Improving Patient Access to Primary Care Providers Using a Pharmacist-Physician Co-Visit Model
Background: Implementation of a clinical pharmacist in the primary care setting can offset provider time spent managing chronic diseases using Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs). The pharmacist-physician co-visit model presents an opportunity for pharmacists to increase patient access to thei...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing
2023-06-01
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| Series: | INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy |
| Online Access: | https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/innovations/article/view/5106 |
| _version_ | 1797809217864728576 |
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| author | Diana Palandri Hanna Raber Casey Tak Elizabeth Bald Katherine Hastings Karen Gunning |
| author_facet | Diana Palandri Hanna Raber Casey Tak Elizabeth Bald Katherine Hastings Karen Gunning |
| author_sort | Diana Palandri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Background: Implementation of a clinical pharmacist in the primary care setting can offset provider time spent managing chronic diseases using Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs). The pharmacist-physician co-visit model presents an opportunity for pharmacists to increase patient access to their primary care provider (PCP). Studies of the co-visit model show that co-visits increase clinic efficiency by allowing the PCP to see additional patients and achieve more health care goals compared with independent visits.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to increase patient access to their PCP by utilizing a pharmacist-physician co-visit model at the Madsen Health Center Family Medicine (MHC FM) Clinic. The primary outcome was to identify the number of co-visits completed compared to the number of possible co-visits, and the number of appointment slots made available. The secondary outcomes were to track the time spent with patients and to obtain provider feedback via a survey.
Methods: The co-visit model was implemented as a 4-month pilot study at the MHC FM Clinic. Complex care appointments lasting 40 minutes were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Potential co-visit appointments were identified one week prior then provider consent was obtained to change the appointment into two separate 20-minute visits. Schedules were reviewed to determine if the appointment slot opened by the co-visit was filled by another patient. Upon completion of the study, a survey was distributed to providers to collect feedback.
Results: A total of five co-visits were completed out of a possible 19 (26%). All the appointments made available were filled by another patient. On average, the provider and pharmacist spent 15 and 14 minutes with the patient, respectively.
Conclusion: Implementation of the physician-pharmacist co-visit model increased the availability of the PCP to see more patients without disrupting clinic workflow and provider schedules.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T06:49:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-237e8c1299774db5a8140276520c4247 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2155-0417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T06:49:14Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy |
| spelling | doaj.art-237e8c1299774db5a8140276520c42472023-06-07T18:57:18ZengUniversity of Minnesota Libraries PublishingINNOVATIONS in Pharmacy2155-04172023-06-01142Improving Patient Access to Primary Care Providers Using a Pharmacist-Physician Co-Visit ModelDiana Palandri0Hanna Raber1Casey Tak2Elizabeth Bald3Katherine Hastings4Karen Gunning5University of Utah HealthUniversity of Utah HealthUniversity of Utah College of PharmacyUniversity of Utah HealthUniversity of Utah Department of Family & Preventive Medicine School of MedicineUniversity of Utah Health Background: Implementation of a clinical pharmacist in the primary care setting can offset provider time spent managing chronic diseases using Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs). The pharmacist-physician co-visit model presents an opportunity for pharmacists to increase patient access to their primary care provider (PCP). Studies of the co-visit model show that co-visits increase clinic efficiency by allowing the PCP to see additional patients and achieve more health care goals compared with independent visits. Objectives: The aim of this study was to increase patient access to their PCP by utilizing a pharmacist-physician co-visit model at the Madsen Health Center Family Medicine (MHC FM) Clinic. The primary outcome was to identify the number of co-visits completed compared to the number of possible co-visits, and the number of appointment slots made available. The secondary outcomes were to track the time spent with patients and to obtain provider feedback via a survey. Methods: The co-visit model was implemented as a 4-month pilot study at the MHC FM Clinic. Complex care appointments lasting 40 minutes were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Potential co-visit appointments were identified one week prior then provider consent was obtained to change the appointment into two separate 20-minute visits. Schedules were reviewed to determine if the appointment slot opened by the co-visit was filled by another patient. Upon completion of the study, a survey was distributed to providers to collect feedback. Results: A total of five co-visits were completed out of a possible 19 (26%). All the appointments made available were filled by another patient. On average, the provider and pharmacist spent 15 and 14 minutes with the patient, respectively. Conclusion: Implementation of the physician-pharmacist co-visit model increased the availability of the PCP to see more patients without disrupting clinic workflow and provider schedules. https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/innovations/article/view/5106 |
| spellingShingle | Diana Palandri Hanna Raber Casey Tak Elizabeth Bald Katherine Hastings Karen Gunning Improving Patient Access to Primary Care Providers Using a Pharmacist-Physician Co-Visit Model INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy |
| title | Improving Patient Access to Primary Care Providers Using a Pharmacist-Physician Co-Visit Model |
| title_full | Improving Patient Access to Primary Care Providers Using a Pharmacist-Physician Co-Visit Model |
| title_fullStr | Improving Patient Access to Primary Care Providers Using a Pharmacist-Physician Co-Visit Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving Patient Access to Primary Care Providers Using a Pharmacist-Physician Co-Visit Model |
| title_short | Improving Patient Access to Primary Care Providers Using a Pharmacist-Physician Co-Visit Model |
| title_sort | improving patient access to primary care providers using a pharmacist physician co visit model |
| url | https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/innovations/article/view/5106 |
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