Fellowship Program Helps Expand Embedded Pharmacy Services

Stakeholders can participate in low-cost trial of expanded embedded pharmacy services through fellowship programs, according to a presentation during ASHP Midyear 2021 by the co-directors of the Clinical Innovation Fellowship at University of Utah’s College of Pharmacy.

The findings of the study by the presenters show that a fellow during a 1-year fellowship assisted in the care of 400 individuals, and an average of 2.7 medication therapy problems (MTPs) were identified, per individual.

The fellowship was based around the 4 pillars of clinical academia: clinical practice, scholarship, service, and teaching.

The fellow had a positive impact on patient and provider satisfaction. The fellow also published 2 manuscripts, taught 6 lectures at colleges, and precepted 9 advanced pharmacy practice experiences students and 2 residencies, which met the 4 pillars of clinical academia.

Because of these results, the fellowship was renewed, with the fellow being place in a new private clinic each year. The private clinical also established a full-time embedded pharmacy position.

The fellow met with individuals who were high-risk, as identified by the providers and third-party payer, and met with the individual for comprehensive medication management and to identify MTPs.

The fellow was also responsible for addressing the interests of various stakeholders, such as conducting research around the impact of the embedded clinical pharmacist, patient satisfaction, health outcomes, financial outcomes, and other points of interest.

The Clinical Innovations Fellowship Program began in 2020 and consisted of 1 fellow and 2 co-directors and is funded by a local college of pharmacy and a local third-party payer.

Reference

Cox N, Turner K, Gadd S. (Management case study) expanding ambulatory care pharmacy practice in novel settings through the development of a fellowship program. ASHP Midyear 2021. https://www.eventscribe.net/2021/midyear/agenda.asp?pfp=OnDemandSchedule