Pharmacy's role within a multidisciplinary, patient-focused model for health care

In establishing a good multidisciplinary practice plan at Moffitt, the most critical points have been identified as follows: The patient's primary nurse must coordinate the patient's care. Good communications and a shared medical record are absolutely crucial. A clear understanding of basic responsibility for each profession is established via credentialing, inservices, and multidisciplinary policies. Authority to create care plans and document progress and recommendations must be universal across all professions. Patients and students should be the common focus; therefore, it is the results or outcome, not who provided the service, that is important. Nursing tells pharmacy it is wonderful, because it helps them and shares a concern for the patient. Pharmacy tells nursing the same thing for the same reasons. Occurrence reports reflect a collaborative spirit, seeking to resolve patient-related problems rather than cast blame. The two groups have not become generic health care professionals, as each profession has inherent capabilities that should be used. Nor has there developed a defensiveness that will prevent a nurse from interceding in traditional pharmacy issues, or a pharmacist in nursing issues. Statistically, it is not known whether Moffitt's staff has become more effective in providing patient care; however, the members of the team believe it to be true, and the patients exhibit trust in them. The future will be uncertain in health care. A multidisciplinary approach appears essential for optimal patient care and for forecasting and managing the complex administrative and economic issues that will continue. The staff at Moffitt believe that team synergy is a necessary component of a strong future.