Understanding awareness of pharmacist-led medication therapy management among primary care physicians in New York City, Part II: Findings and implications

Abstract

Pharmacist scope of practice has evolved over the last few decades. As such, pharmacists are more widely involved in disease management, medication therapy management (MTM), and patient education. As the primary care shortage continues to be of concern for the U.S. healthcare system, pharmacists are well positioned as accessible, trusted, and knowledgeable professionals to help ease physician burden in assisting patients with medication management. Very few studies have been done to understand the perceptions of primary care providers regarding the involvement and role of pharmacists in MTM programs. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene performed a qualitative study to obtain a better understanding of the perceptions related to pharmacist-led MTM programs among primary care physicians in New York City. Physician education around the role of pharmacists was found to be critical in building collaborative relationships between physicians and pharmacists. Our study rationale, design, and preliminary findings have been discussed previously. This paper provides the detailed report and potential impact of our study findings on building collaborative team-based relationships that will allow for improved patient outcomes.