INNOVATIVE PRACTICE FORM

Name Beatrice Adreon

Address VA Comm

Phone # 703-522-4343

FAX #

E-mail/Information service

Briefly describe innovation

Gerontology Counseling. In this setting, Ms. Adreon has an office practice with no dispensing. She counsels patients one-on-on, either in the office or in the patient's home if they are homebound. She obtains her patients by referrals from other patients, brochures, and promotes her specialty at community meetings. In the counseling session, Ms. Adreon examines any medication problems that the patient may be having and helps them do develop a healthier lifestyle. During the session, she takes a complete history of the patient, including current health conditions, allergies, current medications, OTC needs, a family history, the patient's ideas on his diet, past childhood diseases, and anything else she feels pertinent to the patient's well-being. This session could last anywhere from one to three hours. After the session, Ms. Adreon goes over all the information and writes a report about the patient and any changes she feels necessary. She then discusses the changes with the patient and the physician. Both the patient and the physicians have been very receptive to Ms. Adreon's pharmacy practice. The patients felt they had been given special treatment. The physicians realized that Ms. Adreon was not trying to correct them; she was only working in the best interest of her patients.  Ms. Adreon also makes herself available to her patients if they have any immediate questions that can be answered over the phone.

Method of Reimbursement

Payor(s) The patient. However, the IRS does allow her services the be counted as a medical deduction. She encourages the patient to ask their insurance to cover the services.

Reimbursement rate $100 per hour

Is documentation required? Yes. Ms. Adreon does not have a specific form that she uses, but she documents everything that she does in her report.

Specialized training required? Yes. Ms.Adreon has a B.S. in Pharmacy and a Master's degree in counseling.

Software/instrumentation required? No

Interviewed by: Patricia Iler