Complexity of Patient Encounters within a Clinically Integrated Community Pharmacy Network Medicaid Payer Program.

Background: Community pharmacists frequently care for patients with complex medical and social needs; however, specific evidence on pharmacist perceptions of what makes a patient encounter complex has not been clearly characterized. There is a need to better understand specific factors that contribute to patient encounter complexity and demonstrate how pharmacists in community settings care for these individuals.

Objectives: The objectives of this programmatic case study were to: (1) elucidate factors that contributed to patient encounter complexity as a part of a Medicaid Managed Care Organization comprehensive medication management payer program in community pharmacies; and (2) curate a series of patient case vignettes that provide evidence of pharmacists care for patients with complex medical and social needs within community pharmacies.

Flip the Pharmacy's impact on comprehensive medication management performance.

Background: Clinically integrated networks of community pharmacies are expanding partnerships with health care payers for sustainable provision of patient care services. The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network (PPCN), a part of CPESN USA, launched its first payer program in 2017 with a Medicaid managed care organization for comprehensive medication management (CMM). Some PPCN pharmacy teams have participated in Flip the Pharmacy, a national practice transformation initiative.

Implementation of a Health Risk Assessment into Workflow of the Appointment-Based Model at an Independent Community Pharmacy.

Health risk assessments (HRAs) are tools used to collect information on patients' current health conditions, personal and family medical history, and lifestyle factors that can impact their overall health. The objectives of this pilot project were to implement an HRA as part of the appointment-based model workflow and to assess the resulting pharmacy-patient-care service opportunities. Sixteen HRA questions from a single health plan were incorporated into the appointment-based model workflow at an independent community pharmacy.

Coaching strategies for the Flip the Pharmacy practice transformation initiative in Pennsylvania independent community pharmacies.

Background: Flip the Pharmacy (FtP) is a nationwide initiative to scale practice transformation in community pharmacies. Participating pharmacies are coached through monthly practice transformation initiatives and document their patient-care activities through Pharmacist electronic Care (eCare) Plans.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify peer coaching strategies to facilitate practice transformation in Pennsylvania community pharmacies.

A Student Pharmacist Quality Engagement Team to Support Initial Implementation of Comprehensive Medication Management within Independent Community Pharmacies.

In 2017, the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network (PPCN), an enhanced pharmacy services network, and STRAND Clinical Technologies partnered to launch a payor contract with a Pennsylvania Medicaid Managed Care Organization for the provision of comprehensive medication management (CMM) at PPCN pharmacies. PPCN and the Community Leadership and Innovation in Practice Center at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy partnered to create the Quality Engagement Team (QET), a group of student pharmacists formed with the intent to support the initial implementation of this contract. The QET supported the pharmacies through biweekly phone calls, which led to increased pharmacist engagement and produced impactful patient encounter stories that were then reported back to the payor.

Community pharmacists' educational needs for implementing clinical pharmacogenomic services.

Objectives: Pharmacist leadership and knowledge of pharmacogenomics is critical to the acceleration and enhancement of clinical pharmacogenomic services. This study aims for a qualitative description of community pharmacists' pharmacogenomic educational needs when implementing clinical pharmacogenomic services at community pharmacies.

Methods: Pharmacists practicing at Rite Aid Pharmacy locations in the Greater Pittsburgh Area were recruited to participate in this qualitative analysis.

Implementation of targeted medication adherence interventions within a community chain pharmacy practice: The Pennsylvania Project.

Objective: To identify facilitators and barriers to implementing targeted medication adherence interventions in community chain pharmacies, and describe adaptations of the targeted intervention and organizational structure within each individual pharmacy practice.

Design: Qualitative study.

Setting: Central and western Pennsylvania from February to April 2012.

Physician perceptions of pharmacist-provided medication therapy management: qualitative analysis.

Objective: To identify physician perceptions of community pharmacist-provided medication therapy management (MTM).

Methods: Three focus groups consisting of family and internal medicine physicians were conducted in Pittsburgh, York, and Philadelphia, PA, using a semistructured topic guide to facilitate discussions. Each participant completed an exit survey at session conclusion.

Generating demand for pharmacist-provided medication therapy management: identifying patient-preferred marketing strategies.

Objective: To identify effective strategies for marketing pharmacist-provided medication therapy management (MTM) services to patients in a self-insured employer setting.

Design: Qualitative study.

Setting: University of Pittsburgh during March through May 2008.