INNOVATIVE PRACTICE FORM

Name Douglas Miller

Address 2799 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit, Michigan 48202

Phone # (313) 876-1220

FAX # (313) 876-1302

E-mail/Information service None

Briefly describe innovation

Clinical pharmacy practice. The pharmacy is located in Henry Ford Hospital which is part of the Henry Ford managed care health system. All pharmacists have distribution and clinical roles. They are on a monthly duty rotation schedule which helps "maintain a good interface between clinical and distribution" activities. The pharmacists have taken full advantage of their technicians. The technicians expanded duties include collecting labs, patient demographics, and patient charts as well as documenting information for the pharmacists. The pharmacists engage in collaborative rounds with the physicians and have a large impact on the patients' drug therapy. In addition, the pharmacist follows up on patients after they have been discharged checking for problems, answering questions, and ensuring compliance with the drug regimen. The pharmacy currently has patient focused care services on three units and the pharmacists hope to soon expand these services to include more units. They have developed their own computer system which generates a list of patients each day with potential drug related problems. This allows the pharmacist to focus his or her resources where the need is greatest. A hand held computerized unit allows the pharmacist to document interventions quickly and easily at the patients bedside.

Method of Reimbursement

Payor(s): HMO-pays hospital of which the pharmacy is a part

Reimbursement rate: capitated per patient annually

Is documentation required? Yes

Specialized training required? Yes

Must be capable of assuming a dual role as a clinician and a distributor, any advanced degree is acceptable if you are qualified

Software/instrumentation required? Yes (as mentioned above)

Interviewed by: Jennifer schneider