Involvement of HMO-based pharmacists in clinical rounds at contract hospitals

Abstract

The contributions of managed care pharmacists who participate in clinical rounds at contract hospitals are described. A program in which pharmacists employed by Kaiser Permanente go on rounds at two contract hospitals as part of a multidisciplinary Kaiser team was implemented in January 1995. The rounding pharmacist reviews patients' charts, assesses optimal drug therapy, intervenes proactively, identifies candidates for home i.v. therapy, facilitates patient discharge, and provides on-the-spot drug information. Other services include therapeutic drug monitoring, dosage-adjustment recommendations, counseling, consultations, detecting adverse drug reactions, and education. The pharmacist documents all services and interventions, and their impact. At one hospital, a 500-bed institution, there were 1097 recommendations for intervention between April 1995 and May 1996. More than 99% of these recommendations were accepted. Over the 14-month period, the Kaiser team saved an estimated $523,907 and cost an estimated $57,643 (not counting benefits) in pharmacist participation. Managed care pharmacists on rounds at contract hospitals influenced enrolled patients' pharmacotherapy and reduced the plan's costs.