Pharmacist compensation for cognitive services: focus on the physician office and community pharmacy

We provide a stepwise approach for the clinical pharmacy practitioner in the physician clinic or community pharmacy setting to secure compensation for cognitive services. How to establish compensation for pharmacist services is explored, including evaluating the payer mix, developing a relationship with the first- or third-party payer, becoming credentialed with a third-party payer, and creating a fee structure. We detail the physical process of billing, which involves completing appropriate billing forms, appropriately using billing codes, documenting cognitive services in the patient record, and obtaining the proper waivers and/or approvals to provide specific services such as laboratory services and immunizations. This comprehensive review of compensation for cognitive services available in the community pharmacy and physician office environment is designed to be a template for pharmacists to further develop specific strategies, implement fee structures, and obtain compensation in their pharmacy environment and payer mix. Exploration into these innovative markets will enable pharmacists to increase revenue as they enhance and expand their cognitive services for patients.