Expanding Pharmacy Services With an Intern Program at an Academic Medical Center. 2022

Hanlin Li, and Vickie Powell, and Demetra Tsapepas
Department of Pharmacy, New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.

BACKGROUND Organizations that implement pharmacy services to provide patient education have reduced hospital readmissions and improved the patient experience. The term "pharmacy extender" has been used to describe pharmacy technicians and pharmacy students who alleviate the workload of a pharmacist, enhance pharmacy visibility throughout an organization, and foster professional development for the individual. OBJECTIVE The objective of this pharmacy intern-driven program is to increase pharmacy reach for medication teaching. METHODS This is a single-center, IRB-approved retrospective cohort analysis. Pharmacist-led medication teaching is currently available to select high-risk populations including solid organ transplant and bone marrow transplant recipients at our organization. Clinicians working in the pharmacy satellites have structured operational and distributional workflow responsibilities, which precludes them from directly engaging with patients. Pharmacy interns can serve as extenders that can participate in medication teaching. An internally created digital medication teaching tool will be employed to expand the pharmacy reach for medication education. RESULTS During the period of study, the pharmacy interns screened 3,993 patients and educated 2,868 patients. Two-thirds of the pharmacy interns that participated in the program pursued post-graduate residency or fellowship training, while the rest assumed hospital pharmacist positions. CONCLUSIONS Deploying pharmacy interns as extenders for distribution of an internally created digital tool that provides general medication teaching has shown positive outcomes including greater pharmacy presence and visibility, better patient experience, and higher patient satisfaction. Continuous data collection and monitoring are warranted to demonstrate the benefits of the program once sustained and potentially justify more resources for further expansion.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010593 Pharmaceutical Services Total pharmaceutical services provided by qualified PHARMACISTS. In addition to the preparation and distribution of medical products, they may include consultative services provided to agencies and institutions which do not have a qualified pharmacist. Pharmaceutic Services,Pharmaceutical Care,Pharmacy Services,Services, Pharmaceutic,Services, Pharmaceutical,Services, Pharmacy,Care, Pharmaceutical,Pharmaceutic Service,Pharmaceutical Service,Pharmacy Service,Service, Pharmaceutic,Service, Pharmaceutical,Service, Pharmacy
D010595 Pharmacists Those persons legally qualified by education and training to engage in the practice of pharmacy. Clinical Pharmacists,Community Pharmacists,Retail Pharmacists,Clinical Pharmacist,Community Pharmacist,Pharmacist,Pharmacist, Clinical,Pharmacist, Community,Pharmacist, Retail,Pharmacists, Clinical,Pharmacists, Community,Pharmacists, Retail,Retail Pharmacist
D010596 Pharmacy Technicians Persons who perform certain functions under the supervision of a pharmacist. Pharmacists' Aides,Aide, Pharmacists',Aides, Pharmacists',Pharmacist Aides,Pharmacist's Aides,Pharmacists Aides,Pharmacists' Aide,Pharmacy Technician,Technician, Pharmacy,Technicians, Pharmacy
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000046 Academic Medical Centers Medical complexes consisting of medical school, hospitals, clinics, libraries, administrative facilities, etc. Medical Centers, Academic,Medical Centers, University,University Medical Centers,Academic Medical Center,Center, Academic Medical,Center, University Medical,Centers, Academic Medical,Centers, University Medical,Medical Center, Academic,Medical Center, University,University Medical Center
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective

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