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Barriers for patients in accessing primary care services forces them to utilize emergency departments. Understanding these barriers will help communities develop methods for improving access to primary care services and decrease ED use. Patient-centered pharmacy services (PCPS) that exceed dispensing services mandated by law, can increase medication adherence, improve health outcomes, and reduce health-care utilization costs of HIV-infected patients. While many home care teams are multidisciplinary in nature, far fewer include a pharmacist as a team member. The findings from a study to be presented reveals the key role pharmacists play in community based medical care.

Session Objectives: -Assess the issues of the use of hospital emergency departments for primary care services; - Identify the range of patient-centered pharmacy services provided by community pharmacists to HIV-infected patients. -Discuss how pharmacy services can assist in clinical decision making around medications in the community. -evaluate the types of pharmacy service interventions that lead to a reduction in drug related problems

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)