A technical assistance program approach for pharmacist clinical services integration in primary care organizations.

Background: Little is known about the use of technical assistance (TA) programs to facilitate the integration of pharmacist clinical services in primary care settings.

Objective: Design, implement, and evaluate a TA program to advance pharmacist integration and clinical services in primary care.

Practice Description: Structured TA program for developing new or enhancing current integrated pharmacist services was utilized in 4 primary care organizations (i.

Applying Design-Thinking Principles to Practice-Based Pharmacy Research.

Design thinking is an approach to problem solving that focuses on a solution to a problem. This systematic approach can be applied to practice-based research or implementation projects in your practice setting. It may be useful for starting new projects as well as revisiting past projects that may not have yielded meaningful results.

Addressing Foodborne Illness in Côte d'Ivoire: Connecting the Classroom to the Community through a Nonmajors Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience.

The integration of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) laboratory curricula has provided new avenues to engage students at all levels in discovery-based learning. Empirical research demonstrates that CUREs have the potential to foster students' development of scientific process and reasoning skills, attitudes, motivations, and persistence in STEM. Yet, these outcomes are largely reported for studies conducted in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

Pharmacist Identification of Medication Therapy Problems Involving Cognition Among Older Adults Followed by a Home-Based Care Team.

Background: Dementia, depression, and delirium alone or in combination (3Ds) can threaten independence among older adults, and polypharmacy may further accelerate decline. Clinical pharmacists can play an important role on multidisciplinary home-based care teams by identifying medication therapy problems (MTPs) involving cognition. Within a larger ongoing clinical trial, this paper describes cognition-related MTPs and pharmacist recommendations among older adults with 3Ds followed by a home-based care team.

Fulfilment of preoperative expectations and postoperative patient satisfaction after total knee replacement. A prospective analysis of 200 patients.

Background: In total knee arthroplasty (TKA), the association between preoperative patient expectations, their postoperative fulfilment, and satisfaction is not well understood. The aim of this study was to quantify these relationships in a cohort of TKA patients with differing socio-economic backgrounds from across Scotland.

Methods: Expectations of 200 patients undergoing TKA were assessed using the Hospital for Special Surgery Knee Replacement Expectation Score.

Primary Care Teams and Pharmacist Staffing Ratios: Is There a Magic Number?

Primary care physician (PCP) shortages are predicted for 2025, and many workforce models have recommended the expanded integration of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. However, there has been little consideration of incorporating clinical pharmacists on primary care teams to address the growing number of patient visits that involve medication optimization and management. This article summarizes various estimates of pharmacist staffing ratios based on number of PCPs, patient panel size, or annual patient encounters.

Implementing primary care pharmacist services: Go upstream in the world of value-based payment models.

There is a shift by payers and health plans away from volume-based payments toward value-based payments that are linked to clinical quality, clinical practice improvement activities, and certified electronic health records technology. These alternative payment programs include fee-for-service with performance-based incentives, advanced payments for care management, shared savings, and population-based payments. Alternative payment programs that focus on clinical quality and practice improvements are founded on patient-centered care principles and based on team-based care delivery.

Variability in state Medicaid medication management initiatives.

Many U.S. states have expanded Medicaid programs, with over 70 million beneficiaries now enrolled.

Strategies for community-based medication management services in value-based health plans.

Background: Health plans are moving away from a volume-driven payment structure toward value-driven and risk-based contracts. There is very limited information on commercial payers' perspectives on coverage of medication management services (MMS) in value-based alternative payment models. While some health plans have experience with Medicare Part D Medication Therapy Management (MTM) programs, this experience does not promote the integration of pharmacists as health care team members.

Midterm Outcomes of Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty Using a Modular Revision Hip System.

Background: The growth in hip arthroplasty surgery has meant a corresponding escalating revision burden with increasing challenges for the orthopaedic surgeon. The purpose of this study was to review clinical outcomes of a modular revision hip system within a single institution.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a cohort of modular revision hip system stems performed in our institution between January 2005 and October 2012 giving a potential minimum follow-up of 2 years.

Pharmacists and the primary care workforce.

The primary care workforce shortage will be magnified by the growing elderly population and expanded coverage as a result of health care reform initiatives. The pharmacist workforce consists of community-based health care professionals who are well trained and highly accessible, yet underutilized. Some health care professionals have advocated that primary care teams should include pharmacists with complementary skills to those of the physician to achieve quality improvement goals and enhance primary care practice efficiencies.

Innovation in health care: a call to action.

Innovation in health care is difficult yet necessary in this era of health care delivery and payment reform. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center and the CMS Partnership for Patients have announced priority areas to achieve better health, better care, and reduced costs through continuous improvement. Pharmacists possess the therapeutic knowledge and medication process expertise to create collaborative and innovative solutions that address medication use and safety problems.