NACDS’ OPTIMIZING CARE PROCESS GUIDE
Advancing Pharmacy Care Through Technician Product Verification
The NACDS Optimizing Care Program is comprised of innovative demonstration projects. These projects seek to increase patient access to clinical care delivered in community pharmacies by leveraging expanded roles of pharmacy technicians. In order to advance pharmacy care for patients, this program utilizes the entire skillset of all pharmacy staff by allowing pharmacy technicians to better support medication dispensing through technician product verification (TPV). This allows pharmacists to redirect their time to provide more clinical care for patients.
The NACDS Optimizing Care Program is synergistic with other patient-centered efforts to empower pharmacists to positively impact patient health outcomes and improve care. The Program aligns closely with overarching national goals to improve healthcare access and value.
NACDS encourages pharmacy stakeholders to utilize this process guide to help inform and replicate such models more broadly for the purpose of advancing pharmacy care for patients.
DEFINE & COMMIT TO YOUR PURPOSE OF OPTIMIZING CARE
Identify your purpose in implementing an optimizing care model in your state or pharmacy practice. A clear purpose focused on growing your patient care impact will help to guide and frame the efforts needed to successfully implement technician product verification to improve patient care. Examples may include the desire to expand pharmacist-provided patient care services including point of care tests, screening, immunization, adherence initiatives, opioid risk reduction programs, and more.
LEVERAGE LESSONS LEARNED FROM OTHERS
Review the literature on expanded technician roles and technician product verification. Use the lessons learned from others to inform and mold your practice change. At the pharmacy level, be sure to engage pharmacy leadership and counsel to help evaluate potential programs in light of operational and legal considerations.
RESOURCES
Peer-Reviewed Literature:
The Optimizing Care Model: A novel community pharmacy approach to enhance patient care delivery by leveraging the technician workforce through technician product verification
Exploring the implementation of a novel optimizing care model in the community pharmacy setting
Pharmacy Technicians’ Willingness to Perform Emerging Tasks in Community Practice
NACDS/IPA’s Webinar Guide to Optimizing Care:
Webinar 1 – Optimizing Care in a Community Pharmacy: The History of and Lessons from Iowa’s New Practice Model
Webinar 3 – Expanding Care Optimization in Your Practice: Transforming Practice Moving Forward
Additional Resources:
Pharmacy Technician Role Expansion: An Evidence-based Position Paper
FOSTER COLLABORATION & GATHER PARTNERS
Advancing pharmacy practice requires statewide effort and collaboration – consider all potential allies in this work. Engagement from the state board of pharmacy is critical to identify necessary legislative changes and to ensure the practice change is implemented appropriately, with a focus on growing clinical pharmacy care. With that in mind, partnerships must be developed to advance clinical care opportunities for pharmacy in your region or state – such partners in this work may include local physicians, accountable care organizations, and health plans.
PARTNERSHIP IDEAS
State Board of Pharmacy
Chain & Independent Community Pharmacies
State Pharmacy Association
Pharmacy Advocates
Hospital Pharmacy Teams
Local Physician Groups, Clinics
Health Plans, Accountable Care Organizations, Payors
Health Departments
Pharmacy Schools & Colleges
PREPARE YOUR TEAM
At the pharmacy level, the most valuable asset to practice change is your team. Ensure all team members clearly understand the purpose of implementing this model and are on board with their new roles and responsibilities. Ensure support at all levels of the organization.
PROVEN EDUCATION
A number of resources and programs have been developed and used to successfully and safely implement technician product verification in multiple states.
Access examples of such training:
Iowa Pharmacy Association – Training
Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin – Toolkit
Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin – Didactic Training
Tennessee Pharmacists Association – Training
IMPLEMENT & REFINE OPTIMIZING CARE AT THE PHARMACY
You’ve gathered the right partners, made the right legislative changes, collected baseline data on your current practice, and prepared your pharmacy staff and space. You’re ready to implement an Optimizing Care Model to advance patient care.
Refining the model to work for your pharmacy and your patients is key to meeting the goal of improved patient care. Be sure to continuously refine your process based on the team’s feedback and needs of your patients. Keep quality improvement at the forefront of advancing your practice, and continue to foster partnerships that advance clinical care opportunities for your pharmacy.
