Empowering Public Health Pharmacy Practice-Moving from Collaborative Practice Agreements to Provider Status in the...

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Health Policy
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• The pharmacy profession historically focused on dispensing and compounding.
• Expanded clinical roles emerged in the late 20th century, encompassing diverse health areas.
• Pharmacists are integral to interprofessional healthcare teams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the history and evolution of pharmacist-physician Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs) in the United States.
• To explore future directions for supporting pharmacists' provider status.
• To examine the shift from product-oriented to patient-centered and population health models in pharmacy.

Main Methods:

• Historical review of pharmacist-physician Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs).
• Analysis of the evolving roles of pharmacists in diverse clinical settings.
• Discussion of policy implications for pharmacist provider status.

Main Results:

• Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs) have facilitated the expansion of pharmacist roles in patient care.
• Pharmacists' clinical activities have broadened into areas like disease management, public health, and emergency care.
• CPAs represent a significant step towards recognizing pharmacists as providers.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs) are a key mechanism for advancing pharmacy practice.
• Achieving provider status would enable reimbursement for pharmacist cognitive services.
• Enhanced provider status for pharmacists supports integrated public health delivery models and patient-centered care.