Related Experiment Videos
Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of a pharmacist-managed hypertension clinic
1Department of Pharmacy Practice and Social and Administrative Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA. mokamoto@westernu.edu
Insights
Pharmacist-managed hypertension clinics improve blood pressure control and patient satisfaction compared to physician-managed care. This approach offers a cost-effective alternative for managing hypertension.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Pharmacy
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Health Economics
Background:
- Hypertension management is a critical aspect of cardiovascular disease prevention.
- Optimizing patient outcomes and resource utilization in hypertension care is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare clinical, economic, and humanistic outcomes of pharmacist-managed hypertension clinics versus physician-managed clinics.
- To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist-led hypertension care.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, randomized, comparative study involving 330 patients with essential hypertension.
- Intervention involved hypertension care delivered by either a pharmacist-managed clinic or physician-managed general medical clinics.
- Outcomes measured included blood pressure, patient satisfaction (Short-Form Health Survey), and healthcare utilization.
Main Results:
- Pharmacist-managed clinics achieved significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to physician-managed clinics (p<0.001).
- Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the pharmacist-managed hypertension clinic group.
- Total costs were comparable, but cost-effectiveness ratios for blood pressure reduction were substantially lower for the pharmacist-managed group.
Conclusions:
- Pharmacists provide a cost-effective alternative to physicians for managing patients with hypertension.
- Pharmacist-managed hypertension clinics can improve clinical outcomes and enhance patient satisfaction.
- This model demonstrates the value of pharmacists in optimizing hypertension management within managed care settings.
Study Objective:
To measure clinical, economic, and humanistic outcomes associated with a pharmacist-managed hypertension clinic compared with physician-managed clinics.
Design:
Prospective, randomized, comparative study.
Setting:
Managed care organization.
Patients:
A total of 330 patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension.
Intervention:
Hypertension care provided by either the pharmacist-managed hypertension clinic or physician-managed general medical clinics.
Measurements And Main Results:
Baseline and 6-month evaluations consisted of systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements, a short-form health survey, and collection of health care utilization information. After treatment, blood pressure measurements were significantly lower (p<0.001) in the pharmacist-managed hypertension clinic group than in the physician-managed clinic group. Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the hypertension clinic group. Total costs for the hypertension clinic group were not different from those of the physician-managed clinic group ($242.46 vs $233.20, p=0.71), but cost:effectiveness ratios were lower in the hypertension clinic group ($27 vs $193/mm Hg for systolic blood pressure readings, and $48 vs $151/mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure readings).
Conclusion:
In a hypertension clinic, pharmacists can be a cost-effective alternative to physicians in management of patients, and they can improve clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.