Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners

Clinical pharmacist practitioners work as a member of a team (doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other health care professionals) to provide comprehensive medication management and education to patients. Some may focus on the management of specific medications or individual disease states (e.g., diabetes, cancer, hypertension). Clinical pharmacist practitioners may practice under a formal collaborative practice agreement with physicians in their practice area or as granted by the hospital. This allows them to modify the dose, frequency, or route of administration of medications covered under the collaborative practice agreement.

Most pharmacists follow the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP), which was developed by the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners. The PPCP—which is used regardless of the type of service or the pharmacy practice setting—has five steps: Collect, Assess, Plan, Implement, and Follow-up: Monitor and Evaluate. The following sections provide more information on the job duties of clinical pharmacist practitioners who use the PPCP.

Collect

The CPP reviews the patient’s medical records and then meets with the patient to discuss their health condition(s) and their current medications (prescription, nonprescription drugs, supplements, herbals). During this consultation, they may also identify potential untreated health problems that could be improved or resolved with medication therapy. If such problems are identified, the CPP discusses them with the patient’s doctor and other members of the team.

Assess

After gathering information, the CPP evaluates whether the prescribed medications are meeting the patient’s needs and goals of care. They work with the patient’s physicians and other health care providers to adjust the current medications and possibly add others in order to meet therapeutic goals or address issues such as pain or incontinence.

Plan

The CPP and other members of the team—in consultation with the patient—create a comprehensive medication management plan (CMMP) that establishes the goals and expected outcomes of the medication therapy.

Implement

The clinical pharmacist practitioner advises the patient orally and in writing on how to best take his or her medications, as well as educates them about other aspects of regaining and maintaining good health (including exercise and proper diet). They also provide guidance to caregivers regarding the use of medications.

Follow-up: Monitor and Evaluate

The clinical pharmacist practitioner monitors the patient to determine if the medications are working as expected and adjusts dosages or suggests additional drug therapies if the need arises. He or she continues to check in with the patient and works with the health management team to revise the CMMP, if necessary.