: Patient-centered medical home (PCMH) models were created to improve the quality of patient care in the primary care setting. Multidisciplinary teams are one component to successfully implementing a patient-centered practice model. Pharmacists’ services can be integrated into PCMH models to assist primary care practices in gaining PCMH recognition. The purpose of this poster is to describe integration of pharmacy services into primary care clinics to meet PCMH standards.
Methods: Prior to PCMH application, two family medicine clinics sought to involve pharmacy services to meet disease state self-management education standards, a must pass PCMH standard. Pharmacy services had been established for 2 years in one clinic but were new in another clinic. A policy and procedure were developed for each clinic to guide referral to and patient management for pharmacy services. During patient visits, pharmacists provided disease state education and/or recommendations for management of the clinics’ clinically important disease states: diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Education included but was not limited to diet, exercise, glucometer training, injection technique, medication adherence, and treatment goals. In addition, medication therapy recommendations were provided to physicians as needed.
Results: Both clinics were recognized as level III patient-centered medical homes. The pharmacists conducted an average of 2.26 and 1.6 patient visits per half-day in the established and new clinics, respectively. Diabetes was the most common visit type with 172 patient visits providing diabetes education and/or management. Hypertension and hyperlipidemia made up 63 and 52 patient visits, respectively, while polypharmacy made up only 16 patient visits.
Conclusions: Pharmacists can serve an important role in the PCMH model through provision of disease state self-management education and medication management.