Pharmacist Medication Management of Adults with Attention Deficit: An Alternative Clinical Structure

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric conditions in youth. This disorder can persist into adulthood, with an estimated prevalence of 4.4% to 5.2% in the US.

To review adult ADHD diagnostic criteria, adult clinical presentation, and resulting impairments in function and to describe our adult psychiatry clinic's pharmacist-comanaged ADHD medication management program as a model to provide safe and effective care that is accessible, efficient, and well monitored.

The program consists of 1) screening (urine toxicology, diagnostic evaluation, data collection) by physicians, 2) program participation and treatment agreement with establishment of care goals, and 3) patient maintenance and monitoring. Pharmacists in the Department of Psychiatry manage refills, distributing the clinical caseload among a broader clinician base.

This program created a standardized protocol for assessment, referral, and follow-up of adult patients with ADHD, with close monitoring and titration of controlled medications, systematic use of screening measures, and a stimulant treatment contract.

Development of this program and workflow model could increase care delivery efficiency, potentially improving patient satisfaction and outcomes. There is a great need to use alternative patient management strategies such as this to maintain access to high-quality care while there is a nationwide need for more psychiatric clinicians.

We believe this program offers a solution to a component of this growing problem, and other clinical sites would benefit from such a program. Next steps include analysis and publication of results of implementation, including patient outcomes, engagement in treatment, and satisfaction.