Patient-centered care in the community-based compounding practice setting.

Objective: To identify patient-centered care (PCC) functions delivered with compounded medications in the community pharmacy setting.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: United States during August to November 2007.

Participants: 163 community pharmacist members of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists.

Intervention: Web-based questionnaire.

Main Outcome Measures: Pharmacists' self-reported implementation and perceptions of the PCC process.

Results: Respondents were predominantly men (78.4%), independent pharmacy owners (84.0%), held a BPharm degree (78.5%), and dispensed an average of 746.6 prescriptions per week, including an average of 209.1 compounded medications. Respondents perceived a greater responsibility to provide PCC when dispensing a compounded medication compared with a manufactured product. Compounding pharmacists provided input into the prescribing process via frequent physician-initiated consultation. Respondents reported greater follow-up with patients and physicians regarding therapy with compounded medications than manufactured products.

Conclusion: PCC is characterized by maintenance and frequent updating of detailed patient health records, routine counseling of patients on new and continuing drug therapies, monitoring of patient therapeutic outcomes, and participation in the prescribing process. Patients are drawn into a stronger relationship with pharmacists who provide these services. Provision of PCC services is associated with greater perceived quality of patient care and pharmacist professional satisfaction.