Strategies for implementing lipid-lowering therapy: pharmacy-based approach

A multidisciplinary program was designed to improve patient outcomes after an acute coronary event. The primary objective of the program was that lipid-lowering therapy be prescribed at the time of discharge for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) patients. Secondary objectives for this program were (1) a baseline lipid panel within the first 24 hours of admission and (2) documentation of discharge counseling for lipid-lowering therapy in the patient medical record. Improvements were reported for all 3 objectives. For the primary indicator, lipid-lowering therapy prescribed at discharge, the baseline value increased from 40% to 72-81%. The percentage of patients with a lipid panel within 24 hours of admission improved from a baseline of 13% to 38-71%. Overall, 28-77% of patient records contained documentation of lipid-lowering medication counseling after initiation of the program. This information should provide the necessary benchmarking data to maintain competitiveness in the dynamic healthcare environment. Overall, this program provides high-quality, cost-effective health care for the patient with established coronary artery disease.