INNOVATIVE PRACTICE FORM

Name : Lamar Curry

Address : P.O. Box 26 Greensburg, Louisiana

Phone # : 504-222-6125

FAX # : 504-222-6197

E-mail/Information service:

Briefly describe innovation

About a year ago, Mr. Lamar Curry took the initiative to move to become a provider of pharmaceutical care. This was one of the first innovations of pharmaceutical care to occur in Louisiana. The main reason for the change was the problem with patient compliance to their medication regimen and the increased spending due to non-compliance. So Mr. Curry took his pharmacist and moved her out front while installing two consultation booths in her place. The consultation booths are areas where the pharmacist provides cognitive services to the patient. The sessions are done while the patient's prescription is being filled and usually last approximately ten minutes. The consultations consist of a question and answer session between the pharmacist and the patient. These sessions allow for both the pharmacist and the patient to apply input on the patient's condition. The pharmacist asks questions such as Do you understand why you are taking the medication? and Do you know how to take the medication? for example. The pharmacist also provides other services that are helpful to the patient such as taking the patient's blood pressure and showing the patient how to correctly use an inhaler. Mr Curry says that he has a lot of satisfied customers and that the consultations are really paying off. He believes the move to pharmaceutical care has saved the patients a lot of money while saving the state of Louisiana and the Federal Government alot of money also. This is due to patient education on their medical condition which leads to increased levels of compliance to medication regimens.

Method of Reimbursement

Payor(s) : At the moment, Mr. Curry is not being paid for his services to the patient. He is in the process of having a program written, so hewill begin to be paid for the consultation to the patient.

Reimbursement rate: No set rate at this time.

Is documentation required? : No Documentation of the consultations is required. However, Mr. Curry does document the consultations for the patient's benefit and also his benefit.

Specialized training required? : Mr. Curry attended a 3 day Pharmaceutical Care seminar in Waco, Texas so he could get started providing the cognitive services. He also required his other pharmacist and three technicians to attend the seminar. However, no certification is required.

Software/instrumentation required? : NO

Interviewed by: Jeffrey Jones