Improving Health of At-Risk Rural Patients project: A collaborative care model.

Purpose: The design elements of the Improving Health of At-Risk Rural Patients (IHARP) care model are described.

Summary: The IHARP project evaluated the clinical, economic, and humanistic outcomes associated with the collaborative care model relative to usual care in the community. The care model was initiated in 22 level 3- certified patient-centered medical homes. The primary outcomes are the absolute change in all relevant clinical and laboratory values of patients with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes within and between the intervention and comparator groups; the change in the absolute number of emergency department visits and hospitalizations; and the change in the cost of care among the Medicare and Medicaid intervention patients. The lessons learned during the implementation and conduction of this project over the past three years are also presented. Patient enrollment ended in December 2014, final patient care visits were concluded in the fall of 2015, and results are expected in late 2016 or early 2017.

Conclusion: This project will provide information from patients, physicians, and midlevel providers regarding their perceptions of clinical pharmacists as collaborative care team members. Data on health outcomes, health services utilization, and costs of care drawn from over 1600 Medicare beneficiaries will provide a robust assessment of the value of the IHARP care delivery model.