TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical pharmacists in Dutch general practice
T2 - an integrated care model to provide optimal pharmaceutical care
AU - Hazen, Ankie
AU - Sloeserwij, Vivianne
AU - Pouls, Bart
AU - Leendertse, Anne
AU - de Gier, Han
AU - Bouvy, Marcel
AU - de Wit, Niek
AU - Zwart, Dorien
N1 - Funding Information:
A research grant was obtained from the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (Grant Agreement Number 80‐833600‐98‐10206) and the Achmea Healthcare Foundation, the innovation fund of a major Dutch health insurance company (Project Number Z456). Both study sponsors had no role in the design of the study, nor in the data collection, analyses, interpretation of the data and in the writing of the report or in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/10
Y1 - 2021/10
N2 - Background Medication-related harm is a major problem in healthcare. New models of integrated care are required to guarantee safe and efficient use of medication. Aim To prevent medication-related harm by integrating a clinical pharmacist in the general practice team. This best practice paper provides an overview of 1. the development of this function and the integration process and 2. its impact, measured with quantitative and qualitative analyses. Setting Ten general practices in the Netherlands. Development and implementation of the (pragmatic) experiment We designed a 15-month workplace-based post-graduate learning program to train pharmacists to become clinical pharmacists integrated in general practice teams. In close collaboration with general practitioners, clinical pharmacists conduct clinical medication reviews (CMRs), hold patient consultations for medication-related problems, carry out quality improvement projects and educate the practice staff. As part of the Pharmacotherapy Optimisation through Integration of a Non-dispensing pharmacist in a primary care Team (POINT) intervention study, ten pharmacists worked full-time in general practices for 15 months and concurrently participated in the training program. Evaluation of this integrated care model included both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the training program, professional identity formation and effectiveness on medication safety. Evaluation The integrated care model improved medication safety: less medication-related hospitalisations occurred compared to usual care (rate ratio 0.68 (95% CI: 0.57-0.82)). Essential hereto were the workplace-based training program and full integration in the GP practices: this supported the development of a new professional identity as clinical pharmacist. This new caregiver proved to align well with the general practitioner. Conclusion A clinical pharmacist in general practice proves a feasible integrated care model to improve the quality of drug therapy.
AB - Background Medication-related harm is a major problem in healthcare. New models of integrated care are required to guarantee safe and efficient use of medication. Aim To prevent medication-related harm by integrating a clinical pharmacist in the general practice team. This best practice paper provides an overview of 1. the development of this function and the integration process and 2. its impact, measured with quantitative and qualitative analyses. Setting Ten general practices in the Netherlands. Development and implementation of the (pragmatic) experiment We designed a 15-month workplace-based post-graduate learning program to train pharmacists to become clinical pharmacists integrated in general practice teams. In close collaboration with general practitioners, clinical pharmacists conduct clinical medication reviews (CMRs), hold patient consultations for medication-related problems, carry out quality improvement projects and educate the practice staff. As part of the Pharmacotherapy Optimisation through Integration of a Non-dispensing pharmacist in a primary care Team (POINT) intervention study, ten pharmacists worked full-time in general practices for 15 months and concurrently participated in the training program. Evaluation of this integrated care model included both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the training program, professional identity formation and effectiveness on medication safety. Evaluation The integrated care model improved medication safety: less medication-related hospitalisations occurred compared to usual care (rate ratio 0.68 (95% CI: 0.57-0.82)). Essential hereto were the workplace-based training program and full integration in the GP practices: this supported the development of a new professional identity as clinical pharmacist. This new caregiver proved to align well with the general practitioner. Conclusion A clinical pharmacist in general practice proves a feasible integrated care model to improve the quality of drug therapy.
KW - Clinical pharmacy
KW - General practice
KW - Integrated care
KW - Medication safety
KW - Primary care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109303087&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11096-021-01304-4
DO - 10.1007/s11096-021-01304-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 34216352
SN - 2210-7703
VL - 43
SP - 1155
EP - 1162
JO - International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
JF - International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
IS - 5
ER -