245955 Pharmacists' Role as Members of an Interdisciplinary Health Care Team in the HRSA Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Services Collaborative

Tuesday, November 1, 2011: 10:30 AM

Linda Kwon, MPH , HHS/HRSA/HSB/OPA, Rockville, MD
Eric Lai, PhD, MPH , US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Rockville, MD
Zandra Glenn, PharmD , Hrsa/Opa/Pssc, HRSA PSSC, Rockville, MD
Christina Mead, PharmD , Hrsa/Oro, HRSA/ORO, Denver, CO
Karen Williams, PharmD , US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Rockville, MD
     
Background The Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Services Collaborative (PSPC), led by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is a national effort designed to bring diverse teams of healthcare providers together to ensure that care delivered by safety-net organizations becomes the safest and best in the nation. Pharmacists along with student pharmacists provide medication expertise and are positioned to enrich patient care in coordination with other health care providers.

Methods Pharmacists work closely with professionals of other disciplines on their team to identify opportunities for system change to improve patients' health outcomes and safety. PSPC uses an iterative improvement system to spread leading practices demonstrated by high-performing organizations. Through an intensive series of learning activities, PSPC teams adapt what they have learned to help generate positive improvements.

Results Last year, 110 community based teams enrolled in this national patient safety campaign who had partnered with 53 schools of pharmacy. Results have shown that community-based teams were able to generate a 60% reduction in near-miss medication errors and a 50% reduction in harmful adverse events. Teams were also able to bring 54% of their most complex patients from “out of control” to “under control” across a range of chronic conditions.

Conclusion PSPC acknowledges the value and role of pharmacists and student pharmacists on an interdisciplinary care team. PSPC will also continue to spread leading practices and promoting its work with students, evidenced by collaboration with schools of pharmacy and medicine.

Learning Areas:
Other professions or practice related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe how PSPC promotes pharmacists’ role in the home care model and in medication management as part of an interdisciplinary health care team. 2. Discuss the role of student pharmacists in the safety net setting. 3. Identify how pharmacists are positioned to deliver better and safer care as part of a comprehensive care team.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I manage the program.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Pharmacists’ Role in Health Education and Health Promotion
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