Implementation of clinical pharmacy services in a cardiac rehabilitation unit

The implementation of a comprehensive program for the rehabilitation of cardiac patients is discussed with primary emphasis on the clinical pharmacy services provided and the method of reimbursement for these clinical services. The three basic clinical pharmacy service objectives in the cardiac rehabilitation unit (CRU) are: (1) to provide drug information to the patient, his family and health-care team members; (2) to intensively monitor the drug therapy of all CRU patients, and (3) to evaluate the impact of pharmacy services being provided upon the quality of patient care and subsequent avoidable drug-related morbidity and mortality. The pharmacist is reimbursed for his clinical services from a percentage of the revenues gained from the higher room rate rather than from traditional dispensing functions and drug fees. It is concluded that the pharmacist is recognized as a necessary drug information source and an important member of the CRU team.