Collaboration with pharmacy services in a family practice for the medically underserved

Area of Science:

• Ambulatory care pharmacy
• Family medicine
• Healthcare outcomes

Background:

• Pharmacist-managed collaborative services are increasingly integrated into family practice settings.
• These services aim to improve health outcomes for underserved populations, particularly those with chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration between pharmacists and other healthcare providers is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe pharmacist-managed collaborative services within a family practice.
• To assess the impact of these services on diabetes and hypertension outcomes in a medically underserved population.
• To compare patient outcomes with national averages.

Main Methods:

• Pharmacist-managed clinics, pharmacotherapy consultations, and drug information services were provided.
• An interdisciplinary team including pharmacists, physicians, and nurse practitioners collaborated on patient care.
• Retrospective analysis of Hemoglobin A1c (A1C) and Blood Pressure (BP) data for 22 diabetes and 30 hypertension patients was conducted.

Main Results:

• 50% of patients achieved the target Hemoglobin A1c goal (<7%), exceeding the national average (49.8%) and the average for African Americans (44%).
• 30% of patients achieved their Blood Pressure goal, comparable to national averages (33.1% without diabetes, 33.2% with diabetes).

Conclusions:

• Pharmacist-led collaborative services in family practice settings can lead to improved achievement of diabetes care goals for underserved populations.
• Blood pressure control rates were similar to national benchmarks, suggesting the effectiveness of pharmacist interventions.
• Enhanced utilization of pharmacy services fosters trusted provider relationships and can improve patient outcomes.