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Background Implementation outcomes serve as progress and success indicators of the implementation process. They are also key antecedents to achieving the more traditional clinical outcomes typically associated with a service. Despite their importance, there are few implementation outcomes measures with appropriate psychometric properties, none of which have yet been adapted for medication optimization services. Objectives This study aims to develop and validate the Implementation Outcomes Questionnaire (IOQ) to assess implementation of medication optimization services, starting with Comprehensive Medication Management (CMM). The resulting IOQ is a 40-item self-report instrument for six implementation outcomes, including adoption, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, penetration, and sustainability. Methods A three-phase approach was used to develop and validate the IOQ. Development of the instrument, Phase I, was informed by a targeted search of existing implementation outcomes measures in other fields, a review of suitableoptions options by an expert panel, and item adaptation. To assess content validity, Phase II, an internal vetting process was conducted using an adapted version of Rubio and colleagues’ methodology. Evidence of reliability and construct validity, Phase III, was obtained through a pilot test with 167 pharmacists within 78 different care settings. Results Overall, the results supported the reliability and validity (both content and construct) of the IOQ, with further psychometric testing needed for adoption. The items' relevance, clarity, and alignment with each implementation concept were high, except for Penetration. As a result, the Penetration items were refined for further use. Best-fit models were identified for each outcome based on the MCFA analyses, thereby providing insights into the factor structures and interpretation for each measure. Cronbach’ alphas indicated good internal consistency. Conclusions This questionnaire is the first of its kind tailored to medication optimization services, starting with CMM. Access to this survey should facilitate measurement of implementation outcomes, thereby increasing the likelihood of achieving the desired clinical outcomes.

Pharmacists are more often being recognized as a critical component of the primary care team. Previous literature has not clearly made the connection to how pharmacists and comprehensive medication management (CMM) contribute to recognized foundational elements of primary care. In this reflection, we examine how the delivery of CMM both supports and aligns with Starfield's 4 Cs of Primary Care. We illustrate how the delivery of CMM supports first contact through increased provider access, continuity through empanelment, comprehensiveness by addressing unmet medication needs, and coordination through collaborating with the primary care team and broader team. The provision of CMM addresses critical unmet medication-related needs in primary care and is aligned with the foundational elements of primary care.

Implementation of comprehensive medication management (CMM) in the community pharmacy setting remains sporadic despite its prevalence in other pharmacy contexts. One health plan has been investing in CMM since 2010. Their experience and perceptions in the payer-provider partnership could offer unique insights into the sustainability of CMM in community pharmacy. As part of a broader academic-payer-provider partnership, perceptions of CMM sustainability were explored with key stakeholders in the health plan through a semistructured group interview. Five themes emerged: (1) distinction between CMM and other patient care opportunities, (2) building a CMM program that delivers value requires an investment in network development, (3) payment design influences sustainability, (4) lack of push from community pharmacies to pay for CMM, and (5) the importance of an ongoing facilitated learning and action collaborative. Given previously demonstrated positive return-on-investment, CMM in community pharmacies shows promise for being a sustainable practice model. However, increased reach and performance of networks, as well as number of payers in the market, will be critical to scaling CMM in the community pharmacy setting.

Implementation strategies are methods or techniques that facilitate adoption, implementation, and sustainability of a clinical program or practice. There has been a lack of widespread adoption of comprehensive medication management (CMM) in community pharmacies. The objective of this evaluation was to expand understanding of how select implementation strategies impacted pharmacists' experience implementing and delivering CMM in the community pharmacy setting.A community pharmacy CMM initiative, Slice of Partners in Excellence (PIE), employed a number of implementation strategies and key elements from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Breakthrough Series to support increased engagement and delivery of CMM within a local payer's CMM program. The program provides incentives to pharmacies for providing CMM to select patients and achieving predetermined quality metrics. To evaluate pharmacists' experience with the implementation strategies and the impact it had on implementing and delivering CMM, a focus group and survey were conducted.Some of the implementation strategies were more frequently highlighted as generating value to participants (coaching, community-wide problem-solving) than others (monthly webinars). Pharmacists identified a need for more formal education regarding billing, documentation and patient engagement supports. Pharmacists expressed a desire for ongoing implementation supports extending beyond this initaitive.Understanding the types of implementation strategies that are deemed as influential by pharmacists delivering clinical services in the community pharmacy setting is critical to maximizing patient access to these services in the future.

Purpose: In primary care, clinical pharmacists often deliver a service called comprehensive medication management (CMM). While research has identified that CMM positively influences most aspects of the Quadruple Aim, it is unclear how CMM—both the service and the role of the pharmacist—may influence the primary care provider9s (PCP) clinical work, professional satisfaction, and burnout (described here as PCP9s work-life). We aimed to identify how PCPs perceive CMM impacts their work-life. Methods: Sixteen PCPs were interviewed. Interview questions centered on how CMM affects their work-life. After interviews were transcribed, a codebook was developed by 2 researchers and from the codes, themes were identified. Results: PCPs spoke of the pharmacist being an added skillset and resource and a collaborative partner in caring for patients. They also described 7 outcomes of having CMM available that contribute to their work-life. These outcomes were: decreased workload, satisfaction patients are receiving better care, reassurance, decreased mental exhaustion, enhanced professional learning, increased provider access, and achievement of quality measures. Lastly, the PCPs described barriers and areas of opportunity related to CMM. Conclusion: Our findings suggest PCPs believe CMM, in general, positively affects their work-life. CMM9s impact on PCPs aligns with many previously identified drivers of burnout and engagement among providers. These results shed light on how CMM may foster achievement of the Quadruple Aim.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 2020-21 AACP Argus Commission was charged to 1) review the 2019-2020 standing committee reports; 2) describe the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare delivery with an emphasis on health equity and social justice, 3) identify strategies to work with other health professions associations to advance interprofessional education and practice, and 4) offer recommendations for activities for the Center to Accelerate Pharmacy Practice Transformation and Academic Innovation (CAPT). Two work groups divided charges 2 and 3 and provided assessments of how health care and education might change due to all we have experienced over the 12-plus months of the pandemic. A review of plans for the first year of the CAPT activities and recommendations for additional activities are included in report. The Commission has proposed two new policy statements on digital health, five recommendations for AACP and five suggestions for colleges and schools of pharmacy. The Argus Commission affirms academic pharmacy’s adaptability, agency, and association to influence changes in healthcare delivery and interprofessional education and practice.

BACKGROUND: HealthPartners is an integrated health plan offering comprehensive medication management (CMM) under a value-based care model called Partners in Excellence (PIE). In PIE, participating ...

[ ]as the pandemic disrupts many longstanding structures in health care, new opportunities are emerging to position pharmacists as critical contributors to health care and essential members of care teams First are the student pharmacists who come to our schools because they want to help people live better and healthier lives [ ]are the patients that our students will take care of throughout their careers The combination of passion and perseverance, grit, is what will lead us to the transformation of pharmacy practice and education that will result in providing better care to our patients

No funding supported the writing of this commentary. Brummel has consulted, presented, or was engaged in an advisory board for UCB, Boerhinger Ingelheim, Pfizer, and Lilly. Sorenson has nothing to disclose.

The onset of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has added a new layer of complexity to an already difficult period for academic pharmacy. The need to follow social-distancing guidelines has resulted in rapid adoption of technology-enabled communication strategies. While these technologies provide unprecedented ways in which we can connect as an academic community, we must consider their effectiveness in not only promoting exchange of information, but also creating inspiration within the community and supporting the level of interdependence required to tackle the difficult challenges that lie ahead. As the connecting body within the community of pharmacy education, it is incumbent on the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) to consider how we will adapt during this period of disruption. We must adopt new strategies that will allow our members to connect in new, meaningful ways, ways that stimulate ideas, new partnerships, and an overall sense of hope for our future.

Background and purpose StrengthsFinder® is a widely-used assessment that can be used to help student pharmacists discover their talents (i.e., signature themes [STs]) and develop their leadership skills. The assessment has also been used in pharmacy residents, but the prevalence of various STs in that group has not been compared to those in student pharmacists. Educational activity and setting Residents from four midwestern pharmacy institutions completed StrengthsFinder® 2.0 and received their top five STs. STs were organized and examined by domains (executing, influencing, relationship building, and strategic thinking). StrengthsFinder® data on student pharmacists were obtained from a previously published study. The distribution of the themes and domains was compared between residents and student pharmacists. Findings Responses from 31 residency program cohorts, including 290 pharmacy residents from a pool of 304 (95.4%) possible respondents, were included in the study. The learner ST was more frequently reported in the top five in pharmacy residents versus student pharmacists (42.8% versus 35.5%, p = 0.022). The woo and communication STs were also more frequently reported in the top five, while the consistency ST was reported less frequently in the top five in pharmacy residents versus student pharmacists (p Discussion and summary The ST profile of pharmacy residents at residency programs affiliated with four midwestern schools of pharmacy is generally similar to that of pharmacy graduates. However, several STs were more or less prevalent in pharmacy residents. Recognition of these differences may assist residency program directors in marketing and design of programs and ranking of candidates.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify and describe strategies that have successfully achieved collaboration among physicians and pharmacists providing comprehensive medication management (CMM) to support development of CMM services. Methods A 2-phase, mixed-methods approach was employed to identify successful strategies for building pharmacist–physician relationships in primary care clinic settings. Phase I used a qualitative approach to identify strategies deemed successful in building relationships with physicians. An advisory group of pharmacists with experience building CMM practices assisted in the development of minimum criteria characterizing pharmacists as having strong collaborative relationships. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 interviewees meeting established criteria. Researchers coded interview transcripts and identified the resulting strategies. Phase II employed a survey instrument to determine how frequently identified strategies are used and evaluate the relative level of perceived impact of each strategy, which was distributed to a national audience of pharmacists practicing in ambulatory care settings. Responses from pharmacists meeting prespecified criteria were included in the analysis. Results Thirty-three strategies were identified and grouped into 8 themes. In phase II, 104 survey respondents met defined criteria and were eligible to endorse use of identified strategies and rate their relative influence. Conclusions Thirty-three strategies were identified and grouped into 8 themes to aid pharmacists practicing CMM in developing stronger collaborative relationships with physician colleagues. A national sampling found many of these strategies were employed by a majority of pharmacists, who had found them to be influential in creating collaborative relationships.

OverviewComprehensive medication management (CMM) is an important tool to address medication-related morbidity and mortality and reduce health care costs. Medication therapy problems (MTPs) are a significant and costly barrier to improving patient outcomes1 and with more than half of all Americans taking at least one prescription drug,2 the need to manage and optimize patients’ medications is greater than ever. This report examines select practice and practitioner characteristics of the primary care clinics that participated in the research project, Enhancing Performance in Primary Care Medical Practice through Implementation of Comprehensive Medication Management. To be eligible to participate, sites had to have: established relationships with care team providers, a way of electronically identifying patients most in need of CMM, reporting processes in place for CMM data, read/write access in the electronic medical record, and an established CMM practice or a commitment to providing CMM. Because of these inclusion criteria, most participating clinics had CMM services in place for several years and were mature in their design and delivery of services. Site characteristics around the following areas were assessed: pharmacist and clinic demographics, delivery of pharmacy services, collaboration, billing and payment for CMM, and measuring CMM outcomes. The results of this report shed light on how CMM is being delivered in a sample of established CMM practices and therefore may provide benefit to those practitioners interested in building their own CMM practice. Article Type: Original Research

Introduction: As the health-care system evolves and shifts to value-based payment systems, there is a recognized need to increase the number of ambulatory care trained pharmacists. Objective: The objective of this article is to describe the administrative structure of the University of Minnesota Postgraduate Year 1 (PGY1) Pharmacy Residency program and to encourage adoption of similar models nationally in order to expand ambulatory care residency training opportunities and meet the demand for pharmacist practitioners. Program Structure: The University of Minnesota PGY1 Pharmacy Residency program is a multisite program centered on the practice of pharmaceutical care and provision of comprehensive medication management (CMM) services in ambulatory care settings. The centralized administration of a multisite academic-affiliated training model creates efficiency in the administration process, while allowing sites to focus on clinical training. This model also offers many innovative and unique opportunities to residents. Conclusion: A multisite university-affiliated ambulatory care residency training model provides efficiency in program administration, while successfully accelerating the growth of quality ambulatory care residency training and supporting innovative delivery of shared core learning experiences. Consequently, practice sites grow in their service delivery capacity and quality of care.

With the increased focus and anticipated growth in specialty training and certification within the profession of pharmacy, it is important for the profession to step back and evaluate the manner in which its adopted education and certification systems interface. As a result of specialty practice development, significant growth is occurring in both postgraduate year two (PGY2) pharmacy residency programs and individuals seeking certification by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. As the profession continues to evolve its specialty training and credentialing systems, it is important to consider the inherent relationship between these systems. This paper considers the current landscape of specialty training and certification, including issues related to the quality of PGY2 training, consistent application of standards across and within PGY2 programs, credentialing of preceptors and program directors, and alignment of training with specialty certification examination content domains. We outline recommendations across three areas: (1) creating consistency between specialty training and certification, (2) aligning qualifications of PGY2 residency program directors and preceptors with the designated specialty area, and (3) assessing program quality in the context of the expectations of specialists established by the profession. The goal of this paper is to stimulate professional dialogue on these issues. Establishing both formal and informal connections between specialty training and certification can serve as the foundation for a rational approach to professional development and the credentialing that will be recognized by stakeholders outside the pharmacy profession. Establishing these connections will also support and advance the profession's mission of meeting the medication needs of patients.

Purpose The initiation, establishment, and sustainability of medication management programs in six Minnesota health systems are described. Methods Six Minnesota health systems with well-established medication management programs were invited to participate in this study: Essentia Health, Fairview Health Services, HealthPartners, Hennepin County Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, and Park Nicollet Health Services. Qualitative methods were employed by conducting group interviews with key staff from each institution who were influential in the development of medication management services within their organization. Kotter’s theory of eight steps for leading organizational change served as the framework for the question guide. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for recurring and emergent themes. Results A total of 13 distinct themes were associated with the successful integration of medication management services across the six healthcare systems. Identified themes clustered within three stages of Kotter’s model for leading organizational change: creating a climate for change, engaging and enabling the whole organization, and implementing and sustaining change. The 13 themes included (1) external influences, (2) pharmacists as an untapped resource, (3) principles and professionalism, (4) organizational culture, (5) momentum champions, (6) collaborative relationships, (7) service promotion, (8) team-based care, (9) implementation strategies, (10) overcoming challenges, (11) supportive care model process, (12) measuring and reporting results, and (13) sustainability strategies. Conclusion A qualitative survey of six health systems that successfully implemented medication management services in ambulatory care clinics revealed that a supportive culture and team-based collaborative care are among the themes identified as necessary for service sustainability.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the experience of organizations who participated in a medication management learning collaborative and their perceptions of the different implementation strategies that were employed. Methods: Using a utilization-focused evaluation approach, qualitative interviews were conducted with former participants (clinicians, managers, or other key stakeholders) of medication management learning collaboratives organized and delivered by Alliance for Integrated Medication Management (AIMM). The purpose of the learning collaboratives was to provide structure and facilitation to accelerate the implementation of medication management services. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were carried out with a lead member of 11 different organizations that participated in an AIMM collaborative about their experience in the collaborative and the different implementation strategies that were used. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) perspectives on the implementation strategies, (2) external facilitators, and (3) additional benefits of being in the collaborative. Certain implementation strategies used by AIMM, such as coaching, were considered beneficial by almost everyone while other strategies, such as webinars, had mixed opinions. Participants also highlighted the importance of external facilitators, like dedicated time to work on implementation strategies, as well as the additional benefits like the professional development that comes from being in a learning collaborative and learning different implementation strategies. Conclusion: Implementation strategies may help accelerate the adoption and expansion of medication management services within and across organizations. The results of this evaluation shed light on the experiences of different organizations using select implementation strategies in their medication management implementation efforts. The perspectives of participants in this study may help other organizations in selecting and developing similar implementation strategies.

Health care is experiencing increasing pressure to implement evidence-based interventions that improve quality, control costs, and maximize value. Unfortunately, many clinical services and interventions to optimize medication use do not consistently produce the intended humanistic, clinical, and economic outcomes. The lack of conclusive results is believed to stem from the widely recognized research-to-practice gap. The field of implementation science seeks to discover and apply strategies designed to accelerate successful integration of interventions into routine practice. This primer provides an overview of implementation science principles for pharmacists and other health care providers interested in accelerating practice transformation to improve health care delivery and, ultimately, patient care.

Objective To discuss the fundamentals of the Model for Improvement and how the model can be applied to quality improvement activities associated with medication use, including understanding the three essential questions that guide quality improvement, applying a process for actively testing change within an organization, and measuring the success of these changes on care delivery. Data sources PubMed from 1990 through April 2014 using the search terms quality improvement, process improvement, hospitals, and primary care. Study selection At the authors' discretion, studies were selected based on their relevance in demonstrating the quality improvement process and tests of change within an organization. Summary Organizations are continuously seeking to enhance quality in patient care services, and much of this work focuses on improving care delivery processes. Yet change in these systems is often slow, which can lead to frustration or apathy among frontline practitioners. Adopting and applying the Model for Improvement as a core strategy for quality improvement efforts can accelerate the process. While the model is frequently well known in hospitals and primary care settings, it is not always familiar to pharmacists. In addition, while some organizations may be familiar with the "plan, do, study, act" (PDSA) cycles—one element of the Model for Improvement—many do not apply it effectively. The goal of the model is to combine a continuous process of small tests of change (PDSA cycles) within an overarching aim with a longitudinal measurement process. This process differs from other forms of improvement work that plan and implement large-scale change over an extended period, followed by months of data collection. In this scenario it may take months or years to determine whether an intervention will have a positive impact. Conclusion By following the Model for Improvement, frontline practitioners and their organizational leaders quickly identify strategies that make a positive difference and result in a greater degree of success.

OBJECTIVE Philosophy of practice is the foundation of any patient care practice because it provides a set of professional values and beliefs that guide actions and decisions in practice. Study objectives were to understand how pharmacists providing comprehensive medication management (CMM) describe their philosophy of practice and compare how participants' philosophies align with predefined tenets of a CMM philosophy of practice. METHODS An instrument with closed and open-ended items was developed and administered online to the lead pharmacist at 36 clinics participating in a large CMM study. Participants were asked to describe their philosophy of practice, rate how well their current practice activities align with five predefined CMM philosophy of practice tenets, and provide examples of how they carry out each tenet and how they could improve. Responses were coded, and descriptive analysis was used to calculate participants' practice alignment with the five philosophy of practice tenets. RESULTS Thirty pharmacists completed the instrument. Twelve codes emerged that participants used to describe their philosophy of practice. These codes were mapped to five predefined tenets of a philosophy of practice. Only 3 (10%) participants included all five tenets in their philosophy of practice, 8 (26.7%) included four, 8 (26.7%) included three, 6 (20%) included two, and 5 (16.7%) included one tenet. Overall, participants rated their alignment with the five tenets highly. "Embracing a patient-centered approach" received the highest mean score of 9.17/10; "Meeting a societal need" had the lowest mean score of 8.37/10. CONCLUSION Participants described their philosophy of practice with significant variability. CMM requires a single and consistently applied philosophy of practice to guide practice and the role of the practitioner. We propose five core tenets that resulted from this assessment to be embraced by pharmacists providing CMM and included in their philosophy of practice.

Implementation of evidence-based health services interventions is complex and often limited in scope. The Active Implementation Frameworks (AIFs) are an evidence-based set of frameworks to use when attempting to put into practice any innovation of known dimensions. This article describes the novel application of the AIFs to facilitate the implementation and improvement of Comprehensive Medication Management (CMM) in primary care practices to optimize medication use and improve care for patients.

In 2018, more than 5,000 individuals participated in the ASHP Resident Matching Program (i.e., the “Match”).[1][1] One of the largest perceived barriers among students who were undecided about pursuing postgraduate training was the belief that their student loans or other financial obligations

For both education and practice, the dissemination of the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioner’s Patient Care Process for Pharmacists has heightened attention to the need for a defined care process for pharmacists. Yet, when one compares this framework with those described in other disciplines, what makes it specific to pharmacy? Graduates must establish their unique role in patient care management among the health care team. Therefore, it is essential that pharmacy educators prepare students to contribute uniquely and communicate articulately about those contributions. This involves intentionally teaching an explicit clinical assessment process and a recognized taxonomy for communicating medication-related needs. In addition, educators must: ensure integration of patient care frameworks unique to pharmacists in curricula, commit to critical evaluation of care process instruction, and partner with external stakeholders to establish the distinct contributions of pharmacists to team-based care.

It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. It is a day of tremendous opportunity, yet every day there is frustration or despair. It is a season where recognition of the good — and the harm — of medications for many stakeholders is as great as it has ever been. And, it is a season where

[Figure][1] The 2019-2020 president of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) is Todd D. Sorensen, PharmD. Dr. Sorensen is a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Care and Health Systems and is the associate dean for Strategic Initiatives & Innovations at the

Medication adherence is a problem that has received widespread attention in the medical literature and health policy circles. With the increased emphasis on recognizing and rewarding quality in the U.S. health care system, medication adherence measures are increasingly being adopted to assess quality of medication use. However, when adherence is discussed in the literature or evaluated via quality measures, there is rarely any dialogue surrounding adherence in the context of patient-centered issues such as clinical status, individualized medication needs, or personal expectations and social situation. When nonadherence is identified via a comprehensive assessment of all of a patient's medication-related issues, it typically is recognized as only the third most frequent type of medication-related problem. Issues such as requiring a medication that has not been prescribed or receiving a medication prescribed at a dose too low to achieve the intended clinical goal are more frequently experienced. Furthermore, if a patient is nonadherent to a medication because of adverse effects or if the medication prescribed is not appropriate considering the patient's individual clinical situation, promoting adherence can create unintended harm. Therefore, achieving medication adherence as typically evaluated via existing quality metrics such as proportion of days covered is only valid if the medication is first deemed to be indicated, effective, and safe for the patient. Medications are the most common medical intervention for chronic illnesses. As a result, success in achieving the Triple Aim of health care is highly dependent on optimizing medication use. When quality measures for medication use narrowly focus on measuring adherence, the resulting programs of payers and providers will likely ignore the most frequent types of medication problems that prevent improved health, create unnecessary costs, and could negatively impact patients' experience with the health care system. Strong leadership and advocacy on the part of agencies in the position to influence the quality measurement landscape in the U.S. health care system will be critical to achieve widespread awareness of medication nonadherence in the context of the full scope of medication-related problems in health care.No outside funding supported this research. Brummel provides consulting services to other health systems; has received grants from Sanofi and speaking fees from AMCP, APhA, and ASHP; and is on the faculty at the University of Minnesota and employed by Fairview Pharmacy Services. Ekstrand provides consulting services for Alliance for Integrated Medication Management and has received speaking fees from International Diabetes Center and MN Alliance of Physician Assistants. The authors report no other conflict of interest, potential or otherwise. Study concept and design were contributed primarily by Sorensen, Brummel, and Rehrauer, along with the other authors. Rehrauer, Brummel, and Ekstrand collected the data, which were interpreted by Sorensen, Brummel, Rehrauer, and Ekstrand. Pestka and Sorensen wrote and revised the manuscript, with assistance from the other authors.

Purpose The implementation and effects of an initiative to refer patients to receive medication therapy management (MTM) services after hospital discharge are described. Methods A check box to order an MTM appointment was added to the discharge medication order form printed for hospitalized patients in an integrated health system. Hospitalists were informed about MTM services and encouraged to refer hospitalized patients to the service who were at risk for adverse drug events or medication nonadherence. A retrospective case series review was conducted to evaluate documented MTM encounters, comparing the number of patients seen at the MTM practice for hospital follow-up during the four months before and after the initiative’s implementation. Secondary endpoints included revenue generated by MTM encounters and the percentage of patients with documented drug therapy problems due to medication nonadherence. Results A total of 313 encounters were included in the analysis (142 preimplementation and 171 postimplementation). The percentage of MTM hospital follow-up encounters significantly increased from the preimplementation period to the post-implementation period, from 30.28% ( n = 43) to 63.74% ( n = 109) ( p < 0.001). After the referral initiative was implemented, MTM hospital follow-up encounters were more likely to reveal medication nonadherence, compared with regular office visits (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–4.34; p = 0.039). Conclusion The implementation of an initiative to refer hospitalized patients to an MTM service in an integrated health system increased the percentage of recently discharged patients seen in an MTM practice; patients seen postimplementation were more likely to be nonadherent to their medication regimen.

Summary : The Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Services Collaborative (PSPC) is demonstrating improvements in the quality of care delivered by safety-net organizations through integration of clinical pharmacy services. This article describes how the PSPC is leading meaningful change in the arena of medication use in management of chronic disease.

Purpose Telepharmacy practices in rural hospitals in several states were examined, and relevant policies and state laws and regulations were analyzed, along with issues to be addressed as the use of telepharmacy expands. Methods Telepharmacy initiatives in rural hospitals were identified through a survey of the 50 state offices of rural health. Telephone interviews were conducted with board of pharmacy directors in selected states with successful telepharmacy programs. Interviews were also conducted with the individual hospitals regarding the type of telepharmacy activities, funding, and impact on medication safety. The information was analyzed to identify themes and to assess whether state laws and regulations followed recommendations by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Results Although telepharmacy is addressed in NABP’s model pharmacy practice act, many state boards are just beginning to address it. The model act addresses the practice of pharmacy across state lines, and the state board directors interviewed generally agreed that pharmacists should be licensed in the state where they are providing the service. States differed on whether a pharmacist should be required to be physically located in a licensed pharmacy and how much time the pharmacist should have to spend onsite. Telepharmacy models being implemented in hospitals in several states incorporate long-distance supervision of pharmacy technicians by pharmacists. The models being implemented vary according to area, state regulations, hospital ownership, and hospital size and medication order volume. Most hospitals reported that they track medication error rates, and some said error rates have improved since telepharmacy implementation. Conclusion The application of telepharmacy in rural hospitals varies across the United States but is not widespread, and many states have not defined regulations for telepharmacy in hospitals.

Objectives To evaluate differences in the number and type of drug therapy problems (DTPs) identified by pharmacists with and without access to patients' primary care health records; determine the confidence level of pharmacists in their assessment of DTPs with and without access to health records; and determine the type of information pharmacists need to confirm their assessment. Methods The study design was an exploratory and comparative evaluation of comprehensive medication management assessments. Pharmacists initially completed patient assessments without access to the patient's primary care health record. Pharmacists documented the visit according to the standard of care and documented the assessment in a standardized study form. Pharmacists then reviewed the patient's primary care health record and documented a revised assessment in the standardized study form. The standardized form included sections about the number of DTPs, the classification of DTPs, the pharmacist's confidence level in identifying DTPs, and the information needed to increase the pharmacist's confidence level in identifying DTPs. Results Pharmacists evaluated 24 patients and identified 132 DTPs. After reviewing patients' primary care health records, 31 DTPs were deemed "false DTPs," 3 DTPs were recategorized, and 9 new DTPs were identified. Practitioner confidence levels in DTP determination improved after reviewing patients' primary care health records. The health information most frequently identified as desirable after the initial review was laboratory tests. Conclusion Pharmacists identified more DTPs with lower confidence levels without access to patients' primary care health records. Fewer DTPs were deemed "confirmed DTPs" and confidence in the practitioners' assessments improved after review of the primary care health records. Access to primary care health records can help community pharmacists build an efficient and comprehensive medication management practice.

Objective To evaluate the level of interest of upper-level doctor of pharmacy students in rural pharmacy practice, rural pharmacy ownership, and a proposed rural pharmacy practice model. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota in October through December 2003. Participants Third- and fourth-year professional student pharmacists at the University of Minnesota, North Dakota State University, and South Dakota State University. Intervention Self-administered questionnaire completed by study participants. Main Outcome Measures Student interest in rural pharmacy practice and potential future directions for maintaining access to medications and the knowledge of pharmacists in rural communities. Results Of 177 respondents, 62.7% has given serious consideration to practice in rural communities with populations of 5,000 or fewer residents. Of these 111 students, 81% would be interested in the proposed practice model explained in the survey. Of the 108 total students expressing interest in the proposed rural pharmacy practice model, 63% had not previously given serious consideration to pursuing ownership (full or partnership) of a community pharmacy. Conclusion Students from the schools that have traditionally supplied the majority of Minnesota rural pharmacists indicated an interest in practicing in rural areas as long as opportunities align with their personal and professional interests.

Objective To quantify rural communities' risks for losing access to local pharmacy services using a newly developed risk-assessment tool. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Minnesota in June through August 2003. Participants Pharmacy owners and managers in rural communities with populations less than 5,000 residents and only one community pharmacy. Intervention Self-administered questionnaire completed by study participants. Main Outcome Measures Each answer was given a score based on the related factor's ability to affect risk of pharmacy closure. Scores were summed to give a comparative risk score with a positive score indicating higher risk; these scores could range from −13.5 to +30.75, depending on responses. Results From 126 communities outside of the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area with populations of fewer than 5,000 residents and only one community pharmacy, 81 (64.3%) usable responses were received. The calculated risk scores ranged from −7 to +12.3, with mean (± SD) scores of 1.55±4.17. Factors that contributed most to rural pharmacies' risk index were dramatic decreases in community populations within 5years, poor community support for the pharmacy, owner's intent to sell pharmacy within 2years, less than $750,000 in annual prescription revenue, perceived erosion of total market share of prescriptions, difficulties in recruiting full-time pharmacist-employees, lack of access to local primary care, and perceived likelihood that local primary care clinics would not be active in 5years. Approximately 26% of pharmacy owners responding expressed interest in selling their pharmacy within 3years, and 62% were interested in selling within 10years. Conclusion The tool developed for this study allows prospective assessment of risk, which can facilitate a greater awareness by local and regional officials and consumers of the possibility of loss of rural pharmacies, assist in targeting resources to areas most in need, and serve as a bridge to collaborative relationships aimed at ensuring local access to both pharmacy services and the knowledge of a pharmacist.