Improving MTM Through Collaborative Hospice Care in Rural Minnesota
Improving MTM Through Collaborative Hospice Care in Rural Minnesota
Objective: To evaluate expanded pharmacy services designed to improve medication therapy management for hospice care in rural Minnesota.
Methods: Deidentified data were obtained from records kept by the study pharmacy as part of its normal operations. In-depth interviews of key pharmacy personnel and from each hospice care organization were conducted to identify overall themes based on their experiences. Descriptive analysis was conducted for summarizing the findings. Information gleaned from the interviews was documented and themes identified. These themes were used to provide insight for those who may wish to adopt this program for their patient populations.
Results: At initial enrollment into hospice care, 85% of the patients received at least one recommendation related to their medication therapy. During patients' enrollment in hospice care, the most common types of problems addressed through pharmacist consults were symptom control (65%), followed by dosage form (15%), medication management (12%), and adverse effect control (8%).
Conclusion: Implementation and evaluation of this program showed that the structures and processes used were sound and could be transferred to other patient populations. Outcomes from the program were favorable from practitioner, organization, and patient care perspectives.
Hospice services help patients spend their final days in the comfort of their own home. Hospice care lowers health care spending considerably by limiting or eliminating in-patient hospital care, and it improves patient quality of life substantially. However, with a majority of northwestern Minnesota considered rural, bringing hospice services to this population is challenging. Some residents live more than 20 miles from the nearest pharmacy, and with occasional poor driving conditions because of winter weather, patient care can be hampered. To overcome these obstacles, pharmacists from Bemidji, MN, in collaboration with the three hospice programs in their area, developed pharmacist services to meet the needs of rural patients on a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week basis.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate expanded pharmacy services designed to improve medication therapy management for hospice care in rural Minnesota.
Methods: Deidentified data were obtained from records kept by the study pharmacy as part of its normal operations. In-depth interviews of key pharmacy personnel and from each hospice care organization were conducted to identify overall themes based on their experiences. Descriptive analysis was conducted for summarizing the findings. Information gleaned from the interviews was documented and themes identified. These themes were used to provide insight for those who may wish to adopt this program for their patient populations.
Results: At initial enrollment into hospice care, 85% of the patients received at least one recommendation related to their medication therapy. During patients' enrollment in hospice care, the most common types of problems addressed through pharmacist consults were symptom control (65%), followed by dosage form (15%), medication management (12%), and adverse effect control (8%).
Conclusion: Implementation and evaluation of this program showed that the structures and processes used were sound and could be transferred to other patient populations. Outcomes from the program were favorable from practitioner, organization, and patient care perspectives.
Introduction
Hospice services help patients spend their final days in the comfort of their own home. Hospice care lowers health care spending considerably by limiting or eliminating in-patient hospital care, and it improves patient quality of life substantially. However, with a majority of northwestern Minnesota considered rural, bringing hospice services to this population is challenging. Some residents live more than 20 miles from the nearest pharmacy, and with occasional poor driving conditions because of winter weather, patient care can be hampered. To overcome these obstacles, pharmacists from Bemidji, MN, in collaboration with the three hospice programs in their area, developed pharmacist services to meet the needs of rural patients on a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week basis.
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