INNOVATIVE PRACTICE FORM

Name: Kent Zellner
Address: 1512 S. County Road 15 Tiffin, Ohio 44883
Phone # (419) 447-1611
home: (419) 447-8894

E-mail/Information service zellpcc@bright.net

Briefly describe innovation
Home Consultation. In February of 1996, this practice was begun when Zellner saw that more and more patients coming into the pharmacy were not having their therapeutic regimens managed properly. Therefore, the focus of home consultation is on patients experiencing problems with disease state management. However, what is different about this pharmacy practice is that the pharmacist goes to the patients, instead of the patients going to the pharmacist. This aids in developing the therapeutic alliance for it indicates the pharmacist truly cares about the patient's well-being. Additionally, the consultation time at the patient's home is private. Thus, the patient's true concerns may be voiced and the pharmacist may glean additional data, such as socioeconomic status and family support network of each patient, without asking intrusive questions. This interaction of patient and pharmacist has definitely improved the patients' quality of life for the patient is better managed. One other important aspect is the response from both the patients and physicians he has received has been favorable. Zellner is developing other programs as well. To increase community awareness of the pharmacist as an important caregiver, he has given informative presentations to physicians and CPAs at the local factories. Also, to indicate his desire to lower the health care costs for patients and insurance companies he is developing other programs: For example, he is working with insurance companies to pay for the over-the-counter product PepcidAC as this costs less than the by prescription only Pepcid. Also, to decrease the number of unnecessary physician office visits (i.e. patients suffering from the common cold), he is developing a pharmacist triage program. Through this program the pharmacist would be reimbursed for prescribing over-the-counter products. Additionally, he is developing protocols for asthma, diabetes, and lipid management.

Method of Reimbursement
Payor(s): Presently gratis.

Reimbursement rate No data yet.

Is documentation required? No Not presently keeping documentation.

Software/instrumentation required? Yes
Computer programs, such as Dynapulse and Adam and Eve, glucose monitoring kits, cholesterol monitoring kits. (Still reviewing additional computer software.)

Interviewed by: Cassie Dapper