Pharmacist prescribing practices in a clinical pharmacy cardiac risk service.

PURPOSE: Prescribing practices within a clinical pharmacy cardiac risk service (CPCRS) and their impact on treatment outcomes in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) are described.
SUMMARY: National healthcare reforms have increased the population of insured patients and placed increased demands on physicians and other providers. Pharmacists are well trained and positioned to aid in patient care by providing expertise in medication management and patient safety that can result in pharmacotherapy optimization and cost savings. Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO), a group-model health maintenance organization with about 675,000 members served by 30 medical offices throughout Colorado, has adopted a collaborative drug therapy management (CDTM) model that enables pharmacist prescribing to improve patient access, patient care, and healthcare cost-effectiveness. Within the CPCRS established by KPCO, qualified pharmacists are permitted to prescribe initial therapy, modify drug regimens, order laboratory tests, and perform follow-up activities within their professional scope of practice. The CPCRS focuses on the long-term management of patients with ASCVD. The primary goals of the CPCRS are to optimize secondary-prevention pharmacotherapy, monitor and ensure medication adherence, assist in the management of risk factors for ASCVD, provide patient education and counseling, and serve as a resource for physicians and other healthcare providers. Working under a CDTM agreement, pharmacists are authorized to prescribe therapies to minimize the risk of future ASCVD events.
CONCLUSION: The CPCRS at KPCO has demonstrated successful maintenance of a clinical pharmacy service including pharmacist prescribing under a CDTM model to manage patients with ASCVD.