Regarding value-based healthcare, pharmacists in neighborhoods across America are proving successful in improving patient health and could help patients even more if certain barriers were removed, according to a Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy article, “Optimizing the Role of Community Pharmacists in Managing the Health of Populations: Barriers, Facilitators, and Policy Recommendations.”
Authors
Experts from the UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Humana; and the Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, authored the article focused on value-based healthcare. The article was made possible by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Literature Program, which fosters evidence-based manuscripts important to patient-care issues.
Value-based Healthcare Recommendations
The article’s core policy recommendations include:
• recognition of pharmacists as providers of care;
• integration of community pharmacists in emerging care delivery; and
• improved collaboration between pharmacists and other across the healthcare continuum.
“The shift to a value-based healthcare system…”
“The shift to a value-based healthcare system has incentivized providers to implement strategies that improve population health outcomes while minimizing downstream costs. Given their accessibility and expanded clinical care models, community pharmacists are well positioned to join interdisciplinary care teams to advance efforts in effectively managing the health of populations,” the article states.
However, the authors note, “Although community pharmacists have great potential to improve population health outcomes because of their accessibility and clinical interventions that have demonstrated improved outcomes, pharmacists are not recognized as merit-based incentive eligible providers and, as a result, may be underutilized in this role.”
“The importance of the campaigns that NACDS is waging…”
NACDS President & CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, said, “The evidence and recommendations presented by healthcare experts continue to point to the value of pharmacies in neighborhoods across America. This article shows the importance of the campaigns that NACDS is waging to defend and enhance patients’ pharmacy access and pharmacy viability.”
More information about related policy issues is available at NACDS’ Access Agenda website.
